Immigrant Life
I’ve been living in NYC for over three and a half years now. And boy, it’s been a real journey. No one can ever prepare you for that. You come over here thinking you’ll have a “Sex & the City” life and it’s not even fucking close. It’s difficult, different, there are so many unexpected things that are happening to you that you just start questioning your decisions. Why am I writing about it again? To remind myself not to give up – because it finally starts to pay off.
For the first year here, I had to get up to work at 4:30 am and then at 5:30 am; for the next 2 years and 4 months (!), I had to be at work at 4:30 pm, and was home usually somewhere between 2 and 3 am, sometimes later. My commute home at night was at least 1h20min; there were days it took me 2 hours to get home. I don’t know how I did it. And now, finally, after 3.5 years, I got to the point that I will have a 9 to 5 job from Monday to Friday. I still can’t believe it. I didn’t know it would happen that soon and I can’t express how happy I am about that. It doesn’t mean I want to have a 9 to 5 job all my life of course, but this change made me really happy and proud of myself.
You have no idea how many things I had to give up in order to get where I am now. I don’t have a lot of money – well, I’m in debt in fact, and I don’t have all these fancy stuff New Yorkers have. But I believe I’ll be rich and will help other people to fulfill their dreams one day, and it’ll happen sooner rather than later. Why I am writing about all of that…? Because I want you to know that nothing comes easy and fighting for your dream is fucking difficult. Don’t think that just because someone lives in NY, London or in another big city, has money and has a better lifestyle. Don’t judge people just because they chose a different lifestyle. I did choose not only a different lifestyle but a different mindset. I decided to let my comfort zone go, do something that is painful, uncomfortable and requires a lot of patience. Now I know that life begins outside of your comfort zone and even if it seems like a big sacrifice, and it is, you’ll be rewarded for your dedication and commitment in the end. I wanted to write it now, at the beginning of 2017, to help you decide. Decide to let your comfort zone go, try something you always wanted to try, take this extra step, make a move and just do it. Don’t be afraid. Yes, you will go through things that are not pleasant, that will challenge you and even make you cry – but man, it’s really worth it. You will grow so much. You won’t recognize the person you were before and you’ll be impressed with the person you’ve become. Join me and come on this journey with me, strongly believing in yourself. You really can do it. Like someone wise said: If there is a will, there is a way. Find your way – and jump.
