Hi all and welcome back to my blog!

I’m writing you from my cozy apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn. I’ve been living here for the past week, even though I arrived in the city the 9th of June. Since I got here, this is already my third accommodation… Apartment hunting in NYC is the hardest part of getting settled once you land in the country! Make sure to do a lot of research on the type of apartments and especially the boroughs’ vibe you’re looking for well in advance.
The truth is that the cozy apartment I’m living in at the moment is only a temporary solution and I just finished filing a rental application for a nice studio in Clinton Hill that could be my home sweet home starting September… I’ll keep you posted.

I’d like to live in Manhattan, but the rental fees are way too high and I was looking for a 1bedroom-1bath apartment which makes the search almost impossible. In Brooklyn it’s maybe a little bit easier; furthermore, the rhythm of this borough is less frenetic and I’m starting to like it better.

Rental applications aside, I’ll try to make a few considerations given my first weeks in.

1

New York City is constantly challenging you. Whether it is by pushing you professionally to be the best version of yourself (and more) or walking down the street at the fastest pace, you are constantly under pressure, so don’t start your experience if you’re not willing to give the 1000% of yourself. The competition is real!

2

The weekends are sacred, the best moments to decompress and, in my case, spend some time at museums or in the nature. Speaking of which, I am exploring the most beautiful parks, enjoying sunshine, the smell of grass and sound of water. I really recommend to spend some time visiting the Botanical Garden in The Bronx, it’s such a gem.

If you think The Bronx might be too far, Central Park in Manhattan or Prospect Park in Brooklyn are the boroughs’ gems. But don’t forget that public transport (the «train», as New Yorkers call the aged subway infrastructure) is working smoothly across all boroughs, you can get anywhere in a matter of an hour, even to The Bronx’s Botanical Garden. Be patient and explore as much as you can, as long as the weather allows it. For example, this weekend has been quite warm outside, but still bearable to walk around and make plans. People told me it gets quite hot during the summer and that having an AC in your home is crucial!

3

Final consideration: be ready for some sort of cultural shock. I wasn’t really expecting that, but even though this is one of the biggest and most populated cities in the world, it can feel quite overwhelming. And, believe it or not, making friends in New York can be almost as difficult as renting an apartment. Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a NYC friendship! I’m just being very impatient to have a non-superficial connection with someone.

Well, that’s all folks. I’m heading to a park for a picnic with a colleague. Enjoy your Sunday!

Talk to you soon,

all my bests

Matilde