” New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of; there’s nothing you cannot do. New York, these streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you”
A visit to the Big Apple has been a dream I’ve held onto for over 20 years. I’ve always been inspired by the energy this city had and the abundance of opportunities (well at least from what I saw from movies and television series). All the movies (Pursuit of Happiness, Sex and the City , Devil wears Prada etc) projected a specific drive to excel, an attitude of resilience and courage to keep on fighting for one’s dreams.
New York was showcased as the land of opportunities, where ANY dream- big or small was possible. A place where you have to work extremely hard, face the toughest challenges and experience unbelievable growth.
My experience of New York City is not too farfetched from the stories I grew up watching.
This city has a place for everyone- the passionate lover, the young professional eager to climb the corporate ladder, the artist who wants to paint, the performer on broadway, the violinist, pianist, singer, the dog walker, the cat sitter- everyone!
New York allows you to be free- irrespective of your gender, race, sexual orientation or background. There is a sense of equality- whether it’s real or not. There is a work ethic that will force you to stop, think and question; ” Do I bring my absolute best to work everyday?”
You go to any hotel, bar, metro rail or tourist attraction and you’ll meet a citizen who is ready to assist, provide directions or take a picture. People here understand what tourism is and what it means for their country economically, what it means for them individually. I’ve met people working 2-3 jobs just to stay afloat. People working till 2am and back to the grind at 8am. The metro runs 24 hours and shopping continues till the early hours of the morning. It is true when they say ” the city that never sleeps”.
“These streets will make your feel brand new; these lights will inspire you” These were merely lyrics to what has become a national anthem across the world- Empire State of Mind by Jay Z ft Alicia Keys. New York streets will change your world…
This trip allowed me to fully grasp what this line meant. Walking down the streets of New York, you will meet hard working people selling their craft (performances, commodities, food, water etc) in order to get a tip. You will meet people who are NOT ashamed to do specific jobs because it’s beneath them. They do what needs to be done to put food on the table! The lights in Times Square will ignite your spark -opening up a world of endless opportunities; transitioning you to uncharted territories and inspiring you to think bigger! To do better! To be better!
And what better way to do this?
The Statue of Liberty gives you courage to keep fighting for what you believe in, inspires you to be relentless in pursuit of your dreams and to embrace the freedom you have.
New York offers a lot to see and do- history, music and the arts. But for now, I will share only this and continue with the experience in part 2.
” Let’s hear it for New York …”
