Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Ways to Go

new york:

When I was fifteen (give or take a year; I’m terrible at remembering dates and ages) my brother, two of my sisters, and I visited New York City with our grandparents. We took a bus up from DC, stayed for a week, and took a bus back. So far, it’s been my only visit, but I’ve always wanted to go back.

We hit most of the typical tourist destinations, like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Met. We also had lunch in Hell’s Kitchen--I didn’t know about Daredevil then; otherwise I’d probably have keeled over from a fangirling-induced heart attack--and ate hot dogs at Papaya King. I bought my copy of That Was Then, This Is Now from the Strand Bookstore. In our hotel room, my sister and I kept the drapes open all night so we could see the city lights, and as cheesy as it sounds, that’s my favorite memory.

There’s something about big cities that I’ve always loved, and even though I’ve never quite pinned it down I think it has to do with the sense of possibility. You can move somewhere else, somewhere enormous where nobody knows you, and build a new life from scratch. Sure, the reality of that would be nowhere near as romantic as the idea of it, but it’s something I still daydream about. Part of me feels guilty, since “I’m moving to New York to pursue my dreams!” is the most stereotypical pipe dream ever. Usually I can counteract it with a couple replays of “The Boxer”. But another part of me still thinks that one day I might.


Probably not, but you never know.

They’re so many places I want to visit or revisit. I’m not one of those people dead set on leaving their small town for the big city, but I know that I don’t want to stay in one place my entire life. I do want to settle down, but not until I know exactly where to settle down. And who knows where that will be?

What are your dream destinations?

Picture credit: X

10 comments:

  1. This post is so wistful...

    I've always wanted to live in a small town (I live on the outskirts of a medium-sized city, but my extended family is from a small town) so it's interesting to me to see the other side... I guess in an ideal world, I'd like a little bit of both. Maybe living in a small town with a big city nearby, so I don't get bored? Hmm.

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    1. I've been missing New York a lot lately, thus this post.

      I do really like the idea of living in a town nearer a big city, so you get the best of both worlds. Honestly, it's pretty unlikely that I'll ever live in New York, given how expensive it is, but it's still a fun maybe-someday type sceneraio to think about.

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  2. Oh my goodness, I was just thinking about how much I love NYC. I went there two years ago also on a missions trip, and it impacted me in such a huge way -- it really touched my heart, and I've missed it ever since then. We got to talk to a lot of people and get very personal with the city, instead of just doing tourist stuff, and I love the bustling grimy busy neon heart of it so much. I love the people there. I love being in Time's Square at midnight and taking the subway and bumping into people and basically everything. You made me homesick all over again :P

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    1. I never feel like I can describe NYC well or accurately, because it's so huge and so wonderful and they're so many parts to it. With all the touristy stuff we did, my favorite parts of our trip, and the ones I remember most, are when we just walked aorund the streets or sat down in a random restaruant. Every couple of months I get this huge rush of homesickness for it. I'm glad other people feel the same way. :)

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  3. "In our hotel room, my sister and I kept the drapes open all night so we could see the city lights, and as cheesy as it sounds, that’s my favorite memory."

    That's not cheesy -- that's the best!! I have a memory of when my family and I visited a cabin in the Georgia woods, and my sister had to share a bedroom for the trip. I have the best memories of our just giggling at night, talking about Bon Iver and trying to decode his song lyrics. Those moments are so special -- and the magic of seeing the city lights sounds wonderful.

    Although I've never been to NYC, I agree that there is something very romantic and almost all-American about it. It seems awesome! Also, I love "The Boxer." Wonderful song.

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    1. "The Boxer" is one of my all-time favorites. :)
      It's always those little moments that define trips, isn't it? And if you ever get the chance to visit NYC, do go--like you said, there's something special about it.
      Thanks so much for commenting!

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  4. basically my dream destination is wherever my internet friends are, because they're the friends that understand me and everything. It's sad, but truthful. xD

    // katie grace
    a writer's faith

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  5. That's so nice. :) I can't say I've ever felt the same way (I like where I live and it would bother me if I had to live somewhere else) but I think you explained your own feelings beautifully. I hope you get to spend a lot of time wandering before you pick a permanent place!

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    1. Thanks! There just so many places I'd love to see, and leaving home isn't really the point for me, so much as just getting out there and exploring new places.

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