I arrived safely in New York last Tuesday evening. I even had an apartment to stay in when I arrived. (And no roaches.)
In my first full day in the City, I explored downtown. My walk took me many places including the World Trade Center area, Wall Street, and both rivers. While walking in Battery Park City, I sat down on a bench on a dry boardwalk that was suspended several feet above water. Some little waves started to come up and touch the bottom of the boardwalk. Assuming that it would pass the lady farther up the boardwalk and I both remained sitting on our benches. The waves began to grow and rose above the boardwalk to get her feet wet. I missed that wave. Needless to say the waves weren't done and New York City welcomed me by sending a rather large wave (6 foot) my way. It entirely soaked me, but not the lady sitting further up.
Her shoes get wet and New York soaks me entirely. My pants and shirt dripped for the next 30 minutes and then I walked the more than 2 miles home in clothes that might as well have been sponges. It was like walking on the platform above the end of one of those flume water rides.
As I walked home, not really knowing anything about the city, I followed a street that led me to the East River. I did want to go east just a little bit. But I needed to go south uptown. (How south and uptown, and north and downtown make any sense I don't know.) As I looked around I knew I was in the middle of the projects. I had walked straight into an area that was experiencing a broken water main. So hundreds of the thousands of people who lived in these dreadful brick buildings were outside with their children. Of course, no fresh water for nearly 20 huge projects' buildings means no showers, no water, no laundry, no cooking, and these people were infuriated. The poor utilities workers had been working since early that morning on fixing the break, but the projects' residents were having none of it. They were explaining to all the TV media how they weren't able to take care of their children.
After watching this spectacle for nearly half an hour, I got headed back in the right direction. Of course, I realize when I got home that my camera and cell phone had been soaked as well. It ruined them both and of course, getting your phone wet means you have no warranty. So I had to buy a new cell phone Thursday at full retail value ($150). Needless to say, I bought the cheapest replacement model available. Clearly, cell phones have made me as dependent as ever on technology.
On the bright side, Thursday I walked uptown to see Times Square, Central Park, Chelsea, and Madison Square Garden. And I had my first celebrity sighting. It was a promotional event for Evian water. John McEnroe and Evan Lendhoe (sp?) were playing a relaxed game of tennis with some of the city's youth.
Since then I've went to Grand Central station and Times Square at night to gawk at the area.
In just over a week, I've also managed to pickup a permanent apartment in the Astoria area of Queens. It'll be my home for the next year. (And if you are ever in the City, give me a call.)
Now, the job hunt has begun in full force, but I'm lucky because I've already locked up some freelance work. Though if I don't find a journalism job in the next three weeks to a month, I'll take any job I can and continue the search for a journalism job in my spare time. Let's just hope that doesn't happen though.
Sincerely,
Very wet in New York, Andrew
