You can make it anywhere.
Or so Mr. Sinatra said.
If my first week in New York is any indication of what my future here holds, I am in for quite a ride. I have experienced so much in such a short amount of time, but after all, that is the reason I moved to the big apple. The city that never sleeps. Yeaaaah, I need to get used to that.
Let’s break it down shall we?
All week I have {graciously} been invited on many interviews. I have traveled all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, attempting to familiarize myself with my new home. And although I have a lot of confidence in myself after living in London and maneuvering around the underground, I still have much to learn about the subway system here in NYC. For instance, it is wise {and extremely foolish to ignore} the specifics of a street or avenue name. East and West make a difference. You can have the exact same address with a different ‘direction’ and find yourself real confused. I am beginning to feel like a gopher popping his head out of his burrow, only to descend quickly back underground after realizing I am on the entire wrong side of the city.
Aside from interviews, I am slowly, but frantically, reaching out to everyone, in a non-desperate but totally desperate way, that I have even the slightest connection with here in New York. Lucky for me, I am off to a fabulous start. I recently met up with Sarah’s best friend from home, who also happens to have recently relocated to the concrete jungle. I instantly knew any friend of Sarah’s would undoubtedly be a badass gal, and I was correct. Iced tea and yoga was a perfect beginning to an inevitable friendship. Now to find a way to convince Sarah to move here with us…
I reconnected with friends this week as well. The first being an old friend from high school {small world} whom I had not seen for 7 years! {or so we somewhat calculated after a couple drinks so don’t quote me on this} Him and his boyfriend are New York Newbies as well with an incredible view of the city skyline, of which I will be taking full advantage of whether they like it or not. Seeing a friendly face makes such a difference in a strange, new city. And if you disagree, you are lying to yourself.
On the same evening I met up with another {more recent} friend from, wouldn’t you know it, Croatia! {and my world keeps getting smaller} After spending a week sailing on a boat with someone, you owe it to each other to meet up if ever in the same city. And that’s just what we did. Hearing that Australian accent always has a way of bringing me to another place and time. I have spent a significant amount of my 25 years on this earth with Aussie and Kiwi accents acting as a soundtrack to my life. It is another comfort that I will always hold near and dear.
Moving on, I lost my phone. Yup. Couldn’t even make it a week. But contrary to most judgments made about ‘typical New Yorkers’, my faith was restored when my Taxi driver made an effort the next afternoon to contact family members and have my phone returned to me. Talk about good karma! I obviously provided him with a generous tip and thanked him profusely.
Additionally, I experience my first snow fall! I mean, like officially. When it ‘snowed’ in London {aka like three flakes fell through the sky and melted before they hit the ground}, I lost my shit. I danced and screamed like an idiot. So when I stepped outside the other morning to a full, IRL snowing, I was blown away. I feel like I handled it okay… I mean, I stuck my tongue out to capture snow flakes and grabbed some of the fresh powder from the ground. No screaming this time. But you couldn’t deny the goofy smile on my face which may or may not have looked extremely creepy to those passing by {look at this clown from California acting as if she has never seen snow before}. It was truly amazing.
And finally, I was offered a job! Which means, I’m staying!
Let the apartment search begin!
Please, please, please — if you have any suggestions about neighborhoods, prices, or things to be cautious of when looking for the right apartment, comment below!
So yes, my first week in New York has been everything I never expected. But so happily accept. And I am confident that I have a good chance of making it here. In my own way. New York already holds such an important place in my heart. It represents a dream that I have always hoped to pursue. It will allow me to heal in a way that is necessary to my well-being. I am presented with a fresh start. A clean slate, if you will. With endless possibilities. This journey will change my life. I am sure of it. And with that I say,
NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU.