Growing up in Los Angeles was absolutely amazing and I loved the weather, the beaches and the laid back attitude of the people. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you view it, I moved to Connecticut when I was around 14 years old and I must say that it was quite a shock to the system. Everything was very different out there on the east coast but it didn’t take me long to adapt and learn to love the Connecticut lifestyle. Shortly after university my buddy and fellow student Anouk Govil and I decided that we would try out our luck in the world’s most famous city New York, and we both managed to get internships there. The difference between New York and Connecticut was staggering, and probably a bigger shock to the system than when I left L.A.
Nature
Something which I had very much come to love whilst living in Connecticut was the natural landscapes and the open spaces, something which I didn’t find in New York. People can go as crazy as they like about Central Park but even when you are in the heart of it you still know that you are being gazed upon by a multitude of skyscrapers. Out in Connecticut there is real space and real natural settings, perfect for relaxing and having adventures, I missed that a lot when I got to New York.
Direct
The people in Connecticut weren’t anywhere near as laid back as the folk in L.A. but they were still very relaxed, extremely welcoming and generally without too many cares. Contrast that with what I experienced in New York and wow, what a change. In New York everyone is so direct with you, bordering on rudeness in fact, they shout, curse and tut and they want to know things right now. I understand that nobody has time for any niceties in New York, as the city simply doesn’t allow it, everything is right here and right now, or it isn’t here at all, that is a tough attitude to come to terms with.
People
It was no surprise to me the volume of people in this city, I knew that off the bat but what did surprise me was the sheer volume of people who I would see at every hour of the day. I expected rush hour to squeeze me into the subway like a sardine but I wasn’t aware that I’d be wrestling through hoards of people to get to an appointment late on a Sunday afternoon, or sitting in traffic at 2am on the way to the airport.
I really love New York and the number of opportunities here is simply incredible. I have met some amazing people during my time here and I think that I have just about got over the shock of scaling up the level of chaos in my life from Los Angeles to Connecticut, and finally the Big Apple, what a ride!