As a transfer student coming all the way from Miami, Florida (yep, you read that right), I spent months mentally preparing myself for a huge lifestyle change. I had done extensive research about Cornell and Ithaca at large so finally being on campus almost felt surreal. After becoming a Rose Scholar, I was excited to be able to try everything Ithaca had to offer, especially with fellow students in the Rose community. After first hearing about this event I was excited about this opportunity because I had never attended a farmers market before. Not only would I be seeing a farmers market for the first time, but I would be seeing one that is considered to be one of the best markets in the whole state of New York.

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of vendors and variety of products that were featured at the market. One of the first stations that I saw featured a Cuban food vendor. I’m Cuban so seeing this stand instantly made my day and after tasting the delicious sandwich I ordered, I felt like I was right back home. Seeing hundreds of people walking around with their family and friends and sitting by the water enjoying the delicious food while listening to live music was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I was especially excited when I learned that the farmers market is a frequent event that we could attend on the weekends. I’m grateful that I was able to experience one of Ithaca’s greatest features so early on in my time here and I’m looking forward to learning more about Ithaca’s unique culture.