A Newbie's Guide to New York City

Before my husband, Jason & I knew each other, he ventured out to New York on a J1 summer visa (& later received the J1 year-long visa). Through his experiences, now knowing a lot of Irish people on visas, & being a native New Yorker, I've compiled a list of critical things you need to know before you depart on your New York J1 Journey:

1. Don’t call New York City “The Big Apple.” You’ll be spotted as a tourist in seconds.

2. When you land at JFK, Newark, or La Guardia Airport, taxi drivers will come up to you asking if you need a ride. Don’t take these cabs! They’ll charge you an excessive amount as soon as they sense any sort of accent or unfamiliarity to the city. Either download Uber or Lyft & request a ride or stand in line & take a yellow cab. It’s handy to know where you’re going before you get in the cab & approximately how long it will take so they don’t lead you out of the way & charge you more money.

3. NEVER buy a full-priced Broadway show ticket. You can either stand in line at Times Square or South Street Seaport at TKTS or the better option is to download the TodayTix app & get even lower prices right from your phone (use promo code DOMAU to get discount tickets on TodayTix!) 

4. Don’t eat in Times Square chain restaurants unless you want to get ripped off. Yelp is always helpful when looking for delicious, but inexpensive food.

5. Most New York neighborhoods have Facebook pages. There’s even a page specifically for J1’ers. Network through as many pages as you can before coming to New York & it’ll be a lot easier to find a job when you step foot in the US.

6. Make a copy of all of your important documents (license, passport) & send a copy to close family members & friends in case of an emergency.

7. Know where your local immigration center & consulate are. Immigration centers can also help you find employment.

8. If you already have a smartphone, make sure it is unlocked prior to coming to the US. Buy an American SIM card, & you’re ready to go. If you plan on staying for a couple of months or longer, Walmart has great ‘no contract’ plans for a low cost.

9. After you get your phone & you have oodles of data, you can download the app, Moovit. Moovit lets you know what buses & trains are near you & the times they are coming. It uses GPS to track where you are in relation to any type of transportation in NYC. It's super handy (especially for directionally challenged people like me).

10. Everyone has to eat, but not everyone has the money for luxurious meals on a budget. Don’t fret, my pet! Dollar Slice to the rescue. That’s right. 1 slice of pizza costs $1. You just have to know where to look (or know how to Google). FYI Dollar Slice pizza places are mostly in Manhattan.

11. Many people think they’re going to go on a shopping spree when they get to New York not taking into consideration the astronomical prices. If you want to get American brand-name clothes, check out the Jersey Gardens Mall. Take a bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Don’t forget to bring your passport! Your passport is the key to getting a huge book of coupons so you can shop 'til you drop & it’s all tax-free.

12. There are so many free/cheap things to do in the city; you just have to know where to look. Check out www.timeout.com/newyork to see what’s happening near you. Museums, botanical gardens, zoos, etc. have specific days that have discounted or even free admission. Another handy site for the whole state of New York, not just NYC, is www.iloveny.com. Know before you go!

13. If you plan to stay in New York on an extended visa or even for the summer & don't plan on getting your driver's license, get a New York City ID. Click HERE for the application. The NYC ID will also get you discounts into museums, zoos, etc. Some bars & clubs take this ID. FYI Age cards are not an acceptable form of ID when trying to enter a bar. I know, it states your age, but NY & most states want a state ID or a passport. You might as well get the NYC ID so you don't end up losing your passport.

14. People don't realize how much they'll be using the subway in New York until they get here. Check out the best ways to save that work for you by seeing the different metro plans the MTA offers: If there's anything I missed or if you need recommendations, give me a shout!

Until next time 💗

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