Friday, April 19, 2013

Almost at the 3 month mark!


APRIL 2013

Settled In
It has been nearly three months since I arrived in New York, but it feels like I have been here much longer- probably because of how busy my days are. I am having an amazing time, and really starting to fall in love with the city; it’s just such a fun and lively place! From my experiences living in Spain, Costa Rica, and now New York, I have learned that the first month is always kind of rough but soon after I am completely comfortable. Of course I really, really miss my San Diego life, especially my family and friends (also Mexican food, the beach, the peace and quiet…) but it is good to know that I am adaptable and capable of learning to live in very different places, and still be okay and happy! After 6 weeks, I was totally settled into my internship, I got a part time job teaching ESL in the evenings, bought a monthly gym membership, and got myself an unlimited metro card (I should have done that from the beginning) since I’m always on the go. I have so much going on that 16-20 hour days are not as uncommon as they should be! But I have rarely ever had much free time- go, go, go is kind of my modus operandi. Truthfully, I am enjoying my time here much more than I had expected to, so much so that the idea of staying here an indefinite amount of time isn’t all that scary (or unrealistic)… which is funny, seeing how hard it was for me to leave San Diego.

UN interns at the MDGs 1000 Days Campaign press release
My favorite colleagues :)
Through New Eyes
The beauty of staying somewhere for an extended period of time is that we get to see things as they really are, beyond what our initial perceptions were. Or maybe we just learn to appreciate things for what they are. My first few weeks here I was overwhelmed by the rush, the noise, the crowds, the cold, and I got frustrated- I didn’t understand why everyone was always raving about “the Big Apple” when things were so inconveniently convenient (or conveniently inconvenient). While I’ve mostly gotten a handle on the pace of the City I still frequently get overwhelmed (especially the noise outside my window, or when I’m teaching and trying to think, or when I’m on the phone walking down the street…), only now I understand better.
For example, I was initially confused by the constant rush-“why? There is another train right behind!” Except that’s almost never true. In fact, even the trains run late due to train traffic (who knew that was a real thing?) or they change the schedule completely, or it only runs every 15 minutes after a certain time. And if you are running late, having to wait those extra 2, 5, or even 8 minutes could REALLY make you late. So you run to the subway. You run down the three escalators. And you run onto the train, barely sneaking past the closing doors. It’s exhausting, but with how busy I am (and very likely everyone else, too) it’s hard to not be running late (literally).

I also found out that when you have more time to really explore, you find little niches of awesomeness, like the teeny grocery store a block from my house that is full of fresh deliciousness. The way it’s organized really makes no sense and the cashiers aren’t the friendliest (I have yet to experience exemplary customer service at a non-upscale restaurant) and its not the least expensive place, but its quality and convenience so I go there in between my Fairway trips. Sometimes TOO often, and I have to stop myself. Like I said before, having a fully stocked fridge is happiness! And our fridge is often too full to put more things in- a ‘problem’ we’re thankful to have.

Right before my birthday, I told my roommate how I felt that my partying days were somewhat over. And then my roommate and cousin showed me how to do it up in NYC on my birthday…I haven’t
stopped going out and partying since then (that’s actually not an exaggeration). Oops? However, I did have one weekend where I stayed in, cleaned, read, watched hours of ‘Shameless’, and just had some ME time. That’s when I realized that while the City is fun, crazy, wild, exciting, everyone needs a break. And New Yorkers are not actually ALWAYS out; people have lots of nights in, too! Good to know, but that hasn’t stopped me, or changed my ways. There is too much to do and see and DANCE! (salsa every night of the week…and I’ve made a great friend who loves it more than I do. Trouble!)
New Yorkers get a bad rep for being rude/mean/angry etc. but I have actually encountered very few grouchy people. People aren’t as chatty or outwardly friendly as in many other places, but keeping to yourself doesn’t equate to being a rude, insensitive person. Like I said, I go out often and I meet tons of people (including other interns, and other colleagues from NYLC where I teach) and there are so many interesting people with awesome stories (also, lots of uninteresting people). Once I started feeling comfortable here, I felt that I had a new energy about me and it was shining through in all my interactions; even bar conversations have been ridiculously intense/serious/academic, far from the normal small-talk. I enjoy it, though; it keeps life interesting, and who likes normal bar conversations anyway? Not I.

One really great thing I am enjoying about NYC is all the transit time I have to READ. I have read/finished reading 3 books now, and it makes me so happy to read frequently again. I had almost forgotten how much of an escape reading is for me, and its great to use that time meaningfully. So although I miss driving so much, and the crazy subways and crowds and emotional rollercoasters they cause me are frustrating, I can always delve into a book. That’s not something you can do while sitting in traffic when you’re the driver (well, I’ve actually seen people do it in LA traffic, but it is terrifyingly dangerous!)

My office partner in crime <3
All in all, I’m happy and thankful to be here, even with my full-time internship, part-time teaching job, gym and socializing that keep me going nearly 24/7. I have made some great new friends, reconnected with old ones, and am having too much fun. This is life. And I am sure living it to the fullest- in the Greatest City in the World.  

From the High Line park