Four Years in New York, Finally Saying Goodbye

When I moved to New York in 2021, I told myself I’d only stay a year or two — just to experience it. But somehow, four years flew by, and I never even left my building.💕 It was right as the pandemic was fading, and the city felt electric — bursting back to life with an energy so palpable it felt contagious. Everything felt new, hopeful, full of motion. People from all over the world poured back into this tiny island called Manhattan. Looking back, it truly was the glow of an upswing — a time when smiles came easier and dreams felt closer.👌 These four years in New York also marked the explosive return of global travel. I visited dozens of countries, explored nearly every major city — searching for a place I’d want to call home long-term. Along the way, I started this account, sharing flights and hotels, almost by accident. And because nowhere else quite captured my heart like NYC did, I just… stayed. Living in Manhattan, most people carry a transient mindset — as if this could never truly be anyone’s forever home. And maybe that’s why so many embrace a "live in the now" attitude. You really never know how long you’ll last here.❤️ Four years here is actually a pretty long time. I’ve watched so many friends and faces come and go — and now, it’s finally my turn. It feels like a cycle completing, like graduation. Even though I was years out of college when I arrived — and was told I was “too old for Manhattan” — I came anyway. And these turned out to be the most vibrant, unforgettable years of my life. I lived in Midtown, right in the tourist heartbeat. Every day, pedicabs would zoom by, music blaring, and one song played on repeat: “Welcome to New York.” Taylor Swift singing from the top of the Empire State Building, welcoming you to the city of dreams. I always knew this chapter would end — but then again, it was never about forever. It was about living it, fully, while it lasted. New York, you were more than worth it. ❤️🗽 #NYC #NewYorker #NYCLife #Memories #Nostalgia #TimeFlies #StoryContinues #CityOfDreams #GoodbyeNYC #ILoveNY