New York is best known as the city that never sleeps. The city deserves its nickname because it is full of life and there is always something happening somewhere. It's like a magical place that attracts people from all over the world, from tourists eager to visit the many historical monuments the city has to offer, to immigrants who come here with the hope of a better future. From the moment I left my home country of Guinea, I knew I was going to experience something very different than I had ever experienced. I had painted this picture of a beautiful city in my mind. It was mostly what I had seen on TV or heard from people who had been here before. However, all these people failed to mention certain things like the harsh weather or the trying life in the new city. Nothing had prepared me for life in this big city because the world seemed completely different from the one I came from. As a newcomer, seeing this city for the first time, I had a hard time understanding the rules for surviving here. I arrived here in February 2010, it was during the winter and for someone who is not used to the cold, it is not a good time to come to New York. Before that, the coldest I experienced was 59°F. So when I was told it would be cold, I decided to wear pants and a blazer. Today, these are clothes you'll never see me wearing in New York in the winter. When we arrived at the airport, I was so excited that I didn't wait for my family to pick me up. I left my aunt, with whom I had traveled from my country, at the phone booth to make calls and went out. It was freezing and no one else seemed to care. Everyone was going about their business. I immediately went back inside and... middle of paper... an unspoken rule on how to behave in Times Square. New York City is an interesting and unusual city. On my first day here, I couldn't imagine living in this city. The pace was too fast for me and I found everything overwhelming. I couldn't imagine how a city could be so different. Some areas like Times Square make you fall in love with the city because it is beautiful. While other parts, like the metro, make you want to run away. But one thing I learned is not just the view of this city, but also the combination of all those things that make New York what it is. After living here for four years, I can't imagine being anywhere else. Today, I can walk around Times Square without bumping into people. It seems that I too have learned the secret rule. But that's not something I can say or show to anyone, it's just something you learn after living in Ne