Guest Blogger Week: City Love
New York City is one of those places that sets your soul on fire. Chaotic and vibrant, there is no place like it.
I showed up in NYC (via Southern California) with a one way plane ticket, two suitcases, and a broken laptop. I did not have a permanent place to live, did not know anybody or have a job. I was over the moon with GLEE. This way my dream city, and now my dream was a reality. I quickly found all the free things to do and landed a summer job teaching drama to precocious 2nd graders in Union Square. I spent my first NYC Summer putting together a play with kids during the day and exploring my new home during the evening. During the Fall, I landed a job teaching Jr. High Math in the South Bronx, got into a Masters program and got great apartment in Harlem with an awesome Doctor roommate to boot. This was TOO EASY! NYC is not tough (said the Naive Southern Californian).
Well, NYC being NYC, I had some hurdles to jump through.
My school situation was a nightmare: there were deadly toxins behind the school making everyone (students/teachers/staff/
residents) very sick. Teachers were in the process of suing the district, reporters were always poking around trying to get a quote to print, and the principal/district kept a blind eye saying that nothing was wrong. So, by December I had resigned, which also meant, I was pulled from my Masters Program.
I was devastated. This being my first Winter (EVER..remember I’m a Cali girl!) just made things worse. Everybody assumed I would move back to California. BUT I REFUSED. If I chose to leave NYC it would be on MY TERMS, and leaving this way was NOT ON MY TERMS.
I got temp work: I worked for a Crazy Fashion Designer who would yell at me in various European languages whilst suspiciously eyeing my worn in Payless shoes. I temped at the American Civil Liberties Union and got some very interesting prison calls. I eventually landed a temp to perm job in the Media Industry that stabilized my work situation. Keep in mind during all of this, I was moving…..Upper West Side…Harlem….Brooklyn….and two years in, place in New Jersey that was 15 minutes to Times Square. I am frugal! and was always on the hunt for cheap rent.
When I first moved to NYC, I wanted to take improv/sketch classes at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, but was too afraid and reasoned I could not afford it. Once my job situation stabilized, I found out (thanks to my frugal nature) I actually could afford it. So, being absolutely terrified, I signed up for Improv 101 at the UCB- NYC. My teacher was amazing. Despite butterflies and feelings of panic, when I ended that first class, I felt euphoric. So, I would work during the day, and study/perform improv sketch comedy during the night. It was awesome and exhausting and beautiful. NYC was morphing me from this shy girl to a confident woman.
After the UCB got a hold of me:
Eventually, I could not neglect a gut feeling inside of me saying it was time to go home for season. I was ready to leave, for a season, and this time, it was on my terms.
I am currently in Los Angeles, teaching and applying to law school, but I will always be grateful to NYC for giving me my voice. Moving to NYC stretched me to my very core and I am a stronger, more courageous person for having walked those NYC streets on my own terms.
And, I will be back. I am a New Yorker…born and raised in California…but still a New Yorker. My mom, however, is a Californian, born and raised in New York City. So, it just goes to show, you don’t choose New York City, New York City chooses you.
