A year has passed since I moved back from New Zealand which can only mean one thing – its time for me to leave London again! Today I return to the USA, after living there 2 1/2 years ago. Back then I wrote I definitely hope to live in NYC for some period of my life and that is exactly what I’m doing.
Last summer I was thinking very strongly of moving back to the ‘States, but the events of July 7th were, unsurprisingly, quite hard so I decided I probably needed somewhere comfortable to live with a bunch of friends around me. In fact, I have enjoyed London over the last year probably more than I’ve ever done, and so its nice to leave on a high.
Last November I visited New York to catch up with my friend Tatiana from Boston, and it was while there I remembered how much the city excited me. Over the last few years I’ve realised one of the things I enjoy most about life is observing and interracting with people, and for sheer variety and openness I don’t know of a predominantly English speaking-city in the world better to do that in than New York. That and the energy, culture, and awesome food (yes, I do think with my belly!) makes the opportunity to move there as part of a possibly longer stint of living in the USA one I am thrilled to have.
Initially I’m going to be staying in a friend’s spare room in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, but I hope not to over stay my welcome and move out fairly soon. My plan at the moment is to find my own place somewhere south of midtown Manhattan – the east village or thereabouts – but that depends whether I can find something I like in my budget. I’ll try to post updates here on how that goes so if you want to come visit me when I’m moved in keep your eyes peeled.
Work-wise, I’ve left ThoughtWorks to make this move, and have joined the NYC-based firm Finetix, but you can read more about that over in my tech blog here.
Here’s to an awesome summer!
Mike Roberts