The last night in Georgia was a bit of a whirlwind, since it involved getting everything together, going out for a few pre-flight drinks (where laughter and then crying ensued...there were some big moments), and then waiting at the airport alone for hours before my flight left for Kiev.
As excited as I was to get back to the US, I also felt uneasy and just, odd...I was really tired (staying up 24 hours straight can do that I guess), and I was very sad to leave behind Danielle, who was been the best friend I could have asked for and will be staying another year. I hate traveling long distances alone, and it made me feel lonely to go my own way. I guess I've been pretty dependent on people the last couple of years, and that may prove a hard habit to break. I was worried about being broke, about finding an apartment and a job, and I was/am very aware that there is a possibility things won't turn out like I hoped. These are daunting thoughts, and they are things that only I, myself, can make happen.
Anyway, I was grateful and relieved to touch down in NYC, where I would meet my friend Sandy, who had flown in from Texas an hour earlier. Except it turned out that her flight had been delayed, and she was coming to JFK from Newark, so a pay phone call later determined that I would wait for an hour or so before she would be there to meet me. During that time I re-discovered that people in airports love to talk--especially the older folk. I think people are concerned when they see a single girl traveling alone and assume she probably needs to hear some stories. At least people are friendly...
Fast forward to a big hug from Sandy, and we're on an airport shuttle headed for her friend's apartment in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. And then the car battery died. My fellow PCVs will see the irony in this, as I found myself tired and cranky on a Sprinter van that wasn't working after we made lots of stops to pick people up. And you know, no battery=no AC. All I could think was, 'THAT WAS MY LIFE FOR 2 YEARS AND NOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT! WHYYYYYYYYY?'
But never fear. A jump and we were on our way. Stepping out in Hell's Kitchen on a Friday summer night, the first sensation is being enveloped in stifling heat. Meanwhile, bright lights and people everywhere walking to weekend festivities arrest the ears and eyes. Yep, I had made it to New York.
And what can I say about New York that hasn't already been said? Nothing, basically. It's huge, and expensive, and overwhelming and crazy. I have to find an apartment and a job and LIVE MY LIFE like I belong here. What? But, in just 3 days I've met some pretty cool people, gotten lots of good advice and even been on a few adventures. Add in brunch, an off-broadway show and today's upcoming food tour and I think it will be a good start to my NYC residency. I'm still looking at neighborhoods, but fortunately have narrowed things down a bit so when I come back in August it may not be so difficult.
Now, let's talk about life in the US after being gone for 2 years. From what I've experienced, people don't talk on the phone. No. They text. Everything is texting. Which reminds me, I got a smart phone-that I use like a toddler. And I don't like texting, because it takes forever to push all those little buttons.
Message: Hi, how are things going? Where are you?
Reply: I am in Williamsburg. Do you want to meet up in an hour?
Message: Yes. I am on the Upper East Side. Let's meet at Pony Bar in an hour and a half.
Reply: Ok. How do I get there?
Message: Use your phone, the map function. I showed it to you.
Reply: I can't get it to work. I don't understand this thing. It tells me I have to get to the subway. It doesn't tell me HOW to get to the subway.
Message: Uggggggggggggggh.
These things can be solved by a 2 minute conversation! Don't even get me started on Auto Text. My name is not Laurence, phone! Stop putting that automatically and making me re-type everything. Oh, AND, you can barely have face to face conversations because no one is listening. They are texting, or Googling, or 4-squaring or tweeting on their phones instead. HEY EVERYBODY, I'M HAVING BRUNCH RIGHT NOW, ANNOUNCEMENTS. Maybe we could just have brunch? Like...just the people at brunch, maybe?
And the response: Oh, Lauren. You just have to get used to it. That's just the way we/people/Americans work now!
Oh boy.
As I continue my journey to being an obnoxious American, tomorrow morning I leave for the Lone Star State and my family/friends/Tex-Mex.
Could not be happier or more excited.
Until next time...
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