Listening 10 – Listen for specific words

The best part about living in New York City is that anything you could possibly , you can find there. There are so many different cultures and subcultures. You can try food from pretty much any country or on the planet, and it’s just a train ride away. Any type of activity or interest – no matter how unusual or how obscure – I’m sure you can find it in New York. The city has something for everyone. It’s impossible to be . And even though it’s one city, every neighborhood is different, they all have their own unique kind of vibe.

Another thing I loved about New York City is that it has a special kind of energy about it, it’s very . And I think part of this comes from the fact that a lot of people in the city aren’t originally from there. So not only do you have a lot of immigrants from other countries, but also people from other in the U.S. who have moved to New York City – and they usually have some sort of goal or mission that they’re trying to accomplish, whether for their career or for reasons… so New York is just full of go-getters and people who are doing exciting things. You won’t really find a lot of people who are and just let life pass them by.

Now, the flip side is that living in New York can stress you out if you’re not . They call it “the city that never sleeps” because there is something going on 24/7, and it’s just pretty fast-paced in general. So that could be a if you’re not used to it – people walk fast, they expect fast customer service, and everything to be really snappy and . So if you’re living at this speed and you also have a demanding job, then you really need to consciously make room in your to relax and plan to have some downtime.

And then there’s financial stress, too, because New York is definitely pricey. Mainly rent – like, compared to other places in the country, you’ll pay times as much for a ridiculously small apartment. But it’s not out of reach, you just have to budget and be adaptable… and you probably won’t be much time in your apartment, anyway, so in my opinion, it’s worth it.

If you’re thinking of living in New York, my main suggestion is to get plugged in to some sort of group, club, or community, or take up a new activity to meet people, ‘cause the city can be overwhelming and you can end up feeling kind of isolated. On the streets people usually keep to themselves. Everyone minds their own business, so at first glance it seems like New Yorkers are pretty off – but it’s way easier to make friends if you join a group or take a class, you know? You should definitely take advantage of the chance to do something you’ve never done before, maybe that you’ve always wanted to try, and get your comfort zone a little bit.