 So we decided to move to the New York City metro area about one year and eight months ago and it was one of the best decisions we've ever made. Not only for our careers but we have made some amazing experiences and this decision has just made our life a lot more exciting and spontaneous. What's good everyone? My name is Jossi. I'm a 27 year old software engineer working in Big Tech and living in Brooklyn, New York. Since college I dreamed of moving to New York City and being a YouTuber and at the time I wasn't really sure what YouTuber I actually wanted to be but I just knew I wanted to make videos and live in New York City. I vividly remember senior year of college when studying for major tests or finals as a computer science student with my friends I would make them watch New York City vlogs and it definitely distracted us but I remember we will always be so like uplifted, get like an energy boost and just be motivated and inspired to chase whatever dreams we all had at the time. Even today it still doesn't feel real. I'm extremely blessed and making videos like this really make everything come full circle. Moving to New York City has been an incredible experience. As I mentioned earlier I had always dreamed of living in the city that never sleeps and finally I had the opportunity to do so. My first yearish in the Big Apple was filled with excitement and venture and lots of learning experiences. I vividly remember the first time I saw the New York City skyline and experienced my first fire escape off a train station in the Bronx and onto the bustling streets of Manhattan. The noise, the lights and the sheer energy of the city can be overwhelming for most but also exhilarating. After seeing fellow creators of their best creative life in New York City I knew right then and there that I could create my own story and it was the right decision to move to New York. So obviously there's pros and cons in every city even in the world's greatest city. My major complaint is just the cost of living here. I remember comparing the cost of living from where I grew up which was in Cleveland Ohio versus New York City and obviously New York is way more expensive. When I was reading this chart in this like blog post really the main difference between the two was just supposed to be like housing like New York City's housing is like 220% more than it is in Cleveland Ohio. However I noticed that not only is housing a lot more expensive but everything for the most part is more expensive. So like if you're going to get like a coffee you're gonna spend double than what you would in probably a lot of other cities. However after living here I have learned that there are a lot of other ways to save money and you don't have to eat at fancy restaurants all the time. I definitely don't. We make coffee at home. We don't have a car. We take public transit and walk a lot of places so we save money that way. But rent is absurdly expensive. So days like today are my favorite really spontaneous. We're hungry. We don't have any plans so we're gonna go to either West Village on the water and grab some food at Oster's Place or we're gonna go to Flatiron District and grab some food there. We're also gonna shoot some B-roll and it's just amazing because it's like the best place in the world to shoot like cinematic vlogs but not only that some of the best cuisine in the world. So I've been working in big tech for one year and I can't deny that it's been both exciting and challenging. The fast-paced nature of the industry means that you're constantly working on cutting-edge projects which can be incredibly rewarding. However it also means that you need to be adaptable and able to keep up with the latest trends and developments. And unfortunately working in tech went from being this incredibly secure industry to a very tumultuous and uncertain industry. Nonetheless I'm incredibly grateful for my current role at a big tech company. When I used to work in broad tech I remember the biggest challenge for me was finding a role that I was passionate about and aligned with my priorities for my career which are not only you know technical and engineering but also like design and creative focus. One of the biggest benefits of working in a big tech company is opportunity for career growth and creating your own path. Many tech companies are still more cutting-edge and flexible than broad tech companies and offer a unique subset of roles that are a mix of engineering and marketing. Another advantage of working in big tech is a flexible work environment. I currently don't have working hours because my team is distributed across multiple time zones. This has really helped me achieve a better work-life balance and reduce stress as a creator and someone who can be much more effective developing at night. I also love that I have co-workers who live in different parts of the world. My manager lives in Berlin and then my director lives in Spain. And this has just become kind of like a common theme where people that I collaborate or work closely with live in different time zones and different parts of the world. I remember when I first started my tech career and I'm not that old like I'm talking like five years ago. I was working at a tech company a smaller tech company in the Midwest and I remember I could count on my hand how many people of color had like tech or like engineering roles at the company I worked for. And now I work at a company where I can be in a room or in a space where 50% plus of the people are of color. And that's something that I greatly appreciate and value. So I've been listening to this really amazing podcast called the psychology of your 20s. And the current chapter I'm listening to is about your nine to five job. You know, like you're not going to be always fulfilled in your nine to five because the end of the day, like you're working eight hours a day. So you're not going to feel fulfilled and excited all eight hours. And on top of that, typically like working for a company who business model and their priorities may not necessarily be your priorities, or you even care about. However, I've noticed that since working at the company I work for now, I do feel more fulfilled in my career than I ever have. And the main reason is because I work with amazing people who not only care about like my career aspirations, but just me as a person, which has been tremendous, allowing me to kind of create my own like role. Like I have a job title, but I also pursue the things that I'm passionate about. And of course, I feel extremely valued here. So there are a few things that no one really tells you about New York that I really love. And the first thing are pops, which are privately owned public spaces. And it may not mean a lot to most people, but living in New York, most of us have smaller apartments, and we're sharing spaces. A lot of us are working from home. So it's really amazing that there are a ton of these privately owned public spaces throughout the city that just give you a new environment to work on. I also noticed that after a few months, my pace, my walking pace is significantly faster than it used to be. And I especially noticed this when we have, you know, visitors visiting from other parts of the country, where it's not a walkable city. And Lee and I are just visibly walking faster, like we have somewhere to go, even when we don't necessarily have anywhere to go in a rush. And New Yorkers are definitely not as mean as people think that they are. I've noticed that they're very genuine, kind and caring people. Looking back on my first year here in New York, I realized just how much I grew and changed as a person. Living in the city challenged me in ways I never expected, but it also gave me the courage and confidence to tackle whatever came my way. If you're thinking about moving to New York, I'd say go for it. It's a one of a kind experience that you won't regret and you'll carry with you the rest of your life. Just be prepared to get out of your comfort zone and maybe even become a food snob. There's just been a lot of change in my life, not only starting a new career at a very like innovative big tech company. So that was a challenge, but also moving to New York was as well, just the culture of getting out of my comfort zone and living in a city that loves challenges has really instilled in me this belief that I could conquer whatever I put my mind to. Also been doing some journaling and meditating a lot more. One last thing is that I just love the fact that this city is a walkable city and that I don't need a car. That is probably the most underrated thing about this city is the fact that you can explore without needing a car. And that just makes life so much more fun, fascinating, exploratory and spontaneous. So with that said, that concludes this video. I hope you all enjoyed it. And I'll see you all soon for the next one. Comment down below your favorite city or where your dream city is. And as always, have a blessed rest of your week. I'll see you all soon. Peace.