The commute…
The first question that anyone asks when I tell them about my job is “How’s the commute?” The question is understandable seeing that I live in West Philly with all of my Haverford House buddies, but I work in Camden, New Jersey. Therefore I usually cross state lines twice a day and spend anywhere from an hour to two hours a day in the process of commuting. What I usually tell people, which is true, is that I actually love the commute. I love the built in separation of home and work, a time that allows me to clear my head before entering the office and the time to mentally leave behind my work at the end of the day. The other great thing about my commute is the chance to fly over the Delaware River twice a day. For those of you out there who have never taken the PATCO line between 8th and Market and Camden City Hall you should definitely get yourself on a train today. It feels absolutely magical to be up so high and to see this world splayed out before you.
Yet besides for being good for my mental health, the commute has also filled me with questions and made me a bit unsettled. As I began my daily ritual back in July there were a few things that one could not fail to notice on my commute. The first was that I am actually a reverse-commuter, meaning that I am going in the opposite direction of most of the people taking the PATCO. Day after day, my trains are always empty as I travel to New Jersey in the morning and then back to Philadelphia in the evening. Whereas the trains coming into Philadelphia in the morning are jampacked, as are the trains flying away from Philly and into Jersey in the evening. While I don’t know the exact statistics behind this phenomenon, I can only guess that it occurs because Philadelphia is an economic hub and attracts workers across state lines, however, it does not retain these same individuals to live. What are the effects of this influx and outflow to both Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia?
The other strange thing about the commute is that it reminds me on a daily basis of my mobility and the incredible privilege that I to cross state lines at will. With my PATCO pass in hand, I can leave and enter Camden at any time I want, but I know that many Camden residents do not have that ability. The feeling that I often get from talking with people in Camden, many of whom have lived through the city’s economic boom and devastating busts, is that they are stuck. Therefore while I commute against the crowds from South Jersey, I am very much a part of the daily evening exodus from Camden of those who can afford to leave. There is a part of me that wants to stake a claim and stay in Camden and prove everyone wrong who constantly degrades the city. I want to stay and show people the beauty that I see in the city and its people, but I also cannot ignore the reality that I see and hear about on a daily basis. So as I fly back over the river every evening, interspersed in my emotions remain a feeling of betrayal, a clenching of anger, and a twinge of relief.
Tags: camden, commuting, new jersey, Philadelphia
November 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Dear Jane,
I read your blog with great interest and awe at the thoughtful and honest way you described how you felt about your commute from Philly to Camden and back again. Camden has a very special place in my heart — my youngest son was born in Camden at Our Lady of Lourdes hosptial. Be safe in all your travels, Donna