The Flip Side

I know, this blog is a little late. Okay, maybe a lot late. But the last couple of weeks have been absolutely crazy!

All the rainbows at Pridefest

I was planning to write a rather thought provoking blog about the historic SCOTUS marriage equality ruling and how the LGBTQIA+ community in Germany hasn’t achieved that milestone and if that’s even necessary. I also was going to report about my first time at NYC Pridefest and March (Against popular belief, it’s not a parade)! Which was awesome and colorful and crowded and filled with pride. But all that seems a lifetime ago. And maybe I’ll turn the former into a paper, because believe me there’s a lot to talk about.

My stay in the US is slowly coming to an end. It’s my last week at my internship and I’m rather excited about that. Not getting up at 7am. Not squeezing myself into an overly stuffed subway train. Not having to deal with slow-walkers in Midtown. Which brings me to the topic of this blog: The flipside of living and working in New York City. I’ve been praising this city since I’ve gotten here, so I thought it was time to address some of the negatives. Here we go:

I need to mention the weather. After living in the seemingly ever frozen Ohio, I am now experiencing the worst heat wave of my life! Ever day it’s 30°C to 35°C with absolutely no wind. I’m sweating profusely just standing and waiting for my train. At work I try to surround myself with as many fans as possible. But the heat is becoming unbearable. It is also making it difficult to find appropriate work outfits. Even though it is a quite casual office, short shorts might not be the best option to leave a good impression.

Also, I miss air. Let me clarify. I miss clean air. Air that hasn’t been polluted by cars and busses and whatever it is that comes out of the subway vents on the sidewalk. I miss air that doesn’t smell like hot dogs and mustard. I miss air that doesn’t make me feel like I’m covered with a layer of sweat and dirt when I get home.

I also have never realized how much I don’t like tourists. Especially the ones with three huge suitcases that they try to fit into the subway during rush hour. Tourists are also more likely the ones who don’t understand that you can’t just stop on the sidewalk. It holds up traffic and annoys everyone who needs to get somewhere. Sure, I should probably show a little more compassion towards them. There was a time when I had no clue where I was and had to consult Google Maps every five minutes. But when you have to deal with these people every single day, your patience and compassion quickly runs out!

Do I even need to mention how incredibly expensive everything is in the city. Not just rent. But also food, transportation, entertainment and water! Maybe it's because I'm an unpaid intern or that I was spoiled in rural Ohio, but I just don't understand why it costs me $15 for a movie ticket, which doesn't include snacks. And a scoop of ice cream is easily $3. A small bottle of water costs around $1.50, and tap water is not really in option in NYC the way it was in Athens. This is the part where I would like to thank and apologize to my parents for having to finance all of this...You're the Best!

The last thing I need to complain about is pretty specific towards the female population. I have never been catcalled on such a regular basis as in New York City. In this heat I wear shorts and skirts, because anything else would probably give me a heat stroke. But walking down the street showing any kind of skin (or no skin at all, to be honest) can be incredibly humiliating, frustrating and at times scary. Cars slowing down next to me to whistle or yell obscenities. Men walking very closely next to me calling me “baby” or “honey pie”, and not accepting my silence or a clear “not interested”. And there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do. When I talk to the other girls in the office, especially the native New Yorkers, they tell me to just move on. But I have a difficult time just moving on from such blatant street harassment. And it is scary when you are by yourself and have no idea how that guy is going to react when you turn him down. I’ve never been a fan of guns, they don’t make me feel secure. But for the first time I understand the need for some kind of self defense.

So, this has been a lot of ranting. I’m sorry. I have really enjoyed my time in New York, but every place has a downside. I’ll leave you with a picture of beautiful Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio. I did sneak away for a week to visit and sightsee. The air there was beautiful, as you might imagine…

Did you know that Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the Great Lakes. Also, that's Canada on the other side....

Next up: I’ll travel to Boston, MA and Washington, DC. So that should be exciting……...