The story of how I came to write about New York actually starts on Valentine's Day in 2005. I left my home town for what was supposed to be a "gap year" - just 12 months to explore the world, starting in Europe. Within six months I had enjoyed great adventures in France, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, and Scotland - but I was dangerously close to running out of money and having to go back home.
On a whim, I applied for a job in Chicago. I'd never been to the United States before, and I didn't know anyone there, but I wasn't ready for my great adventure to end. I arrived on the weekend of the Chicago marathon in 2005 and I fell in love with that town. I don't know whether it was the Cubs, the hotdogs, or the blues bars that sold me on the Windy City, but I stayed for a wonderful four years.
After a brief stint back home in 2010, I was again bitten by the travel bug and I moved to London for work. While I loved weekends exploring the beautiful British countryside, I couldn't resist the pull of the United States. I needed to get back.
And so it was that in January 2011, just three days after an awful blizzard, I landed at JFK Airport to realise my dream of working at the United Nations. Here we are now, nearly 4 years later, and I'm ready to share the bright lights and everyday stories of my Big Apple with you. No passport required.
Thanks for sharing the adventure with me!
