First of all: yes, moving to New York has some misfortunes. Having been living here for over a year now, I’ve noticed that this city, often a symbol of freedom and opportunity, provides me a series of advantages – and some disadvantages, too. It’s like the old saying: “nothing is perfect” – even though NYC gets quite close!

+ Reading
I’ve never read so much in my life. My routine of commuting from Brooklyn to Manhattan allows me to spend a long time on the subway every single day. Therefore, what’s a better pastime than reading? I take a book or my kindle out of my bag and let the turning pages begin. Just now I am reading 2 or 3 titles at the same time. Yes, more than one because it really depends on my mood. On my way to the city I like to learn something new, while on my way home I’d rather pick a more motivational or relaxing book.

I still haven’t joined Crossfit, Soulcycle or the gym. However, my day-to-day life here is pretty active. I gotta confess I’m addicted to checking my steps on the Health app. After analyzing how much I walk in comparison with my routine in Brazil, I came to conclusion that I move a lot more now. What might contribute is the fact that I barely use an elevator or a car (except on some weekends). Plus, NYC is a place to be experienced on foot. You see, explore and enjoy it much more just by walking on the streets.

I’ve never eaten so much organic food in my life! Even though it costs a few extra bucks, it’s amazing how accessible it is to find fruits, vegetables or meat without the best stuff (pesticides, antibiotics etc.). It’s easy to find stores that raise the healthy flag, such as Wholefoods Market or Trader Joe’s. I know there is fast food and one dollar pizza in every corner as well, but overall New Yorkers are very concerned about their eating habits and aesthetics.

It could be because I live in a small bedroom or because I don’t have a lot of money to fulfill my dreams of shopping on 5th ave. It doesn’t really matter the reason though. What really counts is that I buy way less food, clothes, accessories and beauty products in general. I have less items in my closet, and whenever I think of buying, I think twice if it’s worth the investment – okay, most of the times. Also something really cool is the number of thrift shops in this area.

It might sound like a lie, but people who live in the Big Apple love some getaway trips to the woods. My first time camping? Yep, it was here. My first rafting experience? Also here. Seriously, many locals love to explore nature. It’s normal to see some countdowns for the weekend or long holidays so they can go to upstate to practice some sports, rest or just breathe some fresh air.

Despite the fact that the subway runs 24/7 and it covers a great deal of the New York map, it’s quite hard to live here and not have a relationship of love and hate with MTA (the company responsible for the city’s transportation system). There’s always an issue such as delays or changes – whether it is because of signal failure, fire, accident, repair or police investigation.

Oh boy, how I miss my washing machine! Those were the days I didn’t have to worry about having clean underwear. Because most of us live in tiny apartments, we aren’t lucky enough to be able to wash our clothes at home. So every now and then I have to carry dirty heavy loads to a laundromat. With such a busy life that we lead over here, doing the laundry becomes a real waste of time (and money).

Maybe this is only a problem of mine, but I believe making friends in New York can be quite complicated. There’s a lot of people around here? Yep. However, people are worried about their issues. It seems to me that the majority of them already have their own group of friends and are not really interested in changing or adding new members. Actually, meeting new people is much more about networking than making friendships for life.

Ask anyone who lives or has visited the city in the fall or winter and they will tell you exactly the same thing: “the worst part of New York is the wind”. Since the map of Manhattan is designed like a grid, ventilation between the streets and avenues occurs pretty smoothly. What could be an amazing thing in warm days, turns into a giant freezing fan in the cold days. Bundle up to protect yourself is the norm during those times.Wanna know more about NYC? Follow me on instagram!