My NY dream
Ever since I was a teenage girl, I dreamed of visiting New York. As an introverted kid, I watched a lot of American films and TV shows. Sex and the City was one of those shows. The way the city is portrayed in that show, I fell in love with it right there and then. The grandness of the city, all the possibilities it provides, all the different kinds of people it houses. All the craziness it holds. It seemed magical.
However it took me to turn 32,5 before having the guts to actually take action and fly overseas to step foot in that wonderful place on earth: Manhattan, New York. I arrived with my best friend on april 25th 2024 in New Jersey to start our adventure. Finally, I could get a real taste of what this place is all about.
Some people are brave to do this trip on a long weekend. But not a hair on my head wanted to rush through the holiday. No, we decided to stay for 10 days, so it would allow us to take our time and go with the flow. I enjoyed our time there tremendously. Walking the streets of New York does something to you. Seeing all those people of different backgrounds, all having their own stories to tell. Really made me fall in love with the city more.
My first trip to the big apple only scratched the surface. I had a taste and I wanted more. I dreamed of starting a life abroad for more than a decade. So in the fall of 2024, when I was sick at home, feeling sorry for myself, I remembered what my therapist once told me: dream big. I took a good look in the mirror and asked myself: if I could choose, if I could dream big, where would I go? There was no doubt about it: New York.
I think a lot of people don’t realise that a dream, a desire should make you feel a bit scared. It should make you second guess it. It should feel like a big risk. Because if it doesn’t have risk. Is it really worth going for? I randomly chose a date and booked my flights. This time I was going alone. This time, I didn’t tell anyone about it. Hey, I’m a grown woman (33 at the time of booking). I can make my own decisions. I was doing this for me, myself and I. I didn’t need anybody to give their opinion about this crazy choice.
So I shot my arrow into the future. 10 months in advance. Because at 33, you finally start to get to know yourself a bit better. I had a rough period behind me which made me learn how to choose myself. But I wasn’t ready yet. Something inside of me needed this time to prep. Mentally, psychically, financially. At the time I thought I did it to help me with my procrastination. I’m an improv kind of gal. Love to go with the flow. Some might call me a free spirit. But I believed that this would help me to do the work: find places to go, try and connect already with people over there, etc. No need to say that this plan failed. What was really happening in this period was the cleaning up and rectifying of all the parts of my life: sorting out my business plan, working through my childhood traumas, learning to become resilient as fuck and standing up for myself.
I only found my place to stay 1 month before departure. I got on the plane with zero plans. Just an idea here and there. But my intentions were crystal clear. And I’ll introduce a cliffhanger here. So you’ll come back for part II ;)
Until next time.
Love, Numi
