From ilovenewyork.com
“How is it possible that you’ve never been to the city?”
This is one of the most common things anyone has ever said to me. People often gape, laugh, and (on several strange occasions) screech when I present them with the knowledge that despite have grown up in New York state, I had never been to “the city”.
“The City”. Since moving to Albany to go to college, I have heard that statement numerous times, and it took me nearly a year to figure out what city people were actually talking about. At first, I had thought that “the city” simply applied to downtown Albany, and when I realized that people were talking about New York City I couldn’t help but find it ridiculous. New York City is A city, not THE city. At least, it always has been in my mind.
Growing up in a small farming town outside of Rochester, NY I was always seven hours away from NYC, and having never been there wasn’t such an abnormality. My mother, who had never been to NYC, believed everything that she saw in the movies and thought that NYC was a crime-bed full of murderers and muggers and to enter city limits was to forfeit your life. One time, when returning from Orlando, our plane had to land momentarily in NYC. My mom responded with a panic attack. My dad, who has been to NYC, often told me about its filth and insignificance. “There is no reason to go there,” he often tells me, “it’s not all they make it up to be.”
Albany is only a few hours away from NYC, and yet I still have not hopped on a train to experience The Big Apple (though the farming town where I grew up should be more appropriately called The Big Apple, considering that’s where all New York’s apples come from). According to the numerous individuals whom I have foolishly mentioned my lack of NYC experience to, not visiting NYC is to live a half life. Once, my boss offered to give me four paid days off from work if I promised to go to the city immediately. So why have I still not gone to NYC?
Well, even with paid vacation time, a poor college student like myself really cannot AFFORD to go to NYC. In the past few months I have been researching cheaper accommodations, and have decided that staying in a hostel would be the smartest thing to do. The only problem? I need to get a passport first. Also, the city itself completely overwhelms me! Even with the help of a New York City Moleskine, I feel as if I would never figure out the subway system. At least, not alone.
From the Moleskine website
And loneliness is the final reason why I have not yet gone to NYC. Despite the numerous people who have insisted that NYC is the place to go, no one has offered to take me. None of my friends have ever been there either . Without the company of someone who has actually been to NYC, I think I feel more comfortable staying at home. For now.
