If Cities Could Be Boyfriends

I’d like to share something that I wrote, not recently, but in fact TWELVE whole years ago. Just after spending seven months in Brazil and right before I moved to Paris.

The year is 2014 and in the middle of these chapters, I wrote the following piece which was then published on Thought Catalog, a hugely popular online publication at the time.

I didn’t document much of my life back then ~ not on Instagram and not really anywhere else. So whenever I come across old notes in my phone, long lost photos or randomly written pieces like this one, I’m always grateful to the me of then for leaving it behind.

These are the words of 24-year-old me:

Table of Contents

“Each city has its own personality”

I’ve lived in London, New York, Rio de Janeiro and Paris (soon to be) – each with its own personality and each being the best relationships of my life. If cities could be boyfriends, let me introduce you to me ex’s:

London – “The Safety Net”

First there was London- the security blanket. The one that made me feel most at home with its sense of familiarity. The one that made me think that I didn’t need to go anywhere else because he had everything I needed. The relationship was exciting in the beginning and opened up a world of opportunities and lasting ties.

London was the one that eventually let me go and encouraged me to go out and explore, because I was too young and adventurous to settle down. He’s not right for me at the moment, but I still see him often enough and still think I’ll go back to him again one day.

New York – “The One That Got Away”

Then came New York, the one that got away. A whirlwind of excitement from the very beginning. He pushed me outside of my boundaries and made me try things I’d never considered, showed me countless new experiences and made me fall utterly in love from the word go.

NY was the fun relationship with an expiry date. I knew I’d have to leave him, but it still broke my heart when I did. He’s the one I’m addicted to, the one I still think about the most, and the one that my mind always wanders to making me think ‘what if…’

Rio de Janeiro – “The Seductive Short Term Lover”

Next there was Rio, my passionate latin love. The one that made me feel my most confident by showering me with compliments every chance he got. Rio is the one who made me smile, made me laugh, made me dance, and made me happy.

No negative feelings were ever involved with this one, only good times and great memories. He isn’t the one I can see myself with permanently, but he’s the one I’ll always go back to for care-free fun and romance.

Paris – “The Romantic Gentleman”

Then there’s Paris, the new romantic prospect. We’ve had a brief encounter before but that’s all it took for him to sweep me off my feet with his charm, beauty, immediate spark and sense of je ne sais quoi.

Even though I already know he’s a little more shy, cautious and old-fashioned than what I’m used to, he’s made me curious enough to go back. I have butterflies of excitement and that’s enough for right now. Paris will soon be my newest relationship, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this intimate City of Love will bring…

If somewhere out there exists a hybrid of all these personalities, then that’s where I’ll settle down. That’s the city I’ll marry!