Looking out the window as the bus slowly
leaving New York City, I have this feeling that is strangely familiar, the one
I always get when I board the plane leaving Vietnam, or South Africa, or any
place that I've just had a wonderful time. It is a bittersweet feeling of
knowing that your vacation has come to an end, and that you will have
to go back to your usual routine of going to school, to work, of studying
late at night and getting hardly any sleep at all. Yet at the same time, you
are excited to be back to your routine, to your comfortable room and
all the friends who may, or may not be, just as happy to see you as you are to
see them. Thus, the thought that I always use to comfort myself while travelling
alone: "If you love a place, you leave it."
First thing first, I am now officially 22.
Happy Birthday to me! To be honest, I don't feel like 22 is a bad age at all
and I definitely don't want to stay "Forever 21". 22 is a scary age,
to me at least. It is the age that I will have to start making real decision
about my career and my future. It is not just about partying and enjoying
college life anymore. 22 isn't reckless and adventurous. 22 can't do whatever
the heck it wants. It has to think about 23, 24, 25, the twenties after that,
and even the 30s. However, it is still young enough to not just settle down
into a boring life. I personally believe that everything from 22 to 25 will
most likely determine everything after that. People can disagree with me, of
course.
The point is, I am happy to be 22. It sounds
much older, sadly. But I am excited, and nervous, to see what I can do and will
do.
Unlike every other year, this is actually the
first year I spend my birthday in the US and away from my family. My parents
know that the ocean and new places are one of my most favorite things in the
world. So they always try to take me to somewhere nice by the ocean for my
birthday. This year, since they are not here, I decided to treat myself to a
short trip to NYC. I have only been here very briefly for a few times, but never
get to actually check out the city like I want to. As a Sex and the City
hardcore fan, I also have the biggest crush on the city. Not only the fashion
and the luxurious life, there is something more about the city that I felt like
I would love it instantly. Thus, I was extremely excited to finally meet my crush and
go on a date with him ;) It was also the very first trip that I spent on with
my own money. All the extra hours working hard for the past few weeks were gone
within such a short period of time, but it is the best feeling ever to travel
with what I have worked hard for.
I spent a
few days in NJ visiting Miki. She was one of my very good friends in high
school. She took care of me better than anyone ever could, and that stays true
until now. We didn't do many exciting things like partying or going out to
various restaurants. We went to movies, got frozen yogurt at midnights, went
shopping, laid in the sun, etc. I needed all the relaxing activities. Her
parents are the friendliest people. Without barely knowing any English, they
were still able to make me feel instantly at home. I was treated with delicious
homemade breakfast and dinner, and was taken care of so well that I didn't even
need to leave the bed for water, yet anything.
Monday
morning, I set out to my big's house to spend a few days with her in Brooklyn.
I treated her to a massage for her birthday. It wasn't the nicest and fanciest
massage place I have been too, but it was one of the great massages that I have
had. The lady definitely did know what she was doing. I feel slightly bad that
my big didnt enjoy hers as much and I was I could have treated her to something
much nicer. If she ever comes visit Vietnam, I am going to give her all the
best treatment that I always get. So she needs to hurry up and able to come.
We went out
for lunch and bubble tea, then headed to SoHo to spend an evening shopping.
Being in SoHo to me felt incredible. I've heard the names so many times coming
up in all of my favorite movies that have NYC. To be here and to be one of
those people strolling along the streets from stores to stores has been
something I dreamed of. One thing that made me mad about this entire shopping
trip was that I could NOT find any long skirts or maxi dresses that fit my
height, and i could NOT find any top I like in my size. I ended up with a good
deal on two pairs of shoes, but still ... Eventually, toward the end of the
trip, I just kind of gave up on the skirts and dresses and admitted to myself
that sometimes, your body is just not born to wear something ... maybe.
Victor
joined us for dinner and ice cream before we all came back to my big's place to
start drinking for my birthday. Monopoly drinking game has become my
go-to-game lately. I lost terribly, for the first time in monopoly ... It was
a fun night regardless and we all agreed to get some rest since I had a long
day ahead of me.
I woke up
at 8am on my birthday and took the subway from Brooklyn to downtown to meet up
with Victor, my tour guide of the day. Knowing me and my infamous sense of
direction, my big wrote down a detailed subway itinerary for me to make sure I
didn't end up in some random places, or even worse, end up back in Brooklyn. My
first trip by myself on the subway was a success. I made it to the Museum of
Natural History. We spent a good two hours there before heading to Central Park
for a day stroll. People laughed at me because I could recognize bits and parts
of Central Park just by watching Sex and the City, lol. And I definitely was
beyond excited when I got the Boat House, one of the locations that Big and
Carrie had lunch (although that didn't quite happen). If I had my way, I
probably would have hunted down all the locations where they filmed SATC, but I
will save that for my next trip to NYC. I'll call it a date/honeymoon with the
city and just wander around by myself looking for interesting places.
Victor treated me to the famous NY pizzas
while waiting for Frances to join us. We visited Guggeinheim and the Met after
that. I love museums. I may not be interested in everything in each museums,
but I always learn something exciting every trip that I actually become
addicted to that feeling. I got myself a tote bag from the Met just so that I
got something from there. That's the whole point of souvenirs isn't it? I wish
my dad could be here though. He used to take me to museums and exhibitions and
I felt like he could understand all these art more than I could ever be.
As the day
went on and we had been tired of walking from corners to corners of various
museums, Victor took me to Union Squares while waiting for the others to join
us for dinner. It was interesting to just sit on the steps and observing the
life of NYC in the way people dress, play music, or just simply express their
interest.
I was glad
to be able to meet up with some of the seniors that I didn't think I would be
able to see again soon and was happy
that they came out for my, and my big's, birthday dinner. Of course, I was
treated to my most favorite food: sushi :) After dinner, we walked around the
area to get desserts and to do some bar hopping. The ultmate benefits of being
the birthday girls: free shots all night. Also, the highlight of my trip was to
be able to enjoy a Cosmo in a NYC setting, SATC influence again, I know.
I wrapped
up my short vacation with a speed
shopping trip with my big before taking the subway to the bus staion to head
back to Rochester.
It was a
short trip and I am sure I haven't seen
even the tiniest of what NYC is. Nevertheless, it was like my dream came
true, just a little bit. I have always said that I wanted to live in the city
and despite how much I know it is not a realistic dream, I still want to work
hard for it.
Coincidentally,
Gala just posted an entry on her blog about moing to NYC, and she said:
"Truth
time: New York City is a hard place to live. Everyone here is on a mission;
without a strong sense of purpose, this city will swallow you whole. Rents are
exorbitant — $2500/month is the going rate for a hideous studio apartment right
now — & a one-way subway ride costs $2.50. It adds up quickly. This is hard
to deal with. Some people feel exhausted by this, think, ‘Why bother?’ &
decide to live somewhere else. But some people choose to let it motivate them, push
them hard, & turn them into the person they never even dared to dream they
could be."
I still
dream of the day that I will be able to walk down the street of NYC as a
successful, confident and independent woman, just like all of my idols.
On a less
serious note, for a first birthday away from home, it made me happy to have all
my friends, who spare time in their busy schedules and go through all the
troubles of subway rides to be with me. It struck me that the most valuable
experience I get from this trip wasn't all the great food or all the trips to
the museum, but all the people that are and have been in my life. It makes me
realize that no matter what I do, there will always someone for me to celebrate
a special day with.
I was sad to have to leave the city and come
back to Rochester to a less exciting life. The worst feeling on earth is to be
home after an awesome vacation to an empty house and to microwave food. But I
didn't have time to face any of those because I was greeted with a surprised
birthday party prepared by my housemates. I was welcomed home with homemade
tiramisu as a birthday cake, with zebra and cheetah-printed balloons, with an
unexpected lap dance (?), but most importantly, a houseful of 8 people who care
for me (and feed me everyday).
Honestly, I
can't imagine any other way to make this a better birthday.
My room is
now filled with random purple things that make me smile everytime I see them,
lol.
My
resolution for this year is to work hard in school, to figure out what I want
to do i the future and appreciate more of what I have. Also, to stay true to
myself and keep walking toward my dreams, one of which is to strut down 5th Ave
with shopping bags in hands ;)
