Last year, I made what was one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding, decisions of my life. I decided to move from Australia to New York City. I’ve been here for just shy of a month now, and here’s my story. Moving to New York meant a lot more to me than what it seems on paper. It was evidence of my ability to take control of my life. Rather than letting life happen to me, moving to New York felt like I was the one steering the ship.

The year prior, I was two years deep into a degree that my parents, teachers, and friends told me was the right decision. But I felt that I had lost sight of myself: heading towards a career that I could tolerate but never love. Choosing to switch to a journalism degree felt like a decision to reconnect with my calling. It meant listening to my own voice and turning down the words and expectations of everyone else.

Moving to New York was an extension of the decision to chase what calls me. Obsessed with the “Devil Wears Prada” and “Gossip Girl,” New York City has been the center of my Pinterest feed since I could remember, yet I never thought it was possible for someone like me who grew up 10,000 miles away.

Art Bound Initiative, a program that connects interns with internships across the world, was presented at my university and I decided to take the leap. I began a year-long process involving the organization of my visa, passport, placement program, accommodation, and flight, as well as saving up to fund my trip.

It really hit me that I was leaving when I took my first ever solo trip from my home city of Brisbane to Sydney to get my visa approved at the U.S. Embassy.

The Art Bound Initiative connected me with Alison Hernon, celebrity stylist and Editor-In-Chief of PhotoBook Magazine, and I was lucky enough to score an Editorial and Stylist Internship. When October rolled around, it was time to say goodbye. I celebrated my 21st birthday with family and friends and flew to New York three days later. After more than 20 hours in the air and three separate flights, I arrived at my apartment near midnight. Sleep deprived, it struck me: what have I done? Why did I leave my partner and parents that I love so much?

As a young woman alone in another continent without a support network, I knew that there was more at risk than wasted money and feeling a bit lonely. After a long and much needed sleep, my emotions settled. The excitement of my internship took over. On the first day of my internship, I met with my supervisor Alison, who guided me through my tasks and responsibilities. And most astoundingly, she took me to Esé Azénabor’s Bridal Fashion Week Show.

As the classical music began and the models walked down the runway in their sparkling ensembles matching the glitzy chandeliers, I knew I’d love my internship and that New York was the place I needed to be. In New York, there is always something more to see. In one week, I visited Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the annual Halloween Parade, and the Empire State Building. I skated at Bryant Park, shopped at Fifth Avenue, dined at one of the city’s many rooftop bars, and attended an NBA game at the Barclay Centre. I loved exploring Central Park - standing where they shot some of my favorite childhood movies. I’ve eaten the best bagels of my life, fell in love with Starbucks’ Christmas edition drinks, and been truly taken aback by the gigantic size of a single pizza slice in New York.

My highlight of the trip so far has been Summit One. It felt like a dream to step into the mirrored room filled with metallic balloons and a spectacular view of the city from 1000 feet up. Through my internship with PhotoBook, I have been lucky enough to work on assignments that involve visiting the Guggenheim museum, a Taylor Swift exhibit, film screenings, and even concerts. To pretend the trip has been all sunshine and rainbows would be amiss. There are definitely parts that aren’t picture perfect.

The conversion rate between the Australian and U.S. dollar hit hard. So did the 14-hour time difference. And when I feel sick, all I want to do is retreat into the arms of my mom 10,000 miles away. But overall, there’s nowhere I want to be more than New York City. I love the support and appreciation the creative industries get in New York. It is so inspiring to meet and work with passionate people who genuinely love the work they do. Never before have I felt so free and in control of my own life. I feel my creative spark coming back, and with that a lighter, softer part of myself that I had buried within me. The journey was a total reshuffle. It has allowed me to shake up my schemas, reassess what I value, and recognize how my life before New York had shown me a limited perception of the world. Travelling has allowed me to better appreciate my life and relationships back home. Overall, moving to New York has taught me so much about who I am and who I can become.

Article + Images by Richelle Hodson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine

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