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[Alexandr Korol]

And then, when I met Big Alexander, it was the social-material world of people. And that’s when I was learning all about the material: relationships, animals, I bought myself a car, so everything was socially-material. And then he said, “That’s it, go ahead, you need to leave urgently.” And no, it wasn’t like he said: New York. He said:

– First thing that comes to your mind.
– I was recently in New York, I liked it.
– Well, then, New York.
– Okay.

And that’s it, I went to New York. Why New York? Well, because when I traveled around the world and saw different countries, at first London was at the top for me, if I compared it with the whole of Europe. But then, New York became number one, if I compared it to both Europe and London. What did I like about it? I noticed there were a lot of questions about New York. Why New York? Well, imagine... I’m just documenting this like a diary and honestly telling what happened. I arrive in New York and feel like it’s something familiar, like I’ve been home all my life, as if I’ve always lived here. I like the people, everyone is smiling. In the building where I lived, everyone says hi to me, talks to me, everything feels safe. I’m sitting with my laptop at one o’clock in the morning by the house, on a bench, a homeless man sits next to me and asks me to open his YouTube, saying he sings, he has his own YouTube channel, a kind and cheerful guy. The police officers give you tips, smile. It’s like being in a movie. After all, I’m a child of the 90s, raised on American movies and cartoons. Maybe that’s why I had such a response, but I really liked it. You’re walking even on the ground, and when you see that it’s not asphalt but these white tiles, you feel differently. Plus, I felt different energies there, meaning all the neighborhoods have their own vibe. The most mystical neighborhoods in New York were Chelsea, Greenwich Village, all that English-style area, which is the most interesting – this little England in New York, there you could feel some kind of magic and wonder. I will never forget Thompson Street, and on that street is my favorite chess shop. I often walked there with my camera, during that special time,