...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 0".
Why New York?
It's summer in the northern hemisphere. I had visited Banff in June 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?
Stockholm
Ireland
Serbia
Turkey (Part 2)
Jordan
But I chose to stay in the US. Some observations about New York that I noticed:
Diversity in Roles
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 necessarily 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.
Work Hard. Play Hard.
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 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 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.”
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 Made Friends Easily in New York
I thought it was very easy to meet people in New York. Maybe it’s just me ;) but for example, one night, I felt like going out, so I joined a group and met new people. Another night, I felt like learning about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, so I went to a technology event.
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.
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.
New York is also 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 1 because I know it will be a once in a lifetime experience.
Thanks for reading and see you again soon, New York City.