When I visited New York the first time I felt like I was either

a) On speed all the time
or
b) Living in a sitcom.

Decades of consuming North American television made the place seem completely normal to me, and at the same time thoroughly surreal. I was in love with everything. The bagel shops, the subway system. The names of the streets, the food carts, the chit chat on the streets.

I wandered around the whole time thinking 'Man, I could totally live here."

Then I got home and I was exhausted. It didn't help that my wife and I were doing dance workshops as well as running around being tourists. Nevertheless, after two weeks I was knocked dead, and I thought to myself "Man, I could not live there!"

Then time went by and I reflected on it and talked to other people about New York, and I realised I have to go back. There is so much I missed, and so much I miss.

I love that town, even though it could easily kill me.