…was not long enough.
I spent 2 months in New York during the summer of 2022, and “2 months in New York” ended up being renamed in my head to “New York, Part 1”.
Why New York?
It’s summer in the northern hemisphere. I had visited Banff in June (which was AMAZING) for two weeks.
I wasn’t set on New York. I typically try to do the April – August in the Northern hemisphere and November – March in the Southern hemisphere to avoid brutal winters.
Which other cities/countries did I consider other than New York?
- Stockholm
- Ireland
- Serbia
- Turkey (Part 2)
- Jordan
But I chose to stay in the US.
Everybody is doing something different in New York
I lived in San Francisco for nearly two years. If you were to ask somebody at random in San Francisco “what do you do?” 70% of the response will be “I’m in Tech.”
That’s not the case in New York. There’s a healthy mix of people in finance, banking, tech, fashion, entertainment, advertising, arts, restaurants and hospitality, and so on.
People in New York are Extremely Driven
A lot of the most talented professionals in their respective industries are located in New York.
People are always chasing the next big thing. A bigger apartment, more boujie meals, etc.
Every square inch counts in a New York City apartment. Many people want to stay in New York, and an apartment upgrade is considered a huge accomplishment.
I actually LOVED this aspect about New York. I was surrounded by extremely smart and talented people, and I seemed to have learned something new from every conversation with a stranger.
New York is Not Only International. It’s Iconic.
It doesn’t matter what you look like or where you are from. You fit in here in this melting pot of an international city.
When I watched The Captain while I was in New York, I marveled about the story of Derek Jeter – including the impact he had on the New York Yankees, the sport of baseball, New York, and wait for it – even the world.
When I was in Brazil, I noticed one of my Brazilian friends wearing a New York Yankees hat at the beach. I asked him in Portuguese, “Oh, you like the Yankees?” And he responded “Oh, I don’t even really know them. I just really like the hat.”
I would repeatedly notice while visiting many cities in Brazil that many Brazilians wore that hat leisurely.
The New York Yankees hat is worn by so many people around the world because it’s not just a good looking hat. It’s iconic. It’s New York.
Many people outside international borders dream of being in New York, and as an American citizen, I definitely take it for granted.
I love meeting new people and I am open to new interactions. And so is the entire city. Which made me fall in love instantly to the energy of the city.
It’s Extremely Easy to Make Friends in New York
It’s very easy to meet people in New York. For example, one night, I felt like salsa dancing, so I joined a salsa group and met new people. Another night, I felt like learning about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, so I went to a technology event.
I started becoming good friends with friends of my friends. The network spread like wildfire.
New York is…New York
Just look at the skyline. It never gets old.
It’s the most unique big city in the world. And it was annoying to find out that the street of Houston is somehow not pronounced Houston.
But I am already looking forward to going back to Solas for bachata on Thursdays. And getting a regrettable 2am Ray’s Pizza in the East Village. And random pool parties at Summer Club in Long Island City. An adventurous night at Brooklyn Mirage. Or a fun finish at Brass Monkey in Chelsea.
I am not a New Yorker and I don’t plan to be a New Yorker. Yet…
New York is willing to accept me and take me in because it’s New York.
The city that validated me as somebody who walks at only an average pace.
There’s a magic to this city that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world, and I’m already looking forward to New York Part 2 because I know it will be a once in a lifetime experience.
Thanks for reading and see you again soon, New York City.
