Lights Up in Washington Hights: My First Days Interning in NYC
Let’s begin with Delta Flight 2151, aka nightmare flight.
So, I leave from Miami International airport at 7 a.m. sharp. Our flight is nearly half full and, as usual, my Delta perks got me at great seats. The pilot starts speaking about his “fighter jet” experience as well as other irrelevant information about himself. About 20 minutes in, he gets on to let us know we would be making an “emergency landing” due to something failing in the engine and generator realm. As I look out my window, I realize we’re still over water. My first thought:
LORD JESUS IT’S A FIRRRREEEEEE. WE’RE LANDING IN THE OCEAN. TIME TO FIND THE OXYEN MASKS AND USE MY SEAT AS A FLOTATION DEVICE. WAIT. WHAT DO THEY USUALLY SAY ABOUT LIFE VESTS?
What actually happened? A close descend onto the water and a safe landing in Ft. Lauderdale airport.
It wasn’t until about three hours and 10 angry phone calls later that I finally got a “standby” ticket on the next Delta flight to LGA Airport. Yes, this meant I got a “middle seat” somewhere in the butt of the plane. But, I just needed to get to NYC ASAP.
Me: I could’ve waited for my first class seat on the 1:50 flight or jumped on the 10:50 like a peasant and get to NYC faster.
I’m currently a peasant.
Veronica: Hahaha, the sacrifices one must make to reach a dream. You’ll be ok, my darling.
A couple of hours, two bags of airline peanuts and six cinnamon cookies later, I finally arrive to place I would be calling home for months to come.
The shuttle I ordered took about a year and a half to take me to my destination, but I did go the economic route and pay $20. I dropped my hefty bag off at the Hotel Alexander and quickly made my way to my next stop, West 187th Street.
Oh, but the adventure did not end there. Eating at a Subway in front of a Subway (checking that off my bucket list) meant becoming a Dominican commodity. The cashier made me feel like the queen of his world — unfortunately he was about twice my age. Next, I decide to take the subway to the “next stop,” the apartment I was staying at but I soon discovered that line was out of service. Send help.
Until my permanent housing is ready, I stayed in the home of an incredible woman and her cozy apartment near the Washington Heights area. I woke up every day to the smell of “pastelitos” from the local bakery, a “buenos dias” from the fruitstand man and a random person blowing a kiss in my direction.
I did not run into a single problem the entire time I was here. It definitely reminded me of home back in Miami and I definitely had really neat experiences meeting other people she hosts as couchsurfers as well as her daily routine — 1 million thanks to Gerlis and her cute little family!
Monday: First day of work at The Hartman Group!
Located in the heart of Times Square and the Theater District, is my summer internship at The Hartman Group. This agency features Broadway clients across the board! I’m probably not at a discretion to speak about the exact people I worked with or the projects I was asked to complete, but I can tell you it’s been a blast! What I loved the most was being able to write on my first day. The staff is very friendly, show tunes are constantly playing and, I’ve got to say, there’s a great view.
It’s been a great couple of days so far and aside from all the New York experiences and learning gains in PR, I’m definitely learning a lot about myself. Experiencing so much time alone means I can focus on the parts of me I haven’t yet discovered. The things I miss the most are the things that meant the most to me back at home. A great example:
Also, the people that drove me the most nuts are the people I miss the most. As my dad’s recently been admitted to the hospital, I can’t help but think about him. Being over one thousand miles away is difficult. I’m only a phone call away, but the miles between myself and those I love are endless.
For now, I’ve got to fall in love with one person and one person only: