by Mia Della Pietra (native New Yorker)
Mia teaches TOEFL Preparation and other courses at NYLC's Upper West Side location. She was born and raised in NYC and lived in Thailand for two years training Muay Thai (Thai boxing) and teaching English. Now she enjoys meeting students from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds and loves finding the humor in the challenges of learning English. In her free time, she watches mixed martial arts, hangs out with her two cats, and eats as much boxed macaroni and cheese as she can.
1. It’s the best city in the world!
Ok, I’m a little biased, because I was born here and grew up here, but I really believe this is true! After living in NYC, all other cities seem small, or slow, or like big towns, pretending to be cities! Musicians say there is nothing like playing a show in NYC because the energy is so incredible and different from all other cities. So if performing here for 1 night is that amazing, imagine actually being able to live here!
2. It’s not like the movies
New York has so many famous movies and television shows that depict life here. But how accurate are all these stories? “Sex and the City” might be the most classic case of unrealistic expectations. Carrie Bradshaw’s life does not really mirror the typical freelance writer’s lifestyle in NYC. So many of my students come to NYC expecting one version of it and find out that it is actually totally different! So what is it really like? You should come here to find out!
3. You can find everything here
Often when you travel you miss the comforts of home. It’s hard to find a community and it can be even harder to find your favorite foods abroad. New Yorkers don’t usually have that problem. You can find all the comforts of home here, and you can also discover new favorites! You will have the opportunity to try authentic food from every corner of the world just by taking the subway to different neighborhoods!
4. This!
5. Your classmates
There’s a famous song that says, “if you can make it here you can make it anywhere,” and this is definitely true. You will be constantly surrounded by talented, intelligent and motivated people, and you might be pushed a bit out of your comfort zone. Life moves a little bit faster here, and you will have to keep up! But once you experience the pace of life here, you will be bored by anything else.
Brunch culture is depicted in most modern NYC movies, and this is something that actually is accurate! Saturday or Sunday brunch (breakfast+lunch) is a late morning ritual between close friends to catch up on the week’s activities. A lot of restaurants offer brunch specials which might include a free coffee or mimosa, or even unlimited drinks with food! Because these specials can be quite appealing, it’s a good idea to book a table in advance, in order to avoid the famous long lines outside popular brunch spots.
7. The Pizza
Pizza was invented in Italy, but $1 pizza was invented in NYC. There is definitely a difference in flavor, technique, and ingredients. NYC pizza is its own genre, and you have to come here in order to try it! It’s a perfect end to a night out. Try eating it in an Uber on your way home for the authentic NYC experience.
8. Never sleeping
“The Big Apple,” “The Capital of the World,” “The City that Never Sleeps,” are all nicknames that NYC has. Some associate never sleeping with partying until the sun comes up, but in my experience that’s not actually what it means. If I want to order a hamburger at 3 am, I can. If I want to go grocery shopping at 11 pm, I can. Never sleeping is more about convenience; at any time of the day you can find almost anything you need!
9. It’s not Washington D.C. or Boston
Again, I’m biased. But whenever I visit D.C., all I can think about is the height limit that the buildings have. Legally there are height restrictions on the buildings, which makes me feel like there is someone pressing down on the top of my head when I walk around there! Aren’t big cities supposed to have tall buildings?! And Boston is just far enough north that it is very cold! It’s not that Boston and D.C are so bad. In fact they are lovely to visit for a weekend. But it’s just that NYC is better!
10. NYLC!
With 4 different locations across the 5 boroughs, NYLC has everything you need for your English studies. We offer classes from beginner all the way up through TOEFL preparation. You can improve your English in the best city in the world, surrounded by classmates and teachers that can help you navigate a true New York experience.
Vocabulary:
- biased - prejudiced; tend to support one side
- depict - show
- unrealistic expectations - having standards that are difficult to meet
- mirror - copy; do the same thing
- keep up - stay updated
- pace - speed
- borough - a section or area of New York City
great blogpost
ReplyDelete