Archive for June, 2009

Google NYC

What is the first thing that crosses your mind when you hear “google”? Good? bad? A search engine? A multi-billion dollar corporation? Or maybe are you just thinking of the meaning of searching? No matter what you are thinking, I’m pretty positive that they are all right. BUT how about this? A company that I want to work for. Yes, if you are a recent college graduate who’s desperately looking for a job and career like me, you might agree on that.

So, I went to Google today!

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Here! Google NYC!

Google is located in Chelsea area in Manhattan, where you would find so many cool art galleries, ethnic restaurants, delis and clothing boutiques. About 10 minutes after I got off at 14th St. station, I was able to find google NYC(Well, not exactly google NYC, but a building that google office’s in along with other companies like Deutsch Inc, Barnes & nobles.com and etc). The building was secured with one of those mini-bar gate that you would have to scan an access card to pass through along with a couple of security persons. Of-course I wasn’t able to pass that through. All I could see was this company directory up on the wall. It’s not that clear but if you look closer, you would know it’s google :) (it’s the evidence that proves that I was there!!). After a few minutes of struggling in trying to take better picture from better angle, that’s what I have :(

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GOOGLE INC.

Anyway, after taking this blurry picture, I couldn’t find anything more interesting than this company list. Besides, this building security guy was starting to look at me suspiciously so I just walked out the building. I took out of my laptop to see the city map, and TaDa~

Google Wi-Fi copy

Yeah! free Wi-Fi in NYC! believe or not, it's not easy to find!

There were Google wi-fi networks(even for guests). Putting aside that Google might not consider me as a guest, I used it. There was a Chase ATM branch in the building so I stood up in there and enjoyed this unexpected free wi-fi for over 20 minutes(I even paid my cell-phone bill :) ) (Unlike Michigan, free wi-fi is quite hard to find in Manhattan). Man~ It’s good to be connected.

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Whether or not you like Google, it is a solid fact that Google is one of the most powerful companies in the world that drives our modern life. I’ve been talking about Google and Google Applications quite sometimes because I really think it’s very important to understand Google and what they are doing. Either you are an advertising practitioner or a housewife, I believe the importance of new media and social media applies equally.

Anyhow, although all I could see was the company name up on the wall and the wi-fi network list, a little trip surely was inspirational(meaning I felt strong need and desire for a job!!!). Many people (including myself) come to New York with hope. The traffic, the subway and the congestion are just extras. Late evening I’m lying on my bed and thinking why I’m here. What was the reason to come all the way to New York City? It’s been only a few weeks, but it seems like I’m already losing my focus. I feel like I’ve been slacking off on everything. I imagined myself working at Google NYC. Wouldn’t it be amazing? but really the question is, what do I have to be doing RIGHT NOW to be the person that I want to be? like a person who works at Google NYC? What am I missing here? I guess I have to find that out myself. Keep trying and trying…I CAN DO IT.

Carpe Diem

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Battery Park

Sitting on a patio chair sipping a cup of coffee under the beautiful sunlight. What more do you want? 

Instead of intensive job searching that I should be doing right now :| , sitting on the park bench enjoying beautiful scenery  became my daily routine. It only took half an hour for me to decide Battery Park, a huge public park located at the southern tip of the New York City borough of Manhattan to be “my place” although Ma-nyang didn’t seem to enjoy being outside with bunch of strangers and their dogs. (Indeed, because he was so scared and confused, he was trying to hide inside of my hoodie or trying to crawl into some random bushes all time) 

I am still jobless and moneyless, but I enjoy my day with $2 coffee very much! Carpe Diem~ what would I say??

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Ma-nyang sitting on a bench....scared??

Goodbye and Hello

 

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Yeah! It's BIG B!

 

Friday, May 22nd, 2009, my last day in Michigan and also the first day in New York City.

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Putting everything behind, I left my friends, MSU, East Lansing and even that big sign of BIGGBY COFFEE. Ma-nyang, my dearly cat brother, kept crying in his kennel on the bus to Detroit Airport like he understands my feeling – sadness? excitement ? or maybe something else. It was actually quite a confusing feeling. I always wanted to leave this town so badly saying I’m a city boy who is not supposed to be living in a countryside like East Lansing, yet I was feeling scared and sad leaving michigan. Believe or not, 6 years of my memories with Michigan were that strong .

 

While I was sitting on the bus patting Ma-nyang hoping he would stop crying, so many questions and concerns were “wandering” in my mind. What kind of job should I get or could I get? Where will I be living in NYC? Who will I be hanging out with? Why am I going to NYC? When could I come back to Michigan? How am I going to support myself? I doubted that someone would give me any answers of these questions. Yet, I knew that the questions I ask now will soon help me develop my goals and plans. Positivity, that is what I need :)

 

After I landed in Laguardia Airport and got into taxi cab, I was soon looking at the huge buildings in Manhattan. “Yes! I’m here in NYC.” Saying goodbye wasn’t easy but now it’s time to say hello just like when I first came to the states 7 years ago and just like when I entered MSU 6 years ago. I knew that all the excitements and scary feelings I was having would soon dwindle back into the daily rush of alarm clocks, but I was enjoying this new start. I was saying hello to my new future. 

 

“Hello, New York!”