I remember when I arrived in New York for the first time. I had my J1 visa in my passport, $1000 in my pocket and my head was full of my American dream. It was the year 2000, and even though I was only 20, I thought I knew it all. I wanted a challenge -- and New York was it. I wanted my bite of the Big Apple. I was so excited about the thought of living in New York! It was my first time to live away from home and I didn't know what was ahead of me but I didn't care -- as far as I was concerned, I was like one of the women in "Sex and the City."
After my friends and I had found a place to live, I set out to find a job. I wanted to get an interesting job, something that I would never get at home and I knew New York was the place to find such a job. I started walking around the city handing in my CV (résumé) to anyone that would take it. On my way home one day I walked past a place that had lots of dogs inside all playing in a small indoor field. I stood for a while and watched the dogs, all the time gathering the courage to walk up and knock on the door to ask for a job. They interviewed me there and then and offered me a job. I was delighted.
I spent the summer working at "Biscuits and Bath Doggy Gym." My friends and family back home couldn't believe when I rang home and told them all that I was working in a doggy day-care in Manhattan. My day involved checking the dogs in when they arrived in the morning, feeding them, taking them for a walk in Central Park and playing with them indoors in the air-conditioned play area. It was a beautiful place and the dogs were very comfortable. It was hard work as my day started at 6:45 a.m. each morning when people dropped their dogs off before heading to work.
People chose to leave their dogs here during the day as they didn't want them alone in their apartments all day. It was a terrific service but it was fairly expensive. Famous people used to drop their dogs off before heading off on holidays: people such as Puff Daddy (as he was called at the time!), Joan Rivers and Sandra Bullock just to name a few. These people are so obsessed with their dogs that they spend silly money on them. Manhattaners treat their dogs like babies, which is a little bit daft in my opinion.
People at home laughed when I told them what I was working at. They simply couldn't believe it, as in Ireland dogs are usually kept outside and given the scraps of the dinner to eat -- whereas in the Doggy Gym, there were dogs on the Atkins Diet (no word of a lie). There was one dog who'd been prescribed Puppy Prozac by the local dog psychologist. No two days were alike at this place.
It was a great place and an amazing insight into Manhattan life. It is something I will never forget. Woof Woof!
Is cuimhin liom nuair a shroich mé Nua Eabhrac don chéad uair. Bhí visa J1 i mo phas, $1000 i mo phóca agam agus bhí mo chloigeann lán de mo bhrionglóid Meiriceánach. B'é an bhliain 2000 a bhí ann. Ní raibheas ach 20 bliaina d'aois ach cheap mé go raibh gach rud ar eolas agam. Bhí dúshlán uaim agus ba é Nua Eabhrac an aidhm a theastaigh uaim baint amach. Theastaigh uaim mo phlaic a thógáil ó NYC. Bhí sceitimíní an domhain orm. Mise i mo chónaí i Manhattan. B'é an chéad uair dom cónaí as baile agus ní raibh a fhios agam cad a bhí in ndán dom ach ba chuma liom mar i m'aigne bhíos ar nós ceann de na mná ó "Sex and the City."
Tar éis dom árasán a fháil le mo chairde, an chéad plean a bhí agam ná post a fháil. Theastaigh uaim post spéisiúil a fháil mar go raibheas i gCathair fíor spéisiúil agus bhí a fhios agam go mbeinn in ann post as an gnáth a fháil sa chathair seo lán de na milliún daoine. Thosaigh mé ag siúl timpeall na cathrach le mo CV (résumé) á tabhairt d'aon áit a raibh sásta é a thógáil uaim. Agus mé ag siúl abhaile lá, chonaic mé áit lán de madraí agus iad ag rith timpeall i bpáirc bheag taobh istigh. Sheas mé ar feadh tamaillí ag breathnú ar na madraí agus iad ag spraoi. Bhí orm misneach a ghlacadh chun cnagadh ar an doras agus isteach liom chun iarraidh i gcomhair poist. Chuir said faoi agallamh mé ar an bpointe agus glac mé leis an tairiscint fostaíochta uathu.
Chaith mé an Samhradh ar fad ag obair i 'Biscuits and Bath Doggy Gym'. Níor chreid mo mhuintir sa bhaile go raibh mé i bhfeighil madraí i Manhattan. Bhí orm na madraí a chlarú nuair a tháinig said isteach go moch ar maidin, béile a thabhairt dóibh, iad a thabhairt chuig páirc Central i gcomhair siúlóid agus sproai leo taobh istigh sa pháirc bheag a raibh aeroiriúnaithe. Thaitin an post go mór liom mar is aoibhinn liom madraí. Bhí an áit go hálainn agus na madraí an-chompordach ann. B'obair chrua a bhí i gceist, thosaigh mo lá oibre ag 6:45am gach lá mar gur fhág daoine a madraí ansin go moch ar maidin ar a mbealach chuig obair agus níor stop mé ag obair don lá.
D'fhág daoine a madraí ansin mar ná theastaigh uathu go mbeadh na madraí in árasán leo féin. Ba seirbhís iontach é an áit seo ach costasach go leor. Bhí daoine mór le rá mar baill den áit seo agus d'fhágadar a madraí ann agus iad ar saoire. Daoine ar nós Puff Daddy (mar a ghloightí air ag an am), Joan Rivers, Sandra Bullock agus araile. Tá na daoine seo chomh tógtha le na madraí agus chaitheadh said airgead áiféiseach orthu. Caitheann Manhattaners lena gcuid madraí ar nós páistí. Tá sé rud bead amaideach.
Níor thuig daoine sa bhaile cad a raibh ar siúl agam mar sa bhaile coiméadtar na madraí taobh amuigh agus itheann said na blúirí bia. Bhí madra againn sa Doggy Gym a raibh ar an aiste bia Atkins agus a thóg Prozac i gcomhair coileáinín agus bhí síceolaí a dtagadh isteach chun na madraí a mheas. B'áit iontach é agus ba bhlas iontac dhomsa é do Manhattan. Ní dhéanfaidh mé dearmad go deo air. Woof Woof!
