Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Being back in the city feels a little strange- I feel like I'm coming home but at the same time I'm not really part of this place anymore. Even though immigration was insane (got lucky that I could sneak through with a group of people who had connections to catch) and as usual there were issues with the AirTrain getting into JFK still gave me a little excitement. Seeing the NY skyline from far away made me nostalgic and already on the shuttle bus and train I ran into some really nice folks who kept an eye out for me and helped me find the directions to Jamaica station. I feel like people in Germany lack that innate friendliness without expecting anything in return. They don't look at you strange here when you are making conversation with a security guard - on the contrary you usually get an appreciative smile. On the trains you have such a mix of languages and ethnicities - it's always intriguing to me and I certainly notice that I have missed this metropolitan feel. I am reminded that it always takes longer than you think to get anywhere in the city but since I'm on vacation I don't mind too much. So what I'll need to change from the e to the l in Manhattan and so what the f isn't running properly again this weekend- doesn't bother me much right now...
Both because I hadn't done my daily meditation and because I had a lot of time to kill on the subway, I started meditating in the worst possible place - while transiting NYC on the E train. I did almost 20 minutes which I find very impressive.
Having been back a few days, I have not found the time or energy to meditate. I guess it's always hard when you're traveling but I wish I could stick to it more. Maybe I'll manage today... Am on my way to the dharma mittra center to take a class there. Very curios - will update you later...
Walking across union square it just occurred to me that I liked the US and particularly New Yorkers because everyone is so busy and has so much going on that they are not in your business too much. I have found it very soothing that people here, even if they are good friends, don't immediately ask you about some of the sensitive stuff. It's that polite indirectness that simply doesn't exist in Germany. Germans feel a need to be poking in a lot of places and get straight to the point that might be hurting right now. Of course you can argue that it's superficial just to not talk about sensitive things but sometimes it also feels very relaxing and soothing...
It's so cold in the city that it really reminds me of the last winter which was seemingly never ending. Yet, it's a good excuse to keep wandering from shop to shop and coffee place to coffee place. And it's not a bad gig to roam around the city while everyone else is working. Since I was trying to take advantage of my time off and traveled whenever I had a vacation day, I didn't do that half way enough when I lived here...
Of course you end up spending a little too much money so I guess it was a good thing I had to go to work while I lived here :-)
I am also trying to take advantage of as many yoga things as I can while I'm here- so I went to dharma mittra's studio for the first time, a NYC yoga city lecture last night and am attending a vinyasa workshop today. Good times!

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