Each month Alice
Holland will entertain us with her daily struggles to manage her new life in New York City.
The
Adventures Of Alice In New York
A Brief Introduction…
I moved to New York City almost one year
ago, escaping the humdrum but secure life as a biological science researcher at
Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. However, almost as quickly as I
arrived, I departed. The Music City was filled with amazing talent entertaining
nightly in the hostel downstairs from my condo, but for a girl born and raised
in England, it was hard to appreciate Tennessean life and I longed for
something more. It took six months before I found myself jam packed into my
friend’s car with my potted miniature rose in one hand and all my hopes and
dreams in the other, headed for the greatest adventure of all, the Big Apple,
New York, NY.
Three months later I’m living in Harlem
with no living room, barely a kitchen, no air conditioner in 90 degree heat and
a cat that is determined to make my life hell. While I’m waiting to hear back
from a promising position at Columbia University, I’m scraping by working at
Starbucks all hours, just to hold on long enough until they make a decision.
After two more months of waiting I’m informed that they “don’t have the
finances” for me. Delightful! Having only saved up enough money for one month’s
rent and a security deposit I was broke and beginning to think my future in New
York was looking bleak, besides the fact I was getting pummeled by New York
life on a daily basis (as is the way if you move here with little money and no
connections). Having so many people in such close proximity all the time,
combined with blazing heat and subways with minimal air ventilation, a not so
great day can turn into utter hell within minutes. It takes much patience and
love for human kind to not push a man down the stairs, because he’s walking at
a snail’s pace refusing to move out of way – which in turn makes you miss your
train, completely disrupting your finely tuned schedule for the next 3 hours.
By this point even working at Starbucks
didn’t raise the rent, so I had two choices: Borrow money from my possessive
ex-boyfriend and fight the last good fight for a place that chews me up on a
daily basis, or move back in with the parents in sunny Florida. Being the
hopeful protagonist that I am, I chose the former. After a call with the
ex-boyfriend assuring me he’s going to help and send money immediately, I
suddenly can’t get hold of him and he disappears off the planet. Through sheer
determination and a little luck I manage to land two more jobs within the week,
one as a “creative enthusiast” in this peculiar arts and crafts store, and one
at the American Museum of Natural History in Live Exhibits as “the Butterfly
Girl” working in the butterfly vivarium. A week later I get frantic calls from
the Ex telling me he had been thrown in jail and only just got out, but he
could still send the money. I was happy to inform him that I didn’t need it and
when he asked, “Why not?” I replied, “I did it on my own thanks”
I
was getting pummeled by New York life on a daily basis
The months following I’m happy to report
were finally enjoyable and a lot less stressful. I was adapting to being a fun
and perky girl to fit in with the artsy and theatrical types I had to work with
and realized, after time, I actually started to like it. A significant leap
from the hermit lifestyle required from the hermit lifestyle required from my
previous work as a scientist, and ironically (and depressingly) more lucrative.
I fell in love with the museum. But there was a downside, my work there was
only seasonal, and though I held strong hopes they might find a way to keep me,
I was finally let go. For months I tried for every position I was qualified
for, though I soon realized each new opening position I applied for had
realistically been taken months ago by someone waiting in line for it. What
next?
A really sweet friend of mine at the museum
mentioned dog walking. I was admittedly apprehensive and not too thrilled about
the demotion from scientist to dog walker, but the options were a familiar
friend: Do what it takes to stay in NYC, or leave NYC. The problem is that this
city has a kind of magic that makes it uniquely stand out from anywhere I’ve
ever lived. Thanks to having gypsy like parents I’ve lived in many other cities
and countries, travelling extensively, yet I came a place like this. Here, the
world is on your doorstep. Within this jungle are extremes of every variety,
and everything in between. I have never been at breaking point so many times,
and then filled with pure joy so quickly again. I’ve also never felt that
anything is possible – the way I do here. Which translates to: For better or
worse (time will tell I suppose) I am bound to this town.
I
bloody LOVE this city
So, here I am world, an English girl in New
York, the ex-biologist who now walks dogs that snort like pigs and smiles at
children who throw paint on her all day. The most twisted curiosity in all
this? I bloody LOVE this city!
