June 8, 2008
Well, my delicious red apple has finally reached its core. Most of the bites have been chewed; some pieces have been harder to swallow than others, some pieces needed to be shared with others in order for me to sink my teeth into the apple once again, and other pieces just left me hungry for more.
I don't think the idea that it's finally time to leave has quite yet ripened and settled in my mind. The past 9 months have been a labor of love, hate, excitement, question, laughter, doubt, enjoyment and sadness. Quite the rollercoaster of mental energy I'd say, that when combined with an enduring feeling of physical exhaustion, along with daily tests of tolerance and competition for space, makes for quite a challenging lifestyle.
That said, I wouldn't change this experience for anything. Perhaps Frank Sinatra said it best with "I want to be a part of it... New York, New York!"... and I'm so glad I was. It was an incredible learning experience... personally, professionally, physically and economically. I have indeed developed a tougher skin from it all, with the added "bonus" of scarred, still blistered and horribly callused feet.
Starting a new, be it temporary or permanent, life in a new city is no easy task, especially when you're all by yourself. And in a city this big, where it's surprisingly difficult to meet people, I can't express how extremely grateful I am to have been able to work with such a fantastic group of people... or shall I say, bale of turtles. Their support, nurture, humor and friendship is priceless.
Thanks for the memories New York... if it's not your bright lights that bring me back for another bite, it will be my last used Subway MetroCard that will be kept tucked away in my wallet once again, much like it previously was before.
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