New York is a city where it’s hard to end up alone
The street. There’s always a question you can latch onto
Any acquaintance, unless you are in a noisy group where there will always be something to talk about, should be accompanied by dialogue. And if someone has a well-hung tongue and that person can find any topic for conversation, then other people, when meeting someone, can get lost, become shy, and think about what to ask a stranger in order to break the silence. In New York everything is much simpler. Over all my numerous trips to New York I met only a few people who were born in this city. The whole world lives in New York, 95% of the people you meet in this city came here from somewhere else. Therefore, after hi, how are you the question “Where are you from?” always sounds. And if you are at least somewhat versed in geography, you will find something to talk about next. “Oooo, you’re from Italy! I’ve been there twice and I like it so much that all the people are so emotional, always smiling and gesturing with their hands!”, “You’re from Berlin! My grandma was there. No, not in the period from 41 to 45, but later! She brought a tea set from which we still drink tea!” Well and дальше, you know… off it goes
Bars
New York bars are the noisiest bars in the world! Get ready, you will have to shout! But that’s not the point. In New York bars people not only drink alcohol, but also play games like beer pong, watch sports games and dance. Acquaintances are helped by the fact that in bars people very rarely sit as a group at their own separate table. Mostly people stand. A step to the left, and you’re already near another company. Hi! How are you, where are you from and you are already involved in a conversation with strangers, until that very last minute, people.
Public transport
I don’t remember when in Kyiv someone tried to talk to me in the subway — not to ask how to get somewhere and how much time it takes, but to chat about something. Someone is enthusiastically reading a book, someone is listening to music so as not to hear how the neighboring grandmas are discussing the rise in prices for potatoes and carrots, someone is playing games on a tablet, someone is just zoning out. If a musician comes into the car, for example, and lights it up in the car so that everyone will tear themselves away from their business and with great interest and delight will listen to him, then after he gets out, everyone will again plunge into their affairs. And in New York your neighbor will talk to you “Damn, this dude plays so cool,” and you will answer him “Yeah, I’m also learning to play the guitar, I look at this musician and I understand how cool he is.” If you are reading a book, then in New York your neighbor may say “Oh, I read that book! Great choice!” or “Excuse me, I accidentally read a couple of lines and I was so intrigued by the plot. Could you tell me the title and author?”. Or if we are talking about music in the player — “Cool music! And who sings this?”, a game on the tablet — “I’ve already passed this level, I can give you a hint that behind the tree there is a magic sword that you need to take in order to then kill the evil sorceress with it”
National minorities and communities
Even if your language is very bad, you can always find “your own” who will gladly accept you into their circle of communication. I, for example, before my second trip completely by chance met Yurko — a guy from Western Ukraine who has been living in New York for a long time. In New York we of course met and Yurko immediately introduced me to his friends from the Ukrainian community. During those three months that I spent in New York, the guys and girls from the community constantly invited me to various “vechornytsi”, “zabavy”, “movie screenings” and “ гуляння”. I attended these events only a few times. Simply because I was not interested — I am not an emigrant, in 3 months I did not have time to miss my homeland so much as to be nostalgic for native cinema, music and pastime.
Read about Ukrainian New York via the link.
Cool mobile apps and sites about New York
How does it work?
You go to the site, go to the section dedicated to New York and:
– you look at events that couchsurfers organize, go and meet people
– you read the forum where people write posts like “I’m going to the movies, join me”, “I have no one to run with in the morning in Prospect park”, “I want to go to Bronx Zoo, join me” and so on. You go and meet people.
During those 3 months in New York I did not implement my plans for studying. Why? Because I had no time! An abundance of parties, interesting meetings with new friends, trips and other entertainment! I simply had no time to study! I still communicate with my friends from New York and all over the world, went to visit France and India and can go to visit Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Lithuania, Denmark, Mexico, China, Greece!
And in conclusion I will add that meeting people in New York is probably easier than in any other place on earth. Why? Because everyone who comes here or lives here is happy that right now they are in the best city on earth! And happiness, you know, attracts into your life only the most wonderful and magical events, including pleasant acquaintances!