Suddenly, you open your eyes again and all your bags are packed up, your plane ticket and your passport are sitting on the table, right next to the big purse you only use when you travel. A whole semester went by, and for you it seems that it was two minutes ago when you were falling asleep for the first time in that empty new dorm room at New Paltz. In both moments you are just lying in your bed and you feel like crying; the first time because you were afraid of a new beginning; the second, because you don’t want to leave this new place, these new people, these new feelings, this new home.
Some of us, are lucky enough and we got an extension of our internship over the summer, but we’re still saying goodbye, still graduating from the program, still ending something that was amazing.
It’s hard to conceive the level of friends I made these four months. I found people who I can have fun with, who I can talk to about almost anything, who I’m gonna miss like crazy once we separate. You usually think that your best friends are the ones you’ve had for years and years but I’ve realized that this idea is not necesarilly true. You can find your best friend in one second, it’s a matter of connections. There are some people with whom you just click from the beginning, others take a little longer. The fact is that every year I find more friends, and I keep old ones, but I have proven to myself that friendship is the most important thing in life, it’s what keeps you going on.
So yes, it has been the most wonderful experience to come here, to be in the program, to meet everyone, to live this moment. And it makes me very sad to think that in just a few more days we’re gonna have to say goodbye and go our separate ways, leaving this behind and putting it inside the memory’s box that we all keep. It cannot stay open forever, just from time to time and in order to remember what are the small things that have gotten you where you are in life.

It really did feel like last week when I wrote my first Blog and felt the adrenalin and nerves of walking into work for the first time having no idea of what to expect. I guess when you are experiencing so many different and exciting things time gets away from you and passes you in a heart beat.

Last week was another interesting and enjoyable week for me. On Monday I worked at my first major event with a total of around 300 businessmen and women. The event went according to plan with minimal problems as all the guests appeared to have enjoyed their evening. I had the privilege of seeing how a major event was put together from the very beginning, to the enduring set up and the final product. This experience has opened my eyes in regards to opportunities for employment when I graduate as I really enjoyed the entire process of organizing and delivering an event of that capacity.

I have also been asked to work again this Saturday at a bar mitzvah that is being held in one of the corporate boxes and restaurants in center court. I will also be responsible for the set up and delivery of this event which will again be a great learning curve for me.

Last weekend I spent back in New Paltz visiting many of the great friends I made in the first 2 months I studied there. It was great to also see the campus and town in a different light as the weather is now getting warmer. The whole vibe and ambience of New Paltz is different as now there are people out throwing Frisbee’s or Footballs and having BBQ’s in the sun. The warmer weather also gave me an opportunity to visit some of the famous local attractions. A few friends and I went up the mountains to go to the waterfalls which are only a short 20 minute drive from campus. It is quite a strange to think there could be something so beautiful so close to the hustle and bustle of New York City.

Yesterday was a very busy day at work; The day before, I had to stay a little late finishing a few projects on a new account that we just got for an event on February next year. I usually just work on a lot of different things and accounts, helping everyone at the office and doing what I can for all the events we have. But yesterday was different, when my boss came in she said she wanted me to go to the meeting with her, since I had been working on that account the day before. We took a car there and we had to wait for a little while because the person in charge of the hospital is a senator and he’s busy with both jobs. Once sitting in the conference room, I had to take notes of everything that was going on. They discussed the honorees, the donators, the clients, the date, the venue and the mailing.
After that, we had to run into the office because she had another meeting and we had an event at 5pm. I finished up some other things, especially regarding the auction that I’m organizing for May 9th, and then we had to go to the event.
It was a cocktail party for the American Place Theater, at The Players Club. This club is only for actors and it is an old Manhattan big house in the middle of Gramercy Park filled with paintings of actors all the way through history. It is a very exclusive area of New York and all the attendants to the party were actors, especially from broadway plays. They are celebrating the American Place Theater 45th anniversary and last night was like a pre-party for the big event on May 21st. We had to check in guests and then we just relaxed, had a glass of wine and some cheese until our busy day was finally over. I enjoyed working hard in New York City and feeling the real rush.

This week at work has been a little different than the previous 3, as I have been working with the Events Department in assisting them set up and organize for an event for the City of Queens. The event is to be held on Monday night in a large restaurant in Center Court as we expect a turn out of around 400 guests. The event is called ‘Taste of Queens’ and will host 40 food and beverage companies from all over Queens to display their products. This will be a great experience for me to experience this major event unfold as I was given responsibility and had a part to play in the development and decisions made.

After being in New York City for a month all ready it is fascinating to see how I have subconsciously changed to fit into the New York lifestyle. To survive in the city you need to act and think like a New Yorker. Catching the subway is quite the experience. It really is every man for him self and once you’re on that train there is minimal if any conversation just masses of people reading books and newspapers. There is neither eye contact made nor any smiles given as everyone on that train has one thing in mind, to get to work. Time here goes so fast and that is the typical way of life over here. If you get caught up in the moment and live that lifestyle your time here will pass all too quickly. That is why it is important to get out and enjoy every minute you have spared in New York; there is so much to see and so little time. Therefore you must make the most of every opportunity you get over here and live it.

Last week was completely different from all the others that I’ve been in the city. It was Easter, and many people in the world have holidays those days, so it was pretty crowded. I had to get to work on time though, like every other day…
I had never been a “not tourist” in New York. People looking around, walking slowly in big groups, deciding calmly which train to take, taking pictures in every corner, bumping into you with a million shopping bags…I couldn’t stand it! I was in the New York rush and I had no time for all those interruptions in my day!
It’s funny how human beings can get used to anything. I had always been a tourist in this city before, and now I’m part of it and its crazyness so I look at tourists from a local point of view. The real question is, what will happen when I come back after these few months living here? Will I be a tourist or a New Yorker?

I actually did contribute a little bit to the excess of tourism on the weekend. I had Friday off from work and 4 friends from Mexico visiting, so I spend the weekend walking around in known areas, not cheap restaurants and many stores. It was really nice having people from my country here and catching up on everyone’s lives back home but I realized I’d rather be a New Yorker than a tourist now…You get a lot more out of it.
After 3 weeks living here, we now know where to eat nice and cheap, what kind of music is played in different bars and clubs, or even which train is more crowded at what times. You can easily fall in love with New York City, every day I walk on the streets, I see something new that just gets my attetion.
I don’t want to leave this city; and if I come back, I don’t think I’ll ever be a tourist again. I’m a New Yorker now.

There were so many great things that happened this week in NY. The week started of with the final of the Collage Basketball. Collage ball is a major sporting event and is watched by many Americans as it shows off the future NBA stars that are all playing for an opportunity to be drafted. So a few friends and I went to a local bar in Manhattan to watch the game. Also this week I witnessed my first live American sporting event. I received tickets through work to see the New Jersey, Devils Ice Hockey team. The game went right down to the wire and saw the devils get up in a penalty shoot out. It was a great spectacle and the atmosphere was so different to what I am use to in Australia but was a great night overall.

This week at work went by so fast. The ticket office that I have been working in for the past 3 weeks is very busy. The workload seems to be ever increasing as we get closer to the event and particular deadlines for spectator purchases are coming up. I am enjoying the fact that I am receiving more responsibilities and really feel that my help is of assistance to the department. The extra workload definatly makes my day more interesting and goes by a lot faster.

We had an employee casino night on Thursday. It was a very elegant event as they had a casino company come in and set up numerous tables to gamble on with our play money we were given. The night was catered for and included all drinks and food. It was held in one of the prestigious restaurants in center court which was beautiful and ended up being a really enjoyable evening.

Easter Friday was a normal work day here in America. I find it interesting that Americans do not have any public holidays over Easter. It is celebrated very differently to the way I am used to and the weather this time of year is also very different at Easter time. On Friday at work we had an Easter egg hunt that was fun. It was funny to see the competitive spirits come out of my colleges in their attempt to find the eggs. It was good that we managed to leave work at 2pm which gave me an opportunity to have another look around the city and enjoy the sights and lovely scenery.

Today is Easter Sunday. As I have mentioned before I was invited to a ladies house for lunch. It was a beautiful feast with so much food to choose from which is a little different than eating cafeteria meals most days. It was great to have a home cooked meal and sit and dine in a house and get back to normality like playing with her dogs and sitting on a couch watching TV. I guess when you have been overseas for 3 months it’s the small things that you take for granted that you really start missing the most.

The fact that this event was the first one I assisted as an intern in Lorelei is pure luck. It is probably one of the most impressing ones in terms of important invites. There were ambassadors, diplomats and, politicians from all over the world. Also, tons of religious leaders and as you can imagine, security.
I had to dress up very formaly since 4 pm and get to the site to help the staff check that everything was in order. Before we realized, it was time to be sitting in the reception table and have the list of people who were coming, ready to be ticked off.
Elegant people with all kinds of accents started coming up the stairs towards us and spelling their last names paciently. Time flew, and in what seemed 5 minutes, they told me to go into the ballroom and find Lorelei’s table to have dinner with my boss. It was delicious and very interesting, since Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, was the speaking guest and he spoke about subjects that really appealed to conscience…
After that night, I realized i do like planning events, especially those in which you get to feel important!

2 weeks have gone by working with the US Open and I feel that I am learning so many great things about the tournament and organization. The weeks have gone by so fast and this week was no exception. I was expected to move into a different department this week however the ticket department is inundated with things to do so I am required to stay and assist them.

I have many things that I am looking forward to this week. On Tuesday I am playing tennis on my lunch break again. This is great as it breaks up the workday and gets you out of the office and a bit of exercise too. Then on Thursday we are having a spring fling casino night at one of the restaurants in centre court for all the staff. It should be a good night as it will give me an opportunity to mingle and meet all the people from different departments and learn more about what they do. This weekend coming up is also Easter. One of the lovely ladies from work has invited me to her house for lunch as she wanted to make sure I was well fed and had an enjoyable Easter.

Apart from work the New York lifestyle is very fast and hectic. By the time I finish work and commute back to Manhattan and grab some dinner time has passed me and its bedtime. I have been heading out to many of the pubs and enjoying the awesome nightlife New York has to offer. There are many great restaurants and clubs and bars however it helps to ask around and have locals suggest places to go as New York City can be outrageously expensive i.e. $14 USD a drink at some of the places we have been too.

I have done some of the touristy things like go to the top of the empire state building which was the best view you could ask for of New York. I have also seen all the razzle and dazzle of time square and the beautiful streets of So Ho. I also stayed at the Grand Hyatt on Saturday night which was a beautiful hotel, but again very expensive and massively overpriced. For example we paid $70 for 2 burgers at 5am which certainly hurt the hip pocket. A great experience none the less.