NYC

We are all writing about NYC this week. And, although I know many of my fellow blogettes are from the Big Apple and have fond memories and experiences, I have to say that I align my view more with GTuesday and perhaps my views extend even further. Although visiting New York City has been and can be a lot of fun I remember being completely shocked last year when I visited NYC for the first time since I was a child.

When you don’t live on the East Coast, typically the TV images you see of NYC usually involve New Years, TRL, Macy’s Parade, Sex in the City, etc. Sometimes you might see a movie that is based in New York or has a scene or two in the city. Things that come to mind are streets full of taxis, big crowds swarming across intersections, and very distinct areas of the city.

Last year I visited New York for the first time in over fifteen years. I was really quite shocked at my visit. One of the things that stuck out vividly was all the trash on the streets and the strange smell of the city. I had a hard time getting past this. Do people have such little regard for their city that they see trash everywhere and don’t do anything about it? Or worse yet, are the trash-throwing culprits? I also would have a very hard time living in New York and not help but struggle knowing you were only a number among the millions of people who live there.

My idea of a great quality of life is spending time with my family when I get home from work, not having to battle traffic for hours or take long commutes to get home. My primary focus in life isn’t my career but rather making an impact and difference with the people whom I love most. I would rather give up a career move to improve the relationships with my family. I don’t care much about celebrity gossip or seeing famous people strolling about; I would rather focus my time and energy on the people who matter the most to me. I love the fact that we didn’t have to lock our doors when we were growing up and my parents felt safe when I would ride my bike around my neighborhoods. I enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, watching the stars from your backyard at night – none of this would be possible if you lived in the city. I have a hard time imagining I could really enjoy raising a family in a large city.

I don’t mean to be critical of other people’s decision to live in NYC, it is just not the lifestyle I would love to live. With all this being said, my impression is simply that – an impression. I am sure that if I had grown up in NYC my experiences would be completely different than the limited number of impressions I have had to the city. Reading GWednesday’s blog reminded of all the fantastic cultural experiences I didn’t have growing up in a small town. My interests and experiences align much closer to outdoor activities than cultural ones. So for now, I will leave the city life for others. I am happy and content being a 'country girl'. :)