I’ve told this story here, before. But for the sake of it, I’m telling it again. A few too many years ago, a friend of mine told me that, one day, I would be living in New York. At the time I smiled, we drank a shot, and it was it. It’s going to sound very Hollywood-esq, but I never thought that a small town girl would ever move to New York. And the truth is, it’s been two and half years. I’ve never visited America before and, everything I knew, was based in news, movies and TV shows. And even though, the first time I stepped out at Penn Station, I felt like I recognized those streets. I though to myself, I’m home. Which isn’t exactly how I feel most of the time.
New York is a very tricky little bitch. It sucks you in and spits you out. There’s a Portuguese blogger that was here last week and, even though I don’t follow her blog anymore, I follow her on Instagram. And I went to the blog to check out the posts and, subsequently, the comments. There were two very distinct groups of people. The ones who loved and preached New York, and the ones who didn’t. Both are very valid – even though people don’t have the decency to admit. And I thought that, people who love New York have a very hard time understanding people who don’t, and vice-versa. I think that, until you’ve lived somewhere, your opinion can be shared but it isn’t quite as valid. You have to experience the city as is, to really figure out if you love it or hate it.
While reading the comments, I felt related to both sides. I can see the fascination of these streets, places and picture-perfect skylines. But I can also see the disenchantment. New York is a beautiful city. Just like Frank Sinatra sings, it makes you feel like if you make it here, you can make it anywhere. But on the other hand, it’s dirty, rude, noisy and tiring. Only now I’m living close to Manhattan, enough that I can feel the airs of the city. I’m loving it! I feel like there’s a whole side of it to discover, and that makes me pretty excited. The quickness in which I can stroll to the riverfront, the one subway station away from Manhattan, etc.
Living in New York is pretty much rad. But I’m not excited about it everyday. Somedays, I miss the quiet of home, the closeness to the beach and our people. I love to read other posts, articles and even discussions about how amazing, or not, it is to live here. Because they pretty much validate both sides of the coin. We all need some kind of validation to justify our actions and this one, you don’t even ask for. All in all, it’s been a very positive experience that’s yet to show itself. I tend to believe things happen for a reason and it hasn’t been shown yet.
So far, I’m enjoying wandering the streets. Trying out new restaurants (follow me on Instagram @eduardamsl for more on that). Getting into the vibe. Learning from a different culture. Trying to absorb it all.
What do you think about the city that never sleeps? I would love to start a conversation! Any New York lovers/haters out there?