Welcome to New York...

I MOVED TO NEW YORK! ...And boy is it tough. The hardest part for me really is getting over that initial fear of being away from home the first time and not knowing who's out there and what the heck is coming your way. I figured since I got a free train ticket to New York, I was off to a pretty good start. In getting to New York, I thankfully had a friend that lived out here and was willing to let me stay until I found a place of my own. Arriving on a Sunday allowed me to settle in and plan for the week ahead; find a new bank(since the bank I had at home wasn't around in NY), find a job and find an apartment. I told myself I wouldn't become overwhelmed, but I think I doomed myself with that thought. Monday came and so began the stress. I went to a small housing agency in the city, figuring that that would be the best way to save my money from a scam off craigslist. The agency charged me $200 upfront for the finders fee. They told me finding a place was a guarantee. Taking an inch of hope, I was sent off right away to a place in Washington Heights. Unfortunately, the place was not what I was hoping for. So, I called back and tried again. By Thursday, after regretfully not taking an apartment I kind of liked and not finding any good place, I was feeling hopeless. Also realizing I just got scammed $200 because I was afraid of the craigslist creeper, made me even more upset. By Friday, I was feeling really down. I kept thinking "there's no way I'm going to find a place now and I'm going to just have to come home." I didn't want to come home, not only because I had only been there five days, but also because to me, that's giving up. My plan was to find a place by Saturday, so that way my mom would have the time off of work to come and bring my stuff up. Feeling more desperate than the welfare system, I decided to turn to the devil's advocate, Craigslist. I started looking and searching desperately into the late Friday night hoping someone would respond and give me a chance. After an hour, I stumbled upon an ad for an $800 room in the area I was looking in. There was a number left in the "reply" area, so I texted the number and hoped for the best. Thankfully, the woman responded, but to my dismay the room I wanted wasn't available. Luckily though, she did have a $600 room that was available for move in the next week. I told her I was interested and so she gave me the address. I couldn't believe what she had texted me...Have you ever felt the feeling of having your mind absolutely blown? Well, I felt that in an instant. After feeling so helpless, desperate and afraid, this woman saved my life! The address she sent me was the apartment next door to my friend's place (the place I had been staying in). I couldn't believe it.  So I asked the lady if I could call her and explain my situation. After our phone call, her daughter let me walk over and check out the place. Needless to say since this was like the biggest coincidence and craziest thing that has happened in like forever, I HAD to take the room. To me it is so crazy how life works. From Monday being so cheerful and ready to take on the week, to stumbling upon one of the worst Fridays of my life, to then being blissfully surprised to find an apartment on the last day I had any hope for finding a place. Life works in mysterious ways. I blame that on luck and mostly on the simple thought of it being God's plan. One lesson I've learned in my first week in New York is to never wait on an opportunity and to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk. I also learned to appreciate what my parents have done for me, but I won't give them that credit yet. I didn't take the opportunity to get that first apartment the agency showed me, but then again I wouldn't of found my new place. And I was afraid to try craigslist because I though of it being a scam, until I tried and it coincidently brought me to where I am today. Speaking of the scamming, I have to go and write my complaint on that agency now...