Today, I would like to talk about New York.
When I decided to pursue my Master’s degree in New York, most people were envious. They were envious of me going to study in the US, and they had all the beautiful imagination of the city.
Sex and the City, Gossip Girl, Spider Man, The Gotham, CSI New York, Empire Hotel, Central Park, Time Square, Wall Street, Central Station, Fifth Avenue, Broadway, Met Opera, Parson, Columbia, NYU, Juilliard.
Look how well Americans market themselves, especially New Yorkers.
今天，我想談談紐約。
當時去紐約讀研究所，幾乎所有人都是一臉羨慕，羨慕我要出國這件事之外，也對紐約這座城市充滿無限憧憬。
慾望城市；花邊教主；蜘蛛人；高譚市；CSI 紐約；
帝國酒店；中央公園；時報廣場；華爾街；中央車站；第五大道；百老匯；大都會歌劇院；
帕森設計學院；哥倫比亞大學；紐約大學；茱麗亞音樂學院；
可見美國人多會行銷自己。
尤其是紐約人啊。
New York is the city with the most talented people, but what schools teach you is not only studying in libraries.
“Word hard, play harder!” So you will not waste the exciting city, which is the capital of the world.
紐約，堪稱的是世界上最人才濟濟的城市，
但是，學校教你的，可不是從頭到晚躲在房間念書。
Word hard, play harder.
才不枉費這座五光十色的世界首都。
When I just entered Columbia, the Dean welcomed us by saying: “Welcome to the capital of the world.”
This sentence showed the pride and dream living in the blood of every New Yorker.
You can learn the knowledge in the spectacular hall of Columbia University, and can also find treasures in a second hand bookstore on the street. On the weekend, you can get a 400 dollars ticket and sit in the Met Opera in suits, or listen to the street artist in the subway for free. You can go into the designers’ stores on the Fifth Avenue to try on the latest shoes, or buy the durable Ralph Lauren sweater in the department store when on sale.
New York is such a big and generous city, as long as you are want, she will embrace you without a second thought.
記得剛進哥大時，系主任一句歡迎詞是：Welcome to the capital of the world.
就這一句話，展盡紐約人血液裡對身在這座城市的驕傲與夢想。
你可以在哥倫比亞大學壯闊的殿堂裡學習新知；
也可以在街道邊的二手書攤找到難得的絕版書籍。
你可以西裝筆挺坐在大都會歌劇院看著一張票要價400美金的歌劇；
也可以在地鐵站聽到衣裝襤褸的小伙子為你高歌一曲。
你可以走進第五大道的名牌旗艦店讓店員服侍你試穿最新的鞋款；
也可以在百貨公司大減價時買到耐穿也永遠不褪流行的Ralph Lauren毛衣。
紐約就是這樣一個包容的城市，只要你願意，她永遠張開雙臂擁抱你。
Only when you have enough confidence, you survive in New York.
When in New York, I once thought New Yorkers were arrogant, compared with Taiwan. However, I realized that only when you have enough confidence, you survive in New York.
The people running in Central Park are all in good shape. Every young professional waiting for interviews outside of the office are graduates from Ivy League. The crowd in Starbucks is talking about the oil price of today and stock price of tomorrow. The jacket of the beggar on the street was bought ten years ago in a designer’s shop and worth more than your wage a day. Even horses in Central Park wear golden and sparkling saddles, and they walk with their heads held high. Not to speak of you.
當時在紐約，曾經一度覺得紐約人很傲慢，跟可愛的台灣相差甚遠，但是後來想想，唯有對自己有足夠的自信，你才能在紐約生存。
中央公園裡運動跑步的男女老少，各個身材勻稱；
每個在公司門口，等待面試的新鮮人，都畢業自長春藤盟校；
星巴克裡等著買咖啡的人群，對話內容可能是今天的油價，明天的股市；
路邊乞討的流浪漢，身上穿的可能是十幾年前買的名牌外套，一天得到的零錢算一算，搞不好比你單日的薪水都高；
紐約連中央公園的馬都穿的金碧輝煌，戴上帽子昂首闊步；
更何況是你呢？
No wonder New Yorkers are sure of everything even when ordering meals in restaurants. They can read a really long name to have a coffee in Starbucks. They wear heels in the office and change to sneakers to go running or another appointment on time. Every one would wear their best dresses and suits in parties, since the wine and cheese served are very fine and formal.
也難怪紐約人在餐廳點餐，總是語氣肯定；
星巴克一杯飲料可以念出一長串要求不用換氣；
上班穿高跟鞋，下班換球鞋就為準時搭車赴約；
會議室裡大家大吵一架之後依然可以一起外出吃中餐；
晚會上大家豪不吝嗇穿出自己最好的衣服，畢竟侍者端出來的紅酒跟起司可不是隨便的。
Therefore, there is no need for you to avoid their eye contacts when talking to New Yorkers. All New Yorkers are social professionals, they would look into you confidently, listen to you carefully, and give you the most suitable response.
Like what Chuck Bass said: I am Chuck Bass.
所以，你跟紐約人講話，也不用迴避他們的眼光或語氣。
紐約人都是社交高手，他們會自信的直視著你，仔細聽你的故事，然後給你最適當的回應。
就像 Chuck Bass 的那一句：I am Chuck Bass.
Confidence with boldness, elegance and some wildness, self-disciplined but always free, eager to love and hate, passion and indifference combined, crafty but tolerant, luxury and pragmatic, no matter with someone or no one, I live as I want.
This is how people become New Yorkers.
自信加上氣魄，優雅與一點放蕩不羈，自律卻不失所欲，敢愛也敢恨，熱情與冷酷交替，小心眼卻無盡包容，奢華與平實共存，有人在側或獨身過活，我來去自如；
人們也因此成為紐約人。
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