Summer in the City

About two weeks ago, I came home from one the most wonderful adventures of my life. I was living in New York City for 6 weeks spending my days dancing at the Joffrey studios for their summer intensive and spending my nights exploring the streets in search of some thrill, food, and shopping. Now, obviously like any parents hopefully would be, my mother and father were hesitant about dropping me off in the Big Apple with my suitcases and wild heart, but I proved to be capable of taking care of myself (possibly from having the everyday task of managing my diabetes).

I stayed at the Amsterdam Residence on the Upper West side, where I cooked all my own meals, shopped at nearby markets (especially the Fairway Market which carries all of my favorite organic brands), did all of my own laundry, and every morning and evening got on and off the subway.

In addition to having to take care of my meals and dirty clothes, this stay in the city was also testing how well I could keep track of my diabetes. It wasn't easy, not at all. With balancing the intense physical activity of the dance intensive and the overwhelming masses of delicious gelato, frozen yogurt, Starbucks and bakery treats on every street corner my blood glucose levels did fluctuate. However, overall, I managed to treat the lows from the excessive exercise and covering the sweet treats with extra doses of insulin without much trouble.

My roommates also adjusted well to my diabetes, as it can come as a shock to most people I meet who don't know much about the disease that I have to prick my fingers and give myself shots multiple times a day. But they were curious yet kind, and it was easy to just go about my own business without them having any trauma.

I have learned more about myself, dance, and life from those six weeks than any other six weeks of my life. I will treasure my memories and stories from this summer forever. I love New York City and always will, for as long as I live.