All things NYC (aka my first 23 days here)

Current mood: bouncy

I know many of you have been wondering how life up here in New York City is for me. So, now I'll answer my friend Miki's question, "What's it like there?"

New York City is fast-paced, enormous, diverse in virtually every possible way, God-filled, my newest mission field, filled with cement, lacking in trees, the location of one of my dream schools that I'm teaching at currently, where I ride the subway and buses for usually two hours a day, and changing me spiritually to become more conformed to the image of Jesus. Nearly all NYers are extremely knowledgeable about their city and can help you navigate on the spot; funny enough, I've had the opportunity to guide others at times too though I'm a NY newbie. J Well, by now I've been here just over three weeks, so here's the run down of what's been going down …

The first stop after I maneuvered my way out of the bus terminal (it's four floors and connects with the street, subway, buses, and something else - took me 30 mins to get out cause I didn't know the way and had a heavy bag) was Times Square Church. God laid it on my heart to go there first and ask for help with a place to stay. They and God provided the hookup with a place to stow my bag for a few hours, a cheap hostel for my first four nights, and led me to my permanent home (at least till October) with a Christian family. I never would have found this great family and home without the help of Times Square Church. I hope to go back there soon for a service. I did get a chance to join them and many more folks for a big prayer service on 9/7. (You can check it out at http://www.nycprayer.org/)

As for where I've lived, well, first stop was in a hostel in Harlem (Manhattan borough) very close to the area where I wanted to live prior to moving to NYC. I enjoyed the four days I stayed there. While there, I got to meet people from all over the world. Particularly, I met Steffi from Germany and Paul from France/Germany. They were very, VERY cool to talk with. I hope that we'll stay in touch.

After that I moved to a room in a house in East New York (Brooklyn borough). The house is in a very lovely neighborhood and has porch upstairs that adjoins my room. The house is owned by Emily and Greg Dubois, the Christian couple. They are extremely generous to me and very, very kind. They've fed me two meals and helped move my heavy bag here as well as walked me back to the subway. Emily is from Belize and Greg from nearby New Jersey. They are probably in their fifties. They live on the first floor. A pastor from India named Sukumar also lives downstairs; he is not here much because of all the ministries he's very involved with. The house also has a cellar (like a basement but not one because of a technicality with the windows' heights).

As for upstairs, there are three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. (There is also a kitchen on Greg and Emily's floor.) The room next to the bathroom is lived in by Justin. He is maybe in his 50-60's. He works at a hotel, and we've only interacted a few times so far. He seems to be quiet and keep to himself but has been generous to share two meals with me so far. For now, no one lives in the middle room which is next to mine. My room is large and has a very lovely porch with plants and shade that overlooks Elton Street. Many of my neighbors are dark-skinned. I think a Christian lady lives across the street. In any case, it is a very peaceful neighborhood and my rent and utilities are EXTREMELY cheap for NYC. I found the room via a Christian website that Times Square Church told me about. The house is near JFK airport which for many is too far out to rent, but to me, it is a definite God-send! It is easy to get here via subway which I am navigating better and better.

Concerning work, the school that I interviewed with in June and then never heard back from after July hired me on 9/28, the day teachers first went back to work up here. I am now teaching music to middle school students at the Urban Assembly School for the Urban Environment in Brooklyn. The students are troubled teens from a rough neighborhood with massive projects. I am their first ever music teacher. The school is a lot like the former Jackson Academy with rotating schedules. They go into the community extremely often to do service learning or have field trips. That means that I not only get to help make NYC better, but I get to see more of it too! Getting things ready in my classroom, finalizing all of the paperwork stuff, and creating a music curriculum has been extremely draining, but I TRULY wouldn't want to teach anywhere else! This is a big reason why I came to NYC. I am definitely going to need to be covered in prayer this year and don't see myself teaching anywhere else for several years while I also work on attaining a master's degree. And, who would want to leave the most supportive and united staff ever (from administration all the way down)?

So, if you've read all of this you'd probably like to know some of the places that I've been. Well, in my first two weeks, I made it to Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island which only leaves Staten Island for me to hit all of the boroughs of NYC. I got to take in an amazing concert within my first week that featured Roberta Flack, Boris Grebenshikov (a Russian guitar star who ROCKED!), Samir Chatterjee (Indian superstar drummer), Kristin Hoffmann (famous NYC pianist), and several other stunning vocal groups. I've enjoyed impromptu subway performances with my favorite being a group of guys performing Michael Jackson! HAH! And, I really enjoyed finally getting to chill at little art gallery (aka The Salt Gallery) to see photographs up close taken by Esther Havens, a favorite and stunning photographer of mine! This week I also joined a 9/11 Memorial service which gave me a better NYer perspective. Today, I am very excited about taking in some baseball at Shea Stadium and next week my long-awaited game at Yankee Stadium.

Well lastly, I want to share how NYC is affecting me spiritually. I can see that He is here in so many ways and leading me to become more like Him. I was encouraged a few days ago when I walked past a store and saw part of Proverbs 31 on a plate; as I read, I realized that God is making me into that woman and that it is truly Him that is conforming me more into His image. Living here challenges me every day practically to be more giving, more forgiving, and less selfish. It also challenges me to simply depend on God for EVERYTHING! I know that it is the Lord that has sent me here, put amazing people into my life, provided a job and supportive co-workers, and let me be "adopted" by so many New Yorkers. I am excited that NYC is all a part of being conformed to His image and happy at seeing the Lord move me from glory to glory for HIS glory! :) Please keep me in your prayers for THEY ARE EFFECTIVE AND DESPERATELY NEEDED. THANK YOU.

-- all my love and great big bear hugs, Amanda Kay :)