I'm in a New York State of Mind

I don't have any reasons, I left them all behind, I'm in a New York State of mind - Billy Joel

On the bus to New York, we were travelling down the motorway in the dark. On either side of the road, the night sky stretched far and the bus was engulfed in this darkness. Perhaps it was the lack of headphones for most of my journey or maybe it was the dark, but I found myself in a very contemplative state about my longing for the familiarity of home. I wouldn't describe it as homesickness, but there was a longing for home and a longing for the people who make London a place that I love with every fibre of my being. As this longing burned within me, the buildings of the city began to rip through the night sky and suddenly the bus wasn’t as dark, it was illuminated by New York City. I realised then that I felt at home here and the longing for London burnt out. Born and bred in a city, I cannot shy away from my cosmopolitan core. I love escaping into the country but it is in cities where I feel most at home.

            Although Washington is a ‘city’, it doesn’t feel like one, as it is such a transient place. I couldn’t compare Washington to New York or London. The city clears out on the weekends as everybody leaves after having finished their week of work, rendering the city to feel more like a town (with the addition of tourists) than a big bustling city. I love Washington, but it cannot compare to a big city. This was why when I arrived in New York, I felt so at home. We spent 5 days in New York, the holiday for President’s Day allowed the trip to be a very long weekend. I stayed with my roommate, Oona, at her family home on Long Island, and the days flew by in a blink of an eye. It wasn’t only the fact that I fell in love with the city that made the weekend so special; it was also the stay with Oona’s family. I am a creature of home comforts, and therefore there is something so special to me about being in a home. Oona’s family treated me like they’d known me forever and made me feel like I was part of the family. For this, my gratitude is endless. I could write reams and reams on how thankful I am to Oona, but I’ll save it as she is usually the first person to read my posts (hi Oona) and also because she deserves a whole post of her own (watch this space).

Some highlights/thoughts from the trip –

            I wanted to check Times Square off my touristy to-do list because it’s so iconic. Standing in the middle of the square, you’re surrounded by bright billboards. There was something about this that had me in awe; it was such an extreme of the world that we live in today. The place stenches of 21^st century commercialism. A sculpture of golden hearts in the shape of a ring had been installed in the square; it was symbolic of a love affair with Times Square. I myself couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it. Oona and I were stood in the middle of the sculpture, soaking in the vibrancy of Times Square when we witnessed a proposal happen about 2 feet away from us. It was a true New York moment.

I could have stared at this forever

            I also really loved the MoMa, The Museum of Modern Art, as I always feel like modern art museums are really fun places to visit. The museum contains some really iconic work by artists such as Andy Warhol and Van Gogh, but I often find that the really iconic artworks are somewhat anticlimactic to see in person because we are familiarised to seeing them. Therefore, it wasn’t the iconic pieces that make the MoMa so spectacular to me, but rather it was their more modern exhibitions. There’s something so enjoyable about looking at modern art and playing the “what does it mean” game, there was a live piece that we couldn’t quite figure out the meaning behind. I feel like the MoMa is a museum that one could continually revisit, it offers such a wide range of modern art which prompt an endless depth of possible interpretations.

            After spending a few days exploring the city, we drove into The Hamptons for a more relaxed day. Although it was off-season in The Hamptons (many of the restaurants were closed and it was a bit of a ghost town) we managed to find a cute place for lunch called Margarita Grille. After going on a drive and a very short walk on the beach (it was -15 degrees), we settled in on a table by the fireplace for a really lovely meal. There was something about this whole day that we spent on West Hampton Beach that had me feeling elated. It was a combination of my growing love for New York, as well as the vibe in The Hamptons.

            Despite it being some of the coldest weather I have ever experienced, it was an amazing weekend that filled me to the brim with warmth. When I left Philadelphia a few weekends ago and arrived back in Washington, I felt a flood of relief at being back home. I realised that this meant Washington officially felt like a home to me. However, when I left New York yesterday afternoon and arrived in Washington that evening, I felt like I had left a city behind that I could very easily call home. New York could very potentially rival my love for London.  

- Roop xx

Time is a fluid …

The first 3 weeks of my exchange semester have reminded me of the fluidity of time. Sometimes it surrounds you like an ocean and other times, it flows through you like a rapid stream. I can’t believe that I’ve been in Washington D.C. for 3 weeks, it seems like only yesterday that I was tugging my suitcases off the luggage belt after that 8-hour flight. I simultaneously feel surrounded by the vastness of the memories that I’ve created in the past 3 weeks, as if though I have been here for months. It’s a strange paradox, to feel like I’ve arrived only yesterday yet also that I’ve already been here for months. Time, after all, is a human construct that does not account for the influence of experiences.

The blanket of clouds

            The first few weeks are definitely an experience that I won’t be forgetting. When my best friend turned 14, I wrote in her birthday card that one day we would go and live in America for a while (specifically California), although I’m on the East Coast rather than the West, I feel like I’m living out mine and Asli’s teenage dream. It felt like every day I was doing something for the first time; such as the novelty of drinking out of a red solo cup, going to a basketball game or the adult milestones of setting up a bank account and phone account in a new country, or learning how to use the public transport system. I’m becoming more accustomed to the novel facets of American college life and have reduced the frequency that I exclaim, “That’s so American!”

Probably the most stereotypically American meal I will consume

Transfixed by the ceiling in the Library of Congress 

"Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light..."

            I’m optimistic about the months ahead and the adventure that it will bring. I endeavour to continue keeping myself busy and attempt to make the most out of my short time here.

- Roop xx