Live in New York City

Hey guys!

It’s been a crazy two weeks, and I didn’t know if I was going to make it here… but I’m here in NYC! I’m here for an acting camp of sorts, and I expect to do a lot of work. In fact, I’ve been working to get here in a physical and literal sense! I didn’t think I’d have a place to stay, but at the last minute, I discovered that I was able to stay in the dorms! Praise ye the Lord! Once that was settled, I paid for a ticket, and was on my way!

The whole beginning of this day felt somewhat surreal. First of all, I was running late for my train, and I’m rarely ever late when I’m traveling. This morning, however, was a different story. Let’s just say that my train left at 11:25, and I was pulling up to the station in the car at 11:20. I hurriedly waved good bye to my mother, and ran across the train station as two Asian men watched. I’m sure they thought I was crazy, and they were right. I tore across like mad woman to catch that train. I made it just in time; the man checking the tickets was still there. I was checked in, and practically ran onto the train. No sooner had I put up my bag (and by “I”, I mean that some kind stranger had mercy on me and put it up for me) and sat down, the train was rolling.

I wasn’t even supposed to be here by the looks of the situation nearly 24 hours ago, yet here I was on the train to New York City. For an entire month.

Once I arrived at Penn Station, I ran around trying to find the 2/3 train, and figure out just how to take it without buying a Metro Card since I know nothing about that yet. Meanwhile, everything hurt. Although that same kind young man took my bag down for me, I was on my own after that. I got onto a train that was going to take me in the direction that I needed to travel. As I left the sound of steel drums being played on the platform and stood in the subway train and kept myself from sitting down (lest I decide to not get back up), it felt like a crazy dream. I watched some red-faced men drink out of a flask at 2ish pm and talk to one another. Once I actually decided to sit down, I had to get off at my stop.

It was at this time that I realized that I didn’t know where the school was.

I sat on a bench for a bit of respite, and also to look up the address on my cell phone. After all this, I didn’t feel like sleeping with the pigeons that night. I normally complain about these devices, but I was very thankful for smart phones in that moment. Once I found it, I asked an older woman for assistance. I think I asked more people for help today than I ever have.

She guided me rightly, and I ended up at the dorms, and was greeted by a young man wearing a tee shirt with the school name on it. “THANK GOD”, I thought to myself. I was sweating, my deodorant had given out ages ago, and I’m sure my face was red… but I was happy to be there. I went up to my room, and was actually the first one there.

I gotta admit, I was quite nervous. I played music to calm myself down, and I unpacked all my luggage. I called a couple of friends and let mom know that I had arrived. I looked out my window, and can see the Statue of Liberty from my room. All you can see are the tops of apartments, but you see a little greenery here and there. Actually, the view was kind of pretty. I looked out the window, and discovered that one can people watch from the 16th floor; people do things on their roofs here. I still don’t know what the man in the speedo was doing. Maybe I’ll find out tomorrow.

I was only able to talk to one friend at that time, and I talked to her until my first roommate arrived. About an hour thereafter, the second roommate arrived. We all get along together, and enjoy each other’s company thus far. I’m very excited about this; admittedly, I was a little nervous about that. I tend to be the nervous type when it comes to these things.

I also got to catch up with my best good friend. I called her when I first got there, but we didn’t talk until later that evening. She, just like everyone else that knew about this trip, reminded me that it should be fun. I tend to be a “let’s get down to business” type of girl, but I’m in New York! EVERYONE has an adventure in New York. Yes, I will be working, but I also get a whole month to experience a whole new city! Who doesn’t have an awesome story about visiting New York? I don’t want to be exempt.

I have more than acting work to do; I have a charge. I need to have an adventure. I owe it to myself to have one.

To be honest folks, I can’t remember the last time I had a real adventure. The opportunity to make a story worth telling is thrust right in my hands. It would be wrong if I didn’t take advantage of it.

Here’s to not only learning how to act (pun intended), but creating a story worth telling along the way. I promise to post pictures when I actually take some.

Cheers!