The Big Apple one year on.....a strange and sweet adventure

December 1st  2013…… a year of the Yogirabbit in the Big Apple.


This post was very difficult to compose... To put it mildly, I was sobbing half the time I was putting this together. So many emotions have come up. I have now been in New York City and the U.S a full year….This year has been one of discovery, joy, pain, doubt, tears, laughter self exploration, new and old friendships. The stories are many and the ups and downs more than a roller coaster ride at a theme park.  The anecdotes of my day to day life here could fill the pages of a tell all funny memoir. I have had many disappointments but also plenty of pleasant surprises to balance the hardships.

I left Greece Nov 30th 2012 arriving on a sunny Sunday afternoon on December 1st with so much apprehension, fear and joy for the unknown and what would lie ahead. I had no job, no clear vision of what I wanted to do here but with a great sense of adventure and purpose.

When I first arrived there countless friends and acquaintances who opened their homes, invited me in and made me feel welcome. Many more have reached out to assist me through difficult times, to make me feel safe and embraced me in their lives and families. These people are my angels my teachers and my harsh reality. I owe them a depth of gratitude that can never be repaid. This journey has also brought much needed yet painful change. There are many people who I've grown apart from during the course of my year here. It was very difficult and sad for me to let go but when leaving one place sometimes you outgrow those you leave behind.

There was heart brake and disillusionment and there were many lonely nights where I doubted why I came here, what I was meant to do and maybe I had made a mistake.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE Greece, I left with a very heavy heart I left with many questions and wanted to make this journey mean something.  If I were to sit and compare and contrast simply put, yes people are caring and giving in both places, yes you will find rude and unhelpful people in New York and in Greece, yes there are some things that are more accessible here in New York that aren't so accessible in Athens or in Greece, Central Park is one of the most magical picturesque places on the planet, the Greek islands are the most beautiful in the world, there is art and culture in New York that is breathtaking, and NO you can't get a decent Greek salad in New York City even if you tried, yet those details aren't so important. Comparing and contrasting isn't helpful or productive. What is important is that many many fellow Greeks have left the country they love, because it became increasingly impossible to make progress and it was equally improbable for those talented gifted and educated individuals to make a difference and to make life in a country with so much social turmoil and political instability. So we made a choice and for many it was the only choice.

I was very fortunate in comparison to many who pick up and move their lives to another country. I knew the city, (or so I thought) I had friends here, I had family near by... but I was never prepared for the difficulties and the loneliness that dug deep into my skin. I will not resort to complaining about how things here in New York are better or worse in comparison to Athens or anywhere else in Greece, because there are wonderful things and dysfunctional things about both places.

The beauty of Greece won't be disputed or denied, but despite its endless beauty it is very hard to make a life there without losing something in the process. I miss my friends dearly, I miss the sand between my toes and the sun on my skin while swimming in the glorious Mediterranean sea. I miss my home, I miss casual drinks that take hours, I miss my cats and I miss good honest simple food....I miss a lot more than that, but like countless others who left, I needed to take a path less traveled. I took a risk, and here I was sitting outside JFK with two suitcases of clothing and some books hoping that I didn't make it all this way for nothing....

There is the myth and there is the reality in everything that we embark on as humans...We have hopes and dreams and aspirations and strive for the best in all our endeavors.There are those who say that if you don't have a clear vision of what you want to do here, New York will spit you out very fast. There are days when I feel like I've been punched in the face by New York and there are days when I know she and I are on the same page. So one year on.... even though I am a far cry from the plans that I had drawn out for myself,  I have learned that this journey despite its ups and many downs is one of the most amazing trips I will ever make, and one of the most amazing stories still being written.

For those who are still in Greece fighting, living, creating, surviving, loving and wanting to make it a better place YOU are the brave warriors, and what our country deserves! You are always in my heart, and we shall meet again very soon.


Eleana's Audio Blog Entry Video!