I am currently writing this from my seat on the plane, looking out the window en route to Boston. The whole process of the J1 finally feels worthwhile. The visa process is very long and expensive, but I’m one of the lucky ones who got everything approved in time. Two of my friends have had to cancel flights because their paperwork didn’t arrive in time.
I have a few days before I start work in NYC so we are going to go to Boston for a few days to visit a few friends who are on placement and graduate visas. It’s nice to tick another place off the list on our travels.
Obviously I was quite nervous at the thought of moving away for the summer, especially to America with the current state of affairs. You get mixed opinions from everyone, some people telling me ‘you will have a ball’, and others making you question your decision saying they ‘would never travel to America at the moment with everything going on’. I suppose it’s up to yourself, personally for me I didn’t find it to be a difficult decision at all. To be honest, it never really crossed my mind, we decided as a group to go. I suppose we figured so many others are doing it. I’m sure we will be grand. A typical Cork / Irish way of thinking.
When choosing a location, we had decided to go with San Diego, but finding jobs was near impossible so we decided to switch to New York. Why I don’t know, with the heat going to be averaging at 35 degrees and being in the city at the hottest time of the year. Are we crazy? To be honest, I think we are. But I suppose from watching movies my whole life with the big American / New York influence and I’m sure others are the same, moving to New York with the hustle and bustle is a bit of a childhood dream.
I had family connections in New York so finding a job was easy and I got pretty lucky. I’ll be working in the Upper East Side in Cafe Maude. A modern-style brunch destination, cocktail and casual dinner spot, which switches up at night to a livelier atmosphere. It’s supposedly the go-to spot from what I heard. I’m quite excited about it.
Throughout the summer I plan on finding the best (less touristy spots in New York) and also finding Corkonians that have settled in the Big Apple, and their advice for people just coming for a holiday or looking at something more longterm.
For accommodation, we originally had planned to stay with J1Accom. But they released their accommodation very late this year and the options were not great. We were given the option between the Upper East Side in a room with four people sharing or Brooklyn in a townhouse with no air conditioning.
Myself and my friends ended up booking an Airbnb loft in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just off the subway and 15 minutes to Times Square – we are delighted with it. It is just under €1,400 a month each for a three-bedroom loft between five people. It’s on the expensive side but we plan to cook a lot to save money, so in the long run we are really happy with it. We also have loads of space for people to come over and visit. We have a few people booked in already. It’s a bit of a no-brainer coming over for a week or two and offering free accommodation to our friends who are on placement at home.
I have spent my summers on a party island in Ios, Greece, for the last two years, so as much as I’m looking forward to the rooftop parties and clubbing in New York, I’m also looking forward to travelling around and experiencing the American / New York culture. I have joined a run club and plan on taking time for myself as well this summer and just chilling.
We plan to travel as a group for three to four weeks in August. We have made a list, and to be honest, I couldn’t even tell you where on the map some of these places are, but its a mixture of bucket list spots from movies and people’s recommendations whether we get to half of them is another story.
Nantucket, Chicago, San Diego, Nashville, Vegas, and the Hamptons. Whether we will even be able to afford a flight home, not a mind travelling around at the end, is another story but we are happy to play by ear.
I’m fortunate enough to have visited New York before with my family, so I think I have most of the big sites done. I’m looking forward to finding the more niche local places, I always find them to have the best food. I have an endless list of recommendations from family and friends of where to eat, visit, and drink, which I am very grateful for, and will definitely try to get to all the places throughout my time there. I’ve always wanted to go to an ice hockey game so that’s definitely up there at the top of the list of things to do. I would also love to go to a Yankees game.
Leaving home for the last few summers is always hard, especially saying goodbye to family and friends, but also exciting. I suppose the hardest part is leaving my grandparents. I have a great rapport with my granny and I see her quite often, at least once or twice a week. It’s always quite upsetting saying goodbye, but it reminds me of how lucky I am to be able to leave and have people that I will miss and will miss me while I’m gone.
I always think at least I’m not moving to the other side of the world like Australia, that it really is only three months and it will fly by. I’ll be back in no time. It might sound like a cliché as well but I really will miss the food. You never realise until you do a long stint abroad the quality of the food in Ireland. And a proper pint of Guinness, especially a hangover chicken roll and Lucozade. They are usually at the top of my list after every summer away. And nothing is better than getting home into your own bed. There really is no better feeling.
Follow Frank on Instagram @frankmaccarthaigh
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