Coffees in the Big Apple
Have you ever found a lifelong friend in the most unexpected of places?
I am used to flying long distances. The flight from London to Melbourne is one with which I have become well acquainted over the years. When I boarded the London to New York flight in the summer, I wasn’t overly concerned. I thought, "Arrive in time for dinner and a nice rest before getting out and exploring the city."
However, British Airways had other plans for my evening.
As we arrived at Newark Liberty Airport, the Captain announced there would be a slight delay with the bags, emphasising the word "slight". After the third hourly announcement that the bags were coming ‘soon’, it began to wear thin. Everyone looked exhausted, and you could sense the annoyance in the air. As is often the case, I looked around for someone to talk to but found it challenging, until I saw someone I recognised. During the flight, he had been sitting across from me and I saw him again waiting for our bags. He seemed open to conversation and we began to chat.
A New Friend
Triet works in finance in the city and had just travelled to Europe for business. Not only were we of a similar age, but we also had many things in common and shared interests. After a total of six hours waiting for the bags, we finally received them. After arriving in Manhattan at 7 a.m., we exchanged details. Given that journey, we needed a few days to recover from the lost sleep, but we agreed to meet on Friday evening for a beer.
Over the next two months I spent in New York, he became a constant feature, and we shared many great experiences. He introduced me to his group of friends, and I am very grateful for the fantastic summer I had in NYC, undoubtedly due to having some local connections. We still talk, and through that interaction, I developed a friend for life.
Reconnecting with Friends
Jaclyn and I met in a hostel in Coron, Philippines, in 2018. She was one of those people whom you immediately liked, with great energy and openness to others. We became friends and, as our trips took different directions, Jaclyn met her brother in Vietnam while I headed back to Manila to continue working. She was from New York but was moving to California to pursue her work dreams.
The odd Instagram story reply and WhatsApp message helped us maintain some connection despite the distance and time. Fast forward to my arrival in New York, and Jaclyn was living in the city. Having stayed in touch over the five years, I was excited to meet her fiancé and catch up after so long.
My Learnings from New York City
There are a few learnings from my experience in the Big Apple:
The power of ‘insignificant’ interactions. You never know, as I found out in both cases, where they might lead. I wrote about those here – funny how my New York opening came true! I always recommend striking up a conversation and saying hello to someone; it could change your life.
Using tools like social media to keep in touch and then reconnect with old friends is so valuable. It doesn’t have to be frequent, but setting aside some time to reconnect and check in with people is how we can maintain long-distance friendships.
Like in many big cities, people in New York are open to new friendships. They are used to transient relationships and often embrace new people. Being curious about others and having an open mind towards connection will take you far in these places.
Shout out to Drip Drop Cafe, where I spent many mornings writing about my experiences. I highly recommend it for a coffee if you are in the city. You can find them here and on Instagram here.
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Cheers
Chris