Somehow you know: you want to live in New York for a while. Experience what it’s like to live among the skyscrapers and howling sirens, pretend for a while that you are Blair Waldorf or Carrie Bradshaw. At least that’s how it was with me, Emma. For years I dreamed of it and now I decided to just do it! Because there are probably more girls who want this too (and rightly so!), I’m writing an article about how you can stay in New York for a longer period of time. Because there is more to it than you think!
The very first step has been taken. You’ve decided you want to go to New York and you’re just going to do it. Just do it† Trust me, you won’t regret it at all. You do have to prepare for a lot of arrangements, because living in New York is not something you just do. There is a lot to consider and a lot of things to think about. A bit overwhelming, but remember it will be totally worth it! And I’ll give you a hand. Here are my tips and things I ran into during my New York adventure.
Target
So you want to go to the Big Apple. Not to shop for a week and visit all the highlights, but to experience what it is like to live there. If you want to stay there for a longer period of time, you do need a daytime activity. After all, going to New York with a purpose is a lot more fun! Some things you could do there:
– Take a course: There are many institutions that offer courses. For example, consider an English course. You can practice your English right away when you hit the road in New York! There are many Dutch institutions that offer language courses, most of them also help you immediately with things like housing. Think of EF Language Travel.
– Study: how much fun is it to study for a semester in the Big Apple? Ask your study advisor what you need to do to get this done and how much it will cost.
– Internship: doing an internship in New York is a very good option. There are always companies looking for interns, especially in the summer. In New York, however, it is common that you do not get paid during an internship, keep that in mind. You need a J-1 visa to do an internship there.
– Work: you can also look for a job there. Or work for a Dutch company. However, you need a work visa and that can get complicated. But if a company really wants you or you have to be (temporarily) in New York for business, it is possible!
– Volunteering: if you have the luxury of not having to work or study in New York, you can also volunteer. This way you keep yourself busy during the day and you also get to know a lot of new people!
visa
This is perhaps the most complicated part of the process. At least, if you want to live or work in New York for more than three months. I myself chose (also for other reasons) to stay six weeks in New York. So that is only allowed as a tourist. Nice and easy! Note: you must apply for an ESTA! You can do this online and it costs a few dollars. You cannot enter the United States without an ESTA.
If you have decided that you want to stay longer or work there, you must apply for a visa. This is quite a tricky story, because there are many different types of visas, depending on what you are going to do there. For example, you have a (temporary) work permit, which is in most cases applied for by your employer. If you want to study there, you will receive a student visa. You are not allowed to work with a student visa. If you are doing an internship in New York, you will need a J-1 visa. So if you need a visa, I advise you to find out very carefully which one you need and what you have to do for it.
Getting a permanent residence permit is difficult. There are strict rules. You can get a permanent residence permit (green card) by marrying an American or by entering the Green Card Lottery. Every year, 50,000 people who participate in the lottery win a green card (when I first heard this I didn’t believe it, but it’s true!). A small chance, but if it’s your dream you can always try it!
Monthly amount
New York is quite expensive. Almost everything is twice as expensive as in the Netherlands. A large piggy bank is therefore not superfluous if you go to New York. If you ever want to go to New York for a longer period of time, I would start saving now!
Rent: Between $650 and $1500 per month for a room or tiny studio.
Transport: A monthly public transport pass costs $116.50.
Food and Drink: Between $400 and $600 per month. Fresh food is quite expensive, find a cheap supermarket like Trader Joe’s and avoid the deli’s.
Nightlife: Nightlife in New York is expensive. You have to pay about $20 for the entrance. A drink costs an average of $8, plus tip.
Count on about $2000 to $2500 per month. That’s a lot, so know what you’re getting yourself into!
Airline ticket
A plane ticket to New York is not cheap, count on €500 to €700. Keep an eye out for promotions (such as KLM’s world deal weeks). If you are a student you may be able to score a cheap ticket at Kilroy. Also check whether there are differences between the airports, because New York has several and at which airport you arrive can differ in the price. The flight takes about 7 hours from Amsterdam Schiphol.
Housing
There are several ways to find an apartment or room:
– Facebook
There are Facebook groups where rooms and apartments are offered. Search Gypsy Housing NYC and join.
– Airbnb
I found my apartment for six weeks through Airbnb. super easy! I advise you to start looking in time so that you have a better chance of finding an apartment in a nice neighborhood. There are not an abundance of apartments for a longer period of time. Send several providers a message asking whether the apartment is available during the period that you are there and introduce yourself briefly. Don’t focus on one apartment! A big advantage of Airbnb is that you can book your own room as well as an apartment and that you can have good and safe contact with the landlord. The reviews from previous bookers are also very valuable. This way you get a good picture of the house and the landlord.
– Craigslist
This is the website where many rooms and apartments are offered. New Yorkers also find their home here. Be picky about what you respond to! And read the conditions very carefully, it could just be that a lot of costs will be added on top.
– Residential Settings
There are institutions that offer furnished rooms. This is easy and quite cheap, but there are usually a few rules that you have to follow, especially when it comes to visiting and cooking. And book on time! Otherwise the rooms are all already rented out. Some residential institutions to check out include International House (for students), 92Y, Morningside Inn, Penington Friends House, Webster Apartments, and The Brandon Residence.
Transport
Once you are in New York you will of course need transportation. Fortunately, that is not a problem in this metropolis.
– Metro
The metro is the fastest and most convenient way to get from A to B. A metro pass for a week costs $31 and for a month you pay $116.50. A ride costs $2.50. Download the Embark NYC app, which is a kind of 9292 for the subway. This makes traveling by metro a breeze!
– Bus
The bus is a slow mode of transport, but you can see a lot of the city that way. A bus ride costs $2.50 and you have to pay the exact amount. The driver has no change! You can also take the bus with your metro pass, but you cannot purchase this pass on the bus.
– Taxi
Taxis are a lot cheaper than in the Netherlands. So a taxi ride is made in no time. At night, many New Yorkers use the Uber taxi. Via the app you can order a taxi and see exactly where your driver is driving. You do need internet for this, so look for a place with WiFi (McDonalds for example).
– Bicycles
Cycling is becoming very popular in New York. So you don’t have to miss your steel steed! You have to be a lot more careful than in the Netherlands. There are not many good cycle paths and motorists do not take cyclists into account. I wouldn’t cycle in the busy parts of New York, way too scary! In the less touristy parts of New York such as Brooklyn and along the water, it is doable.
credit card
A credit card is a must† In many shops they do not accept Dutch debit cards, so you need your credit card. If you withdraw money, the bank charges a commission, so it is wise to withdraw a large amount in one go and pay everything else in cash. Tip: pin at the Chase bank is cheapest.
Dealing with New Yorkers
New Yorkers are very friendly and helpful. If you have a question, they will be happy to answer you. So it is not difficult to get in touch with others in New York. They make contact easily, so if you go alone you don’t have to worry about meeting nice people. They are always up for a chat, unless they are in a hurry.
New Yorkers are therefore very friendly, but not overly nice as many people think beforehand. In that respect they are more like Europeans. Everyone always asks you ‘how are you?’, but you don’t really have to answer this. They are also more likely to say that they want to eat or drink coffee with you, but often it doesn’t happen. New Yorkers are also often late or cancel appointments.
Of course this doesn’t apply to all New Yorkers, but take it as an indication!
There is certainly more to consider if you want to live in New York for a longer period of time. But this is kind of the basics! I’ve been in the Big Apple for six weeks now and having the time of my life. The arrangements in advance were very stressful and sometimes I no longer understood why I had started it. But now that I’m here I know that all the stress is worth it and that I’ve learned quite a lot from all the arranging. And I f*cking did it!
Do you also dream of going to New York for a longer period of time? Or another city?
–
