...he sighs. "Not remotely what I meant."
"I had awoken as myself some two or three years previous, but I didn't truly understand myself yet. I wasn't able to freely mingle with others like myself until I reached New York."
Other options:
no subject
...he sighs. "Not remotely what I meant."
"I had awoken as myself some two or three years previous, but I didn't truly understand myself yet. I wasn't able to freely mingle with others like myself until I reached New York."