Back in 2010, I pursued a love affair with a city. I left
London for the city that never sleeps…New York. I was young, excitable and practically
nocturnal (due to all my university deadlines).
I had fallen out of love with London and everything it
represented to me. You see, I was the first in my family tree to pursue an
honours degree and the expectations that fell on my shoulders had exhausted me.
Life had become a repetitive cycle. one that forced me to impress, to be perfect and
to suppress my personality. I had lost touch of who I really was and needed to
break away from the rat race.
Stuck in an eternal dark autumn of my life, on a gloomy
October day I took a flight to New York with a half empty suitcase and a plan
to travel around America. Upon arriving in the city, I was struck by the
harshness of New York. The city was fierce, uninviting and cold. Yet, the
longer I spent there the more I fell in love with it. New York was like a new
friend to me and the more I got to know New York the better acquainted I became
with its characteristics.
It was in New York, were I learnt to live with myself. Whether
I was traveling on the circle line cruise around the Statue of Liberty, eating
at the Olive Garden alone or on quest a to meet some Amish people in Pennsylvania...I felt liberated. Pretty soon, I had gained enough courage to take an Amtrak
train to Virginia, a Greyhound Bus to Washington and a plane to
Indiana.
I met a lot of people, stayed in a few interesting places
and had graduated at becoming independent. I learnt that being content with
your own company doesn't make you boring; it makes your company more valuable
to other people. You have to learn to love yourself before you can love another,
even if it takes long haul flight and a few cab rides with strangers to learn that lesson. I will always be
thankful for what New York taught me, she was a fabulous teacher and remains
the apple of my eye.
Where I stayed in New York The Chelsea Lodge:
