city beginnings.

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!

It has been weeks since I've last blogged. Between spending my last week in California celebrating Christmas and squeezing in every spare moment I could to spend time with people, flying to Albany and making several road trips around New England with Nick, and finally moving into my apartment in New York City, I now finally have a moment to sit down and reflect. But geez...where do I begin?

Leaving California was a very odd sensation. It was hard saying goodbye to the families I've been working for, to my dog who is growing older by the day, to Taylor who I never get to spend time with, to my little half-brother who finally learned who I was and actually smiled when I walked into a room, to the house which has been my home forever, to my friends, and to my four amazing parents who really pushed the envelope in sending me off the right way. As my dad drove me to the airport on Monday the 28th, the sun was slowly rising above the city skyline while we drove across that beautiful bridge. It wasn't until that moment that I think I realized I was truly moving on from the Bay Area and that my time there had come to an end. Yet, being the sobfest that I usually am in situations such as these (haha), I actually held it together pretty well. I think my seven months at home were perfect and necessary and such a blessing that I was really in a place where I was ready to move on to the next chapter.

Anyway, once I landed in Albany, Nick and I went on a whirlwind tour of New England. We spent two nights in Albany, then two nights in Boston at our friends Maggie and Adam's apartment for new year's eve, back to Albany for two nights, then one night in Burlington to pick up my furniture which was in storage there, then straight to the big apple for the day I had been waiting for. I've spent the last five days nesting in my apartment, meeting up with both Burlington and Bay Area friends, cooking amazing meals with Nick and Raina, and just slowly figuring out this grand city. Raina is amazing and we get along beautifully. Not to mention, she and Nick get along great too, and she is even trying to convince Nick to move in so we can all pay cheaper rent (and of course, because he's so fun to be around!).

Our apartment is surrounded by little restaurants and cafes, a 24/7 supermarket, tons of stores on Broadway, and three different subway stops to choose from. And the best part: the Teachers College building is a sixty-second walk from my building. No joke. My library, bookstore, financial aid office and all my classes are all in this building, just two blocks away. Yay!

Nick left this morning to go back to Albany for a bit so he can work some more shifts and figure out how he's going to tackle everything. Raina is working all week as are all my other friends so for now, I'm staring at the biggest chunk of free time that I've probably had in years. Today I took advantage of it to walk around downtown and look for some things I need and then stop by campus to figure out a financial-aid mess that I'm dealing with. I'm looking forward to just walking and walking and walking over the next few days so I can gather my bearings and really understand this new place that is now my home.

To most of you that are reading this, I miss you like crazy and can't wait for both my next visit home and your next visit here. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoox