Not a love letter to New York.

Downtown Manhattan skyline as seen from Governor’s Island

I vividly recall the day I found out, coincidentally, the same day that I graduated from B-school in Barcelona, that I might be “moving to” New York City. It was all too surreal and a mixed bag of emotions. I looked up Google for “Is moving to NYC a good idea?” and my stomach turned thinking about all the things that I was then sure would throw me off — too cold, too foreign, too intimidating, too fast, and so on.

Admittedly, the first few months this city was a beast of its own to navigate. I had come from living two years immersed in a life full of siestas and tapas; it felt like this city would never welcome me with the same warmth and arms wide open. Never did I imagine five years flying by, and this swiftly!!!

Now, this isn’t a love letter to the city, although, NYC, I do have so much to thank you for!!! But, let’s leave that for another time. This right here, is more of an assessment of what defines a New Yorker and when do you become one? If you even do, that is. A recent visit to the NBC studio for the live taping of “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” literally got this question front of mind. The NBC host asked people around where they were visiting from, and I found myself seated in an audience made up of people from Singapore, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and some interstate — some visiting, some studying, some on exchange programs — the rest were…