Advice needed for single mum thinking of coming to New York from the UK (Floral Park: apartment, for rent)

[sar1603]

Hi.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, any help given will be greatly appreciated.
I'll start with the outline to my story/question:
I am a 24 year old single mum from the UK, my daughter is 5, and at the moment I am studying a degree in accounting and finance. I have the option of doing a work placement year, and seen as I hope to move abroad I think it would be a good idea to look at doing paid internships in the States. From the research I have done and my prior knowledge New York seems to offer the best programmes.
So I will be coming to New York (hopefully) for 1 year, and will be doing the paid internship with my daughter. I have no idea about childcare, best places to live, how easy it is to travel around the city etc??
The things regarding childcare that I would need are school holidays covered and after school care until I finish work. I know they do these things in the UK and am guessing/hoping they do in the US?? How much does childcare cost? And a guide on the best family friendly areas and expected rent would be a big help.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this.

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by sar1603

Hi.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, any help given will be greatly appreciated.
I'll start with the outline to my story/question:
I am a 24 year old single mum from the UK, my daughter is 5, and at the moment I am studying a degree in accounting and finance. I have the option of doing a work placement year, and seen as I hope to move abroad I think it would be a good idea to look at doing paid internships in the States. From the research I have done and my prior knowledge New York seems to offer the best programmes.
So I will be coming to New York (hopefully) for 1 year, and will be doing the paid internship with my daughter. I have no idea about childcare, best places to live, how easy it is to travel around the city etc??
The things regarding childcare that I would need are school holidays covered and after school care until I finish work. I know they do these things in the UK and am guessing/hoping they do in the US?? How much does childcare cost? And a guide on the best family friendly areas and expected rent would be a big help.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this.

Hello! First I'd like to say, welcome to the States!

I think you'll absolutely love New York, most people who come here to live will never want to leave and go some place else.
Yes, there are child care places here too that you can drop your daughter off after school, or the school can have her taken there without you having to come and take her there, or some schools have extended day care services where the child can stay after school as well.
You can also hire professional baby sitters, they won't charge much and they'll be quite helpful in this case.

You've certainly selected a great city to do your internship program, and NYC is certainly one of the top US cities for any program.

As for living, most of the places inner city are expensive, like Manhattan. And there are some places that might be too extreme for your daughter, like Queens. You might want to look into doing what most people do, getting a place in upper state New Jersey, places like Newark are ideal for saving money in housing. The Bronx and I think Brooklyn are also good places to try.

For transportation, the cabs are expensive and aren't the most efficient way to travel. I would suggest the rail system, and also the subway rail system. They would get you to you destinations a lot more efficiently. 16,000,000 people use the NYC commuter rail system daily to commute to and from the city. Also walking is very ideal within the city as well, most people get around by doing so but only inner city. Haha, don't walk from your place in New Jersey to where your internship is in NYC!

Anyways, please let me know if you have anymore questions. There will be others on here who might live in NYC currently that can give you better information that I can. But you should be able to adjust easily here if you're coming from places like London. If you're coming from London, then you already have an idea of how expensive housing is in the inner city.

Good Luck! And welcome to the States!

[sar1603]

Thank you so much for the advice. Your help in regards to childcare have greatly eased my worries. I will do some research on the areas you suggested. I know exactly what you mean about house price in the inner city, especially the areas which are good to raise a child!! Obviously I would still want a social life though, are the areas you suggested close/in easy access of good bars etc, the hot spots?

[gunt86]

Before you get started on anything in regards to NY, do a lot of research on whether or not you can get a visa to work in the US. it is not easy at all. You will need an employer to sponsor you, and the cost of the application can be VERY high. Many employers are not interested in paying for a visa for an intern. Seriously, the visa issue is your most important concern.

[sar1603]

I have done 6 months of research on the visa situation and thats not going to be a problem, I can either apply for the J-1 visa or if I find an employer willing to sponsor me then I will apply for the H-1B visa. I have found many companies who are willing to offer internships to international applicants.

[Coney]

I generally do not criticize other people's responses, but the first response to your post sounded like it was written by someone who knew about New York from reading a book. First of all there is no such place as Upperstate New Jersey. New Jersey is just plain New Jersey. You will want to stay far away from Newark, New Jersey. I heard on the news today that they are celebrating the fact that there were no murders at all in Newark during the month of March for the first time in years. You do not want to send your child to Newark schools. And I did not understand that remark about Queens. Most of Queens is family oriented and the majority of the neighborhoods in Queens County are nice places to live.

In order to decide where to live, you need to tell us your budget. I presume you have ample savings because your internship salary will not come close to covering your living costs. New York City public schools are not all that great, with a handful of some decent schools here and there. In order to enroll in kindergarten, a child must have turned 5 by December of that year so I am not sure if your child will be in kindergarten or first grade. The public school system is rather different from the UK and that is something to consider when you plan to move back. Good childcare is expensive and not that easy to find. You have the option of trying to find babysitters, which contrary to the first response, can be costly. Some elementary schools offer before and/or after-school programs, but rarely will they overlap completely with your working hours. Children attend school less days here than in the UK. Other options are to find private daycare centers which may have some sort of after-school care where they may or may not pick up your child from elementary school. If you are still here during July and August, you will need to find childcare or a day camp when school is closed for summer vacation. Where you wish to live depends on the location of your job and what you can afford, as well as finding a decent school for your child. If you need any more advice, seek it from people who actually live here.

[sar1603]

Coney thank you for your response. Newark is now off my list . Money isn't a huge issue luckily, how much do you think, as a guide, living costs for me and my daughter will be? I guess my budget for rent would be $2500/month max, and a don't mind if I can only have a one bedroomed apartment...one of the few perks of being single! The majority of internships that I have applied for/been interviewed for are located in Manhattan, I know this is a very expensive area, so I have no intention of living there, but I would like to be near by if possible, as I would be relying on public transport, although I can drive I have been told parking is sparse and expensive.
I would be there in July and August, but for 4 weeks my daughter will be in the UK, are day camps expensive, we don't have things like that over here?

Thank you again for your help.

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by Coney

I generally do not criticize other people's responses, but the first response to your post sounded like it was written by someone who knew about New York from reading a book. First of all there is no such place as Upperstate New Jersey. New Jersey is just plain New Jersey. You will want to stay far away from Newark, New Jersey. I heard on the news today that they are celebrating the fact that there were no murders at all in Newark during the month of March for the first time in years. You do not want to send your child to Newark schools. And I did not understand that remark about Queens. Most of Queens is family oriented and the majority of the neighborhoods in Queens County are nice places to live.

In order to decide where to live, you need to tell us your budget. I presume you have ample savings because your internship salary will not come close to covering your living costs. New York City public schools are not all that great, with a handful of some decent schools here and there. In order to enroll in kindergarten, a child must have turned 5 by December of that year so I am not sure if your child will be in kindergarten or first grade. The public school system is rather different from the UK and that is something to consider when you plan to move back. Good childcare is expensive and not that easy to find. You have the option of trying to find babysitters, which contrary to the first response, can be costly. Some elementary schools offer before and/or after-school programs, but rarely will they overlap completely with your working hours. Children attend school less days here than in the UK. Other options are to find private daycare centers which may have some sort of after-school care where they may or may not pick up your child from elementary school. If you are still here during July and August, you will need to find childcare or a day camp when school is closed for summer vacation. Where you wish to live depends on the location of your job and what you can afford, as well as finding a decent school for your child. If you need any more advice, seek it from people who actually live here.

I mixed up Queens with The Bronx. Sorry about that, I always get those two mixed up when thinking about them.

It's been about 3 years since I've visited NYC, and I have family there, they live in Jersey City and they say that Newark isn't as bad as most people think. Plus I was thinking that she would pick a school for her daughter closer to where her internship is, so it's easier to monitor.

And what I meant by "upper state New Jersey" is to physically describe the region of the state that I was talking about. I thought it would be easier for he to see the visual vicinity of it's proximity to NYC is I said "Upper state" because Camden is south NJ and it's near Philly. I was just trying to be specific.

But I like the suggestions that you have, so I'll leave it to you, because I haven't been to NYC in nearly 3 years so I might be very off.

[Coney]

Sar1603, your budget will be more than ample for a very nice 2 bedroom, if you are willing to live outside of Manhattan. You could also live outside of NYC, in one of the suburbs in either New Jersey, Long Island, or Westchester County. For $2500, you would be able to rent a really nice apartment or even an entire house with a yard. In addition, depending on the suburban neighborhood you choose, you would have excellent schools, playgrounds, parks, libraries, swimming pools, beaches, and other amenities for children. Since you won't have a car, however, you would have to pick a suburban neighborhood with good public transportation and within walking distance to shops, etc. If you reside within NYC, proper, your budget will still afford you a nice 2 or 3 bedroom apartment, but you are going to have to be very careful in finding an apartment in a location with a decent school with openings for new students. The eastern portion of Queens County with areas such as Douglaston, Bayside, and Floral Park may suit your purposes. Much of your decision also depends on the location of your job and its access to specific subway lines, commuter rail, and bus service. Public transportation is readily available in every part of Manhattan, but the specific location of your job within Manhattan can make your commute to be relatively short or relatively long depending on which trains and buses have stops close to your job.

Day camps and (sleep away camps for older children) are big business here. They are basically recreational facilities that operate during the summer months when school is closed for summer vacation. Some have an extraordinary amount of activities and facilties and can be costly. Other places are simpler and cheaper, but still lots of fun for children. Some are full-day, some half-day, some several days a week, others 5 days a week. Some are speciality camps (science, horseback riding, drama, art, music, chess, sports) and others offer a little bit of everything. There are many choices, but some working parents,who can afford it, send their children to camp during the summer, if they can't be home to watch their child.

[G.Costanza]

Originally Posted by sar1603

I have done 6 months of research on the visa situation and thats not going to be a problem, I can either apply for the J-1 visa or if I find an employer willing to sponsor me then I will apply for the H-1B visa. I have found many companies who are willing to offer internships to international applicants.

Frankly, I don't know how you could come to that conclusion after 6 months of research on the visa situation. I don't know a lot about J1/exchange programs in your field, but your chances of moving here with an H1B are very, very, very slim.