Moving to New York ain’t easy. Even when, prior to moving, you save up enough to pay the broker, pay the security deposit, pay the first month’s rent and still have enough stashed away to live on for 4 months while you piece together a life for yourself, even when you think you’ve lined up a good job prior to arriving: New York will test you every step of the way. There are sharks here; people who will exploit you without batting an eye. There are crazy people and scary people and landlords who simply do not give a shit. There are roaches. Worst of all, there is rent. Frighteningly high rent.
So why bother? Why move to an environment that can be so hostile, so difficult, so exhausting? Sure, the suburban misfits of the world (aka: me) could let their freak flag fly in any place, but there is something really appealing about doing it in New York. Maybe it has to do with the bizarre social experiment of putting the entire world on a tiny island. Or maybe because highly successful people are bound to be a bit eccentric and as a city where highly successful people do their thang, eccentricity is valued and celebrated. Or maybe us misfits just like our hot dogs to come from sidewalk carts. Who knows. Regardless, my 20-something search for home is over. In New York, there’s strangeness and story around each and every corner; I belong here. And I wasn’t expecting to.
I’ve always felt at home in the mountains, hidden away from the world, covered in sweat and mud, smiling. Shaun is a city lad, though. I know people typically think of lush, rolling hills and sheep when they think of Scotland – but we lived in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. Think indie-music, loud bars, fashionistas, artists, and urban grit. That’s the Scotland Shaun loved; he was just being a sweetheart when he obliged my weekend whims to hike up Scottish mountains and tromp through Scottish mud. And I am cool with living in cities – my career as a cultural not-for-profit marketer sort of depends on them (after all, museums don’t just park themselves atop rugged mountain trails). I’m happy to just pay homage to the mountains of the world while on holiday. Never would I have expected that a city as ginormous and far removed from mountains as NYC would be the place I found home in. But it is.
There are so many things about this place that make me unable to think of living elsewhere ever again: the diversity, the acceptance, the big bold beauty, the big bold horror, unbelievable people doing unbelievable things, life lived in full, an unabashed, unmitigated take it or leave it attitude. New York is loud and funny and sad and bittersweet and revolting and never, ever understated. It’s me. It’s me as a city.
Despite my love affair with the city, things have not been all daises and sunshine. The job I’d accepted prior to relocating turned out to be a very different situation than I’d imagined. I parted with the studio head on very good terms and even provided freelance services for her for a few weeks. But now that gig has dried up.
On Monday, I started a small, part-time job helping with a fundraising campaign for the largest, oldest classical music organization in the United States while I seek more suitable full-time employment. Unlike job hunts I’ve done in other cities, there is a HUGE amount of work that I would *love* to do here and that I’m actually qualified for. No longer am I the right-our-of-college kid looking to do anything. I’ve marketed two very high-profile organizations. I take a lot of pride in my work. I have been promoted in each place that I’ve worked and made friends with the people that I’ve worked with. My network is strong. I am a good catch. It’s only a matter of time. But the waiting is tough.
Shaun is also looking for work and with his masters (and a number of editorial and high-profile writing projects under his belt), he is finally qualified to apply for a handful editorial positions (for web or assistant/associate). He’s always wanted to work as an editor – it was what sparked the whole conversation about him attending grad school in the first place. So, here in New York, the heart of the publishing world, he’s already gone on a few interviews and things are looking good for him. I’d hire him – he is amazing. And able to do web and all sorts of things! In the meantime, he’s tutoring for an online company and picking up freelance assignments. His beat is comics – there’s not better city to cover that beat in than NYC.
So, we are keeping our heads above water, but full time work does need to come quickly, before our funds run dry in February. And work will come our way. Because I’m not moving anymore. Not only because New York is home, but because I’m just not able to move again. We will make this work and we won’t kill each other trying to do it.
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What move put you to the test?
