Well, I'm just over two weeks into my summer long mission in New York City and what can I say, it feels like I have been here a life time already. So, I wanted to update the blog and fill you in on whats been happening, as so much has gone on so far I'm going to tell you about some of my highlights...here we go! (Note, names are being abreviated to keep folk anon if they would want to me.)
1.1
The flight over was well, boring, tiring, lonely but all together a great new experience that really helped me grow a little as a human being. My suitcase was over weight so I was immediately down $50 and then I couldn't get an aisle seat so was squished in against the window for nearly 8 hours next to two Indian guys speaking Punjabi for the whole flight. I watched a couple of films and had a little sleep. The plane did not crash so that was nice....RIP Air France Passengers.
1.2
After getting my luggage I ended up paying $75 on a taxi ride into the city. New York on a budget was not going to plan so far.
1.3
I spent some time wandering around the city on my own. This was refreshing and I felt so proud I had made it all this way off my own back. I had been waiting months for this moment and it was finally here. I then fell asleep...
1.4
On the first Saturday night I met with H, my newest BFF (ha, yes I know.) We had talked on Facebook for a while and finally got together for a night that turned into a drunken free-for-all. I still cannot remember how I got home that night. I also met her old room mate C. It was a grand night from what I can remember, which is not much. I then proceeded to lie in and be a bit late checking into my summer accomm.
(Note: It turns out home sickness can strike with vengence when you have a big hang over!)
1.5
I moved into my room - not what I was expecting - and attempted to get settled. It is kind of like a large white cell with a oddly high bed, an old desk and a TV which is TINY and will not turn fully towards you, and I can't sit up in bed which REALLY annoys me. I have attempted to make it as homely as possible, and so far I have not spent very much time in there anyway and hopefully won't.
1.6
On the Sunday eve I got some food with H and we then went to the orientation meeting where I finally met K1 and K2. Ladies I had met on facebook again. Their accents were cooooool but due to the hangover and mild deafness from the night before I could not tell a word of what anyone was saying. H and I left and decided to call it a night. I went to tune in my cable...as I did a FUCKING HUGE cockroach appeared over the TV right in front of me. I battled with the vile thing trying to kill the unkill-able bastard, finally cutting it in half with a can of hair spray and flushing it down the loo. I reported it - the next day I found the exterminator people had placed mouse traps all over my room...for god sake!
1.7
This is when I started at Cunning. What can I say? I LOVE it here. Everyone in the office is lovely and I was immediatly invited to work on a really interesting brief. Everyday at Cunning is really good fun. My creative director (CD) is hilarious and inspiring, the other creative is a blast to be with, the project duo are insane, the managers are "boss" - it just couldn't get any better.
1.8
Okay, so it got better...my second internship was cancelled the week before I flew out so I was trying to find somewhere else to go after my three weeks at Cunning UNTIL CD offered to let me stay on for the whole summer! I snapped at the chance and I'm now here til August 14th!
1.9
On Tuesday night a whole bunch of people met up and went out to a cool bar on the East Side! Here I met:
K: from Tennesee, great lad!
G: Chicargo and cool!
K3: South Carolina belle!
J: Another North Carolina lady!
B1: Upstate lacross player!
B2: Ohio dude!
U: Great guy from Isreal!
(There are probably more that I have missed off!)
K1, K2, and H all came out too - it was a great night and we discovered a love of Kareoke, and so Kareoke Tuesday's were born. I won't go into great details here, there is just too much to remember!
1.10
We continued to meet up in the hotel bar each night and then venture out into the city for food and drinks! Over these first 4 days I met:
M: Great guy interning at Ogilvy and Mather
E: M's roomate, really cool guy!
Miss Texas: K1;s friend from work, from Dallas and lovely.
S: Chinese dude from Michigan - funny guy!
JE: Simon's room mate and school friend, another great guy!
(Again, who the heck have I missed off?!)
1.11
The first weekend of partying was fantastic. We ventured out to the east side, west side, downtown, greenwich village, east village and just drank, laughed, chatted, danced and all the other stuff you do when your having fun with new friends. The language barrier has been interesting to get used too - I think we are getting somewhere now. We have found some great bars, and actually befriended one bar owner so now we get cheap drinks there. Good times! KT couldn't make it out with us for the first week, and most of the second but hopefully that's going to change in the future!
1.12
Peoples internships are taking up their time as we progress (especially the finance boys who work shockingly long days!) so it's been hard to get everyone together, mini groups are forming from the BIG group which is kinda cool. When we can we all get back together for catch ups which is nice! It's a shame that there are so many people in our accommodation who havn't met such great people as I have.
1.13
Lets talk about girls. I've met A LOT of girls since I have been here, pretty much every night. I'm no Brad Pitt (not in the slightest) but this accent doesn't allow me to even go to the bar to get a drink without someone jumping on me about where I am from, if I support Liverpool, if I live near London and if I have met the Queen. It's been so much fun getting to know so many different American people. I don't think I have found anyone that I havn't liked yet.
1.14
There's one girl I've met who has stood out a little, Miss Texas. Shes a great lass. She came out on Friday night and we had a blast! On Sunday I took her to the cinema to see The Hangover (GO AND SEE THIS! IT IS FANTASTIC!) We then strolled back down 8th Avenue past a woman weeing herself and then I thought it would be grand to head up to the top of the Empire State, so by heck we went and did it! It was great looking out across the city in the evening sun while chatting about everything and nothing. We were both a bit over-whelmed by the fact we lived in this incredible city, really quite humbling. I regret not trying to ambush her up there and plant a little kiss but I'm a shy, bumbling British boy and I'm crap at putting the moves on! haha. We agreed she was coming out this week, and next weekend we are hitting up the American Museum Of Natural History. I love hanging out with this girl, our adventures are gonna be a blast!
1.15
This is the only low-light of the adventure so far . . . I still have not had a damn steak.
1.16
Money is dwindling FAST! I must have spent over $800 in the first week alone. It is SO hard to be kind to your wallet in this city. Drinks are rarely cheaper than $6 a pop or worse and the food is no better.
1.17
The guys I have met have successfully got me interested in Ice Hockey and Basketball which is BIG NEWS as in England, I hate sport really. It's been fun watching the games with a beer, I will really miss that when I get home. I still stand by my hatred of football.
1.18
My journeys to and from work and my lunch times arund Soho have been really great. I always see some odd characters, wierd advertising and just generally amazing things that you don't see in Ormskirk.
1.19
All in all so far I have become SUCH a more confident human being. I talk to anyone, I stand up for myself and I can do anything. I knew this whole experience would be life changing, but I diddn't realise how soon it would effect me.
1.20
New York is amazing. If it carries on like this, it is going to be REALLY hard to go home.
So there is the first highlight update. I have missed out SO much of what I have gotten up to so far but there is just too much to write about. I will update with pictures and more highlights ASAP!
P.S. I cannot be bothered spell checking all that!
P.P.S. Visit http://www.preppypearlgirl.blogspot.com
1.1
The flight over was well, boring, tiring, lonely but all together a great new experience that really helped me grow a little as a human being. My suitcase was over weight so I was immediately down $50 and then I couldn't get an aisle seat so was squished in against the window for nearly 8 hours next to two Indian guys speaking Punjabi for the whole flight. I watched a couple of films and had a little sleep. The plane did not crash so that was nice....RIP Air France Passengers.
1.2
After getting my luggage I ended up paying $75 on a taxi ride into the city. New York on a budget was not going to plan so far.
1.3
I spent some time wandering around the city on my own. This was refreshing and I felt so proud I had made it all this way off my own back. I had been waiting months for this moment and it was finally here. I then fell asleep...
1.4
On the first Saturday night I met with H, my newest BFF (ha, yes I know.) We had talked on Facebook for a while and finally got together for a night that turned into a drunken free-for-all. I still cannot remember how I got home that night. I also met her old room mate C. It was a grand night from what I can remember, which is not much. I then proceeded to lie in and be a bit late checking into my summer accomm.
(Note: It turns out home sickness can strike with vengence when you have a big hang over!)
1.5
I moved into my room - not what I was expecting - and attempted to get settled. It is kind of like a large white cell with a oddly high bed, an old desk and a TV which is TINY and will not turn fully towards you, and I can't sit up in bed which REALLY annoys me. I have attempted to make it as homely as possible, and so far I have not spent very much time in there anyway and hopefully won't.
1.6
On the Sunday eve I got some food with H and we then went to the orientation meeting where I finally met K1 and K2. Ladies I had met on facebook again. Their accents were cooooool but due to the hangover and mild deafness from the night before I could not tell a word of what anyone was saying. H and I left and decided to call it a night. I went to tune in my cable...as I did a FUCKING HUGE cockroach appeared over the TV right in front of me. I battled with the vile thing trying to kill the unkill-able bastard, finally cutting it in half with a can of hair spray and flushing it down the loo. I reported it - the next day I found the exterminator people had placed mouse traps all over my room...for god sake!
1.7
This is when I started at Cunning. What can I say? I LOVE it here. Everyone in the office is lovely and I was immediatly invited to work on a really interesting brief. Everyday at Cunning is really good fun. My creative director (CD) is hilarious and inspiring, the other creative is a blast to be with, the project duo are insane, the managers are "boss" - it just couldn't get any better.
1.8
Okay, so it got better...my second internship was cancelled the week before I flew out so I was trying to find somewhere else to go after my three weeks at Cunning UNTIL CD offered to let me stay on for the whole summer! I snapped at the chance and I'm now here til August 14th!
1.9
On Tuesday night a whole bunch of people met up and went out to a cool bar on the East Side! Here I met:
K: from Tennesee, great lad!
G: Chicargo and cool!
K3: South Carolina belle!
J: Another North Carolina lady!
B1: Upstate lacross player!
B2: Ohio dude!
U: Great guy from Isreal!
(There are probably more that I have missed off!)
K1, K2, and H all came out too - it was a great night and we discovered a love of Kareoke, and so Kareoke Tuesday's were born. I won't go into great details here, there is just too much to remember!
1.10
We continued to meet up in the hotel bar each night and then venture out into the city for food and drinks! Over these first 4 days I met:
M: Great guy interning at Ogilvy and Mather
E: M's roomate, really cool guy!
Miss Texas: K1;s friend from work, from Dallas and lovely.
S: Chinese dude from Michigan - funny guy!
JE: Simon's room mate and school friend, another great guy!
(Again, who the heck have I missed off?!)
1.11
The first weekend of partying was fantastic. We ventured out to the east side, west side, downtown, greenwich village, east village and just drank, laughed, chatted, danced and all the other stuff you do when your having fun with new friends. The language barrier has been interesting to get used too - I think we are getting somewhere now. We have found some great bars, and actually befriended one bar owner so now we get cheap drinks there. Good times! KT couldn't make it out with us for the first week, and most of the second but hopefully that's going to change in the future!
1.12
Peoples internships are taking up their time as we progress (especially the finance boys who work shockingly long days!) so it's been hard to get everyone together, mini groups are forming from the BIG group which is kinda cool. When we can we all get back together for catch ups which is nice! It's a shame that there are so many people in our accommodation who havn't met such great people as I have.
1.13
Lets talk about girls. I've met A LOT of girls since I have been here, pretty much every night. I'm no Brad Pitt (not in the slightest) but this accent doesn't allow me to even go to the bar to get a drink without someone jumping on me about where I am from, if I support Liverpool, if I live near London and if I have met the Queen. It's been so much fun getting to know so many different American people. I don't think I have found anyone that I havn't liked yet.
1.14
There's one girl I've met who has stood out a little, Miss Texas. Shes a great lass. She came out on Friday night and we had a blast! On Sunday I took her to the cinema to see The Hangover (GO AND SEE THIS! IT IS FANTASTIC!) We then strolled back down 8th Avenue past a woman weeing herself and then I thought it would be grand to head up to the top of the Empire State, so by heck we went and did it! It was great looking out across the city in the evening sun while chatting about everything and nothing. We were both a bit over-whelmed by the fact we lived in this incredible city, really quite humbling. I regret not trying to ambush her up there and plant a little kiss but I'm a shy, bumbling British boy and I'm crap at putting the moves on! haha. We agreed she was coming out this week, and next weekend we are hitting up the American Museum Of Natural History. I love hanging out with this girl, our adventures are gonna be a blast!
1.15
This is the only low-light of the adventure so far . . . I still have not had a damn steak.
1.16
Money is dwindling FAST! I must have spent over $800 in the first week alone. It is SO hard to be kind to your wallet in this city. Drinks are rarely cheaper than $6 a pop or worse and the food is no better.
1.17
The guys I have met have successfully got me interested in Ice Hockey and Basketball which is BIG NEWS as in England, I hate sport really. It's been fun watching the games with a beer, I will really miss that when I get home. I still stand by my hatred of football.
1.18
My journeys to and from work and my lunch times arund Soho have been really great. I always see some odd characters, wierd advertising and just generally amazing things that you don't see in Ormskirk.
1.19
All in all so far I have become SUCH a more confident human being. I talk to anyone, I stand up for myself and I can do anything. I knew this whole experience would be life changing, but I diddn't realise how soon it would effect me.
1.20
New York is amazing. If it carries on like this, it is going to be REALLY hard to go home.
So there is the first highlight update. I have missed out SO much of what I have gotten up to so far but there is just too much to write about. I will update with pictures and more highlights ASAP!
P.S. I cannot be bothered spell checking all that!
P.P.S. Visit http://www.preppypearlgirl.blogspot.com
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2 comments:
LOVE your post, Tom!
Utterly inspiring. a great story!
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