So I've arrived! I'm here, in this big bad city... alone...
To be honest, I am totally overwhelmed, excited, exhausted, almost broke and sometimes filled with intense homesickness - you know the feeling? You know it, man... those "What the fuck am I doing?!" moments.
I am officially the insane 20-something who quit a perfectly good job, left her amazing boyfriend in her well-designed flat to go live in an Airbnb with a total stranger and dog in Brooklyn. Breathe deep. Don't have a panic attack. Breathe.
Still trying to figure everything out. Still.
But life is all about learning, growing, adapting to changes and making it all work for you.
First thing to know about NYC is that everyone is either painfully cool/stylish, beautiful or recently had a mental breakdown. The lifestyle is so fast paced and everything is expensive. You can't leave your house without dropping at least $50.
London underground trains aka "The Tube/The Underground" are a very polite space. People respect the rules that blast over the intercom in that posh lady accent. They stand on the right and walk on the left. They wait for fellow Londoners to exit the carriage before entering. They avoid eye contact like the plague.
NYC is SO friendly and talkative. American people will speak to you in the streets/train/queue like you're an old friend. Honestly, my first day here this really nice lady struck up conversation with me about my height and the height of my parents and siblings - so many questions and jokes, we were chatting for so long I missed my stop and had to take 2 trains to find my way again. Rookie error.
Corner shops aka "Bodegas" in NYC do not sell alcohol. They sell salads, sandwiches and useless fattening snacks. Everyone in America says liquor not alcohol, and to buy liquor one has to find specific liquor-only stores. Its not that hard, but I was just surprised by this because England and Jamaica don't work this way.
The bus system is intimidating and I still haven't even tried it yet.
A lot of grown ass people in NYC play games on their phones on loud on public transport. Very annoying.
But at least consistency lies in the fact that no matter where you go in the world when you open your phone on the front camera when you're lying in bed it is one of the most humbling experiences.
She's a badass explorer
Just bouncing along folks... we will see what the next few months have in store for me.
Please leave any tips and tricks for NYC in the comments below!
x o x o
Tasmin
