--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first arrived (in New York), it…" description: "\"When I first arrived (in New York), it seemed to me the most terrifying city in the world... all those big buildings. I remember walking on Broadway, l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/benny-goodman-25411_bigs_when-i-first-arrived-in-new-york-it-seem_1524374.png" --- # When I first arrived (in New York), it seemed to me the… ![“When I first arrived (in New York), it seemed to me the most terrifying city in the world... all those big buildings. I remember walking on Broadway, looking up at this huge, mountainous place-and being so lonely. But things started to clear up when I met a few people on the street whom I'd met…” quote by Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/benny-goodman-25411_bigs_when-i-first-arrived-in-new-york-it-seem_1524374.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/benny-goodman-25411_bigs_when-i-first-arrived-in-new-york-it-seem_1524374.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/benny-goodman-25411_bigs_when-i-first-arrived-in-new-york-it-seem_1524374.png) > “When I first arrived (in New York), it seemed to me the most terrifying city in the world... all those big buildings. I remember walking on Broadway, looking up at this huge, mountainous place-and being so lonely. But things started to clear up when I met a few people on the street whom I'd met before-all of a sudden there got to be a certain familiarity about the place, and the terror kind of evaporated. There was a lot of playing going on, and the New Yorkers, of course, were a completely different crowd from what I'd known.” [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Familiarity and human connection transform alienating environments into comfortable places. **In simple terms:** People make strangers feel like friends. Key Takeaway Seek community in new settings. Themes adaptation community loneliness Mood hopeful nostalgic Type narrative reflective When to use this quote - moving to a new city - starting a job - traveling abroad Key Concepts social integration urban life Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to build rapport? - How does familiarity affect your confidence? A Different Perspective Not everyone is welcoming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broadway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadway/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Cities in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities-in-the-world/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New yorkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-yorkers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Terrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrifying/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Even in Heaven, the most perfect City in the World, there are going to be different levels, different classes, different stages, some very high,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berg/even-in-heaven-the-most-perfect-city-in-the-world-there-are-going-to/) [David Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berg/) > [Berlin is one of my favorite cities in the world. I feel like the energy is very youthful. It has such an important history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/berlin-is-one-of-my-favorite-cities-in-the-world-i-feel-like-the/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Anywhere in the world you hear a Chicago bluesman play, it's a Chicago sound born and bred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-metcalfe/anywhere-in-the-world-you-hear-a-chicago-bluesman-play-it-s-a-chicago/) Ralph Metcalfe > [Paris is my favorite city in the world. The men are so beyond gorgeous, especially the humpy Arab men. But I could never live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaginal-davis/paris-is-my-favorite-city-in-the-world-the-men-are-so-beyond-gorgeous/) [Vaginal Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaginal-davis/) > [Right after 9/11 it looked as if the idea of a huge skyscraper might be considered obsolete. It came back, but I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goldberger/right-after-9-11-it-looked-as-if-the-idea-of-a-huge-skyscraper-might/) [Paul Goldberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goldberger/) > [You know, I run the Vegas Deluxe website and that really is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And we have more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/you-know-i-run-the-vegas-deluxe-website-and-that-really-is-24-hours-a/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [You cannot live in the best city in the world and have people living on the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/you-cannot-live-in-the-best-city-in-the-world-and-have-people-living/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [As our boys and men are all expecting to be Presidents, so our girls and women must all hold themselves in readiness to preside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-swisshelm/as-our-boys-and-men-are-all-expecting-to-be-presidents-so-our-girls/) [Jane Swisshelm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-swisshelm/) > [Interesting survey in the current Journal of Abnormal Psychology: New York City has a higher percentage of people you shouldn't make any sudden moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/interesting-survey-in-the-current-journal-of-abnormal-psychology-new/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [If I get busted in New York, the freest city in the world, that will be the end of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/if-i-get-busted-in-new-york-the-freest-city-in-the-world-that-will-be/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [This is the first place in the United States where I sang, and I like San Francisco better than any other city in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luisa-tetrazzini/this-is-the-first-place-in-the-united-states-where-i-sang-and-i-like/) Luisa Tetrazzini > [The United States is a world unto itself. We have mountains, we have deserts, we have a river that equals the Yangtze River, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-united-states-is-a-world-unto-itself-we-have-mountains-we-have/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [London has always been open to trade, people, ideas. We have to keep that. I want to compete not just with New York, Paris,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/london-has-always-been-open-to-trade-people-ideas-we-have-to-keep/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [I certainly was surprised to be named Poet Laureate of this far-out city on the left side of the world, and I gratefully accept,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-certainly-was-surprised-to-be-named-poet-laureate-of-this-far-out/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [New Orleans is the only city in the world you go in to buy a pair of nylon stockings they want to know your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/new-orleans-is-the-only-city-in-the-world-you-go-in-to-buy-a-pair-of/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) ## More by Benny Goodman > [Some of the guys I played with .. didn't go around learning more about their instruments from an intellectual point of view. All they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/some-of-the-guys-i-played-with-didn-t-go-around-learning-more-about/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [“A musician is a juggler who uses harmonies instead of oranges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/a-musician-is-a-juggler-who-uses-harmonies-instead-of-oranges/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [As soon as it was understood that we could handle things in our own way, it was the thrill of my life to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/as-soon-as-it-was-understood-that-we-could-handle-things-in-our-own/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [That night at Carnegie Hall was a great experience. When the thing was first put up to me I was a little dubious, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/that-night-at-carnegie-hall-was-a-great-experience-when-the-thing-was/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [After you’ve done all the work and prepared as much as you can, what the hell, you might as well go out and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/after-you-ve-done-all-the-work-and-prepared-as-much-as-you-can-what/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [I think my first impression (of Bix Beiderbecke) was the lasting one. I remember very clearly thinking, 'Where, what planet, did this guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/i-think-my-first-impression-of-bix-beiderbecke-was-the-lasting-one-i/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [To this day, I don't like people walking on stage not looking good. You have to look good. If you feel special about yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/to-this-day-i-don-t-like-people-walking-on-stage-not-looking-good-you/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [I don't have any great love for Chicago. What the hell, a childhood around Douglas Park isn't very memorable. I remember the street fights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/i-don-t-have-any-great-love-for-chicago-what-the-hell-a-childhood/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [If a guy's got it, let him give it. I'm selling music, not prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/if-a-guy-s-got-it-let-him-give-it-i-m-selling-music-not-prejudice/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [If you want to do something, you do it anyway, and handle the obstacles as they come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/if-you-want-to-do-something-you-do-it-anyway-and-handle-the-obstacles/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ‘em. The obstacles are all there;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/one-way-or-the-other-if-you-want-to-find-reasons-why-you-shouldn-t/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [Sometimes when you start losing detail, whether it's in music or in life, something as small as failing to be polite, you start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/sometimes-when-you-start-losing-detail-whether-it-s-in-music-or-in/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [People have often said to me, 'You're so relaxed when you play.' Relaxed my elbow. It's practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/people-have-often-said-to-me-you-re-so-relaxed-when-you-play-relaxed/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [I think I've done a lot in this business, whether through screwball methods or not I don't know, that has helped other bands. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/i-think-i-ve-done-a-lot-in-this-business-whether-through-screwball/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [Some of the overflow audience actually sat on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/some-of-the-overflow-audience-actually-sat-on-the-stage/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) [Explore all 23 Benny Goodman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first arrived (in New York), it seemed to me the most terrifying city in the world... all those big buildings. 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