[daria]

I think my opinion about New York is very different from any other members of this blog. My post will be bold and a little bit outrageous. I am not going to sing serenade of love to New York, because I do not like this city. Please do not think that I want to be opposite of others, let me tell my opinion.
I came to NY 4 years ago when I was 19. I came alone with 400 dollars in my pocket. I spend my first nights in hostel in Harlem with 10 other people in the room. I heard before that I can go to Brighton beach and find a lot of people who came to USA from Soviet Union long ago. It was a big mistake. Usually people who came from the same country are kind and help each other, but not in Brooklyn. When I went there “friendly” Ukrainian women offered rooms at “fancy” Brighton for 500 dollars for a SPOT at room. After it I realize that no one from Soviet Union would help me, and they would try to deceive (I hear this story all the time since I came to NY). I was in shock because in my country (Russia) situation is different and you can get help easily. Real Russians (not spoiled immigrants) are very kind and hospitable people.
Also, I was robbed on the street on my way home on my first week. It’s just my first impression of NY.
How I found place (I moved 5 times during my first year) and job is a long story, and I’m not going to describe it.
My first year was hard but I was in love with NY, because everything was new and interesting. Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge and all famous places amazed me, but all this spots are not real NY. I was amazed by places and people, but after it my love is gone.
Many people said New York is the best city, and I have question: “did you travel at all?” I have been traveled for a while and after my trips my love to NY is gone. There are so many great cities in the world and more expensive, therefore, comparing to them New York looks like dirty and ugly place. Vienna, Zurich, Geneva, Prague, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Rome, Montreal are more beautiful, interesting and convenient places. Compare to them, NY is nothing.
Let’s just look at subway system; in NY subway is something terrible. There are a lot of rats, bad smell, always delay and construction. In Moscow trains run every 2-3 minutes. In Saint Petersburg each station likes a museum, and I saw lot of tourist who took pictures of subway stations. In Vienna, trains are new, clean and they run on time. I can talk about it for hours.
Everyone talks about great opportunities in NY, but where they are? To get a spot in good company you should be lucky to get through millions of interviews while millions of people dream about the same spot. Even if you get lucky, and company would take you, first, you going to work crazy hours for a year and get no money. In NY, it is not possible to live normal life on lowest wage 8 dollars per hour, unless someone helps you. In Norway minimum wage is 25-26 dollars per hour and prices are not much higher than here. When people say New York is so beautiful, I would say go to Rome or Vienna. When people say it a richest city, I would say go to Dubai or Zurich. After those cities you do not want to go back. So many people in NY, so it’s a problem in every field: find a job, apartment, have a car.
Another big topic is dating life. I came from Russia, where family and serious relationships are very important. People in my country want to get married and want to have children. Im sure everywhere in USA people want the same (maybe), but not in NY. I went out so many times and when 45 year old guy came to me (I’m 24) with a drink and wrinkles near his eyes and asked me if I want to spend time with him, I usually ask them if they married; do you know what i usually hear? “I’m too young for it” or “family is not mine field”. Most of the people do not want anything serious. It’s just one example of how people in New York are spoiled and selfish.
I can write a book about my feelings provocative truth about New York, but people who born here would never understand me, unless they would travel a lot and live anywhere for a long period of time.
If you going to ask me what I’m doing here, I would tell that I’m tired of this city and ready to move somewhere when I’m graduate.