I’ve been living in”The City that Never Sleeps”, for about a decade now. I moved here from my beloved Caribbean island of Puerto Rico (Yup, there are tons of us Pororicans here). Everyone has their own personal reasons to want to leave their home country or home town and start over in a new place. Some take a small step like moving from one big city to another within the same country, others take a bigger step and move from one country to another. The level of difficulty in the game depends on how different the two locations are in terms of language and culture, and also on your preparation (academic, professional experience, money saved).

I’ve had friends from back home, from other states and even other countries ask me about life in the Big Apple. Is it as tough as people say? How hard is it to find a job? Is it really expensive?

There are lots of things to keep in mind. But anything is possible if you truly want it to be. They say that if you make it in New York you can make it anywhere, and I believe that is true. The life experience you gather here can open many doors for you, if you take advantage of it. Life here is both exciting and challenging.

First of all, you’ll need money. How much do you need? Enough to buy yourself food and pay rent for a few months. You may find a job within your first week of looking, but you want to be prepared for survival in case it takes a bit longer. Also update your resume and have printed copies at hand if possible and a digital copy that you can take to a place like Staples or Kinko’s and get it printed.

If you have a relative or friend who lives here already, talk to them. They can give you tons of valuable information. Also, if you feel comfortable enough and have a good enough relationship with that friend or relative, maybe they could provide a temporary living arrangement for you, or suggest one.

Something that a lot of people do is, they set up job interviews for an entire week or a few days, and then they take a trip to NYC specifically for interviewing. This is up to you, I didn’t do it that way. I did my job hunting while living with a friend.

One great thing about moving around in NYC is that you don’t need a car! The public transportation here is great in general terms. It is not perfect of course, and those who have lived here long enough will tell you that it can be a “pain” sometimes, but compared to the rest of the world it is pretty damn good. If you are attached to your car right now, and think you might want to bring it with you, all I can say is that you will be spending a lot of extra money to keep that car. Car insurance is expensive here, and so is parking space. So unless you plan on living outside of the city, far enough that you will need to drive a lot (and that in itself will be expensive), then give up the car. Trust me, once you get used to it you won’t ever need it again (I was once a car owner too).

You’ll be traveling around by foot, subway train, bus and taxi. So, if you like reading you’ll have tons of time to do that while  you sit on the train, bus or taxi.

Renting here goes like this: it’s small and usually expensive, but you can always find a place that suits you and that you feel comfortable in. Living with a roommate is a great alternative that many people go for. The cost of rent gets divided so it’s easier to deal with. Fancy, large apartments will cost you more of course, and the location will also dictate the price. Nicer areas cost more while not so nice areas will of course be a bit cheaper. Also, if it looks too good to be true it usually is. When you go see an apartment, try as much as possible to go see it during hours in which the neighbors might be in (late afternoon and night). This will give you a more realistic experience of what you’re getting into. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t settle for less (unless you are truly desperate). NYC housing experiences is a whole other topic I might have to write a separate article about lol.

One thing that must be mentioned is: The Internet is your friend. It can help you do so many things without leaving your home, without having to travel. There are tons of websites that can help you do your research, find housing, a job, etc. I’m going to include some websites here (below, just keep reading) that are very helpful. I’m sure I’ll miss some but I’ll add more later and if you know some good ones please let me know and I will add them.

Remember, that those who never take risks never truly live. I used to be (and still am to a degree) very shy, and I’m also not a huge fan of drastic changes. However, I took the risk and came to New York City from a tiny Caribbean coast town were everyone knew each other. The change was enormous to say the least. I had to adjust to so many differences in culture and lifestyle, even the people who are from my same island of Puerto Rico are not the same here. Those who grow up here have a very different way of talking, thinking, living etc. which is understandable. Like I said before, it is exciting and challenging. Anything is possible.

Here are some helpful Links:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/ (jobs, apartments, furniture for your apartment, VERY helpful website)

http://www.manhattanaddress.com/ (to find any place in NYC you need the “cross streets”)

http://www.notfortourists.com/NewYork.aspx (tons of cool info on good places to go to)

http://www.weather.com/ (the weather here dictates how you’ll dress so you have to keep up with it)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City Lots of good info about NYC

So that’s all for now. I hope to be able to continue this later with more information and experiences. I have no regrets and I’m proud to have come this far in Gotham. I love this city.

Good luck with your move!