I love NYC!
I have made it my home for almost two years now and I take pride in showing this beautiful city when someone comes to visit me. I always assume that people are going to fall in love with it just like I did or that I would make them see a different side of the city that they would come to appreciate. However, more times than not most of my visitors have different reactions which goes to show that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
1. "It's so dirty"
Now I know. New York City is dirty, so I am not at all surprised when I hear the people that comes visit me say "Wow, it's really dirty here!" However, when I first moved to New York I was so grateful and excited to having moved to the city that I honestly didn't see how dirty it was until a good two months had gone by, but I guess you see what you want to see. I didn't see the filth because other things caught my attention first, like the lights, the people, the opportunities and the overall happy feeling I had. And I get it it's not for everyone, and just because you love your city doesn't mean somebody else will. I guess it's true, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
2. "I could never live here"
That moment when you have planned the coolest activities to do when your friends will come and visit you. You are so excited and know that no matter what they'll love the city just as much as you and Heck, might even decide to make the big move. And finally that weekend that you have been waiting for is here and you finally get to experience the nightlife. You go to spot number one and your friends don't appreciate it. No biggie, the night is young! You go to spot number two and still no reactions. You go to spot number three and still the same thing. They finally decide to call it a night and it's not until bedtime small talk that they throw that bomb at you, "How can you do this every day? I could never live here." That's when it hits you that they are not impressed with NYC as you thought they would. Ouch! "why did I feel a pinch in my heart?"
3. "Are we there yet?"
I moved to New York from Virginia where the number one mode of transportation is a car. If you don't have a car then you better have good knees because you'll be doing a lot of walking. So, when my friends come to visit being stuck on the subway for forty minutes, it's somehow painful for them. Two stops in on the A train, they already get antsy. "What's our stop again?" Not even midway through, I hear, "How long do we have until we get there?" Honestly SMH! What happened to sitting back and relaxing?
4. "Oh my gosh! What is that smell?"
Yes, I can't even pretend on this one. I love New York but New York has a distinct smell that I don't think any other city has. It's the smell of the overheated trash that have been sitting on the street curve for days on end, the body odor mixed in with street food. I mean yes, New York can withhold smells that will have your stomach turn. So, when someone comes visit me and utter "OMG! What is that smell?" I just say "It's that New York smell."
6. "New York is so expensive"
Yes, New York is expensive. Almost every single person that comes to visit me, if not everyone says this to me. And you know what? they are right, New york is expensive. However, You have to take into account that when someone comes to visit we usually do all the touristy things that is always going to pivot on the expensive side. But it's like a right of passage. Once you get that out of your system, you can now experience other parts of New York that are not that expensive at all and where you are still guaranteed to have a good tie.
So, there it is my beautiful readers. Please, let me know if you can identify with any of the points I have outlined in this article or share some of your own personal experiences because I know I am not the only one.
