Last year, I moved from England to New York. I’d spent most of my life living in London, and then two years exploring Europe on a sailboat.
After years in a similarly large city and lots of research on what to expect from my move across the pond, I thought I’d be well prepared — and, if not, I figured that my time at sea might give me the skills to handle the unexpected.
Despite all my preparation, though, I was still caught off guard by a few surprises.
Starting over in a new country was more exhausting than I’d expected
Laura Keys
After moving around constantly while sailing, I thought I’d settle into one place very quickly. I wasn’t expecting it to take a year to feel comfortable in my new surroundings.
I didn’t realize how much the admin associated with the move would impact me. I felt exhausted, and after doing things like spending most of a day at the DMV, it was hard to muster the motivation to go outside and explore my new city.
My first six months were dominated by paperwork and tedious tasks. I was unpleasantly surprised by how long it took to do things that felt like they should be simple: I couldn’t set up a bank account without a permanent address, and I couldn’t find a permanent address without a bank account.
Everything felt much harder in a new country, especially when dealing with unfamiliar systems.
The cost of my move — and life in New York — came as a culture shock
It’s no surprise that New York City is an expensive place to live. Even before I moved, I knew that just about everything would cost more here.
Although salaries are often higher here than they are in London, that didn’t help me initially, when I was still working through the bureaucracy required before I could even start applying for jobs.
Between international shipping and furnishing a new apartment, moving itself is expensive, too. I’d budgeted for the high costs and for how much my daily expenses would likely increase, but I didn’t anticipate how much money worries would affect my mentality.
During my first few months in New York, I felt very conscious of every dollar I spent. I was shocked by the prices every time I went to the grocery store or a coffee shop, unable to justify spending $18 on two chicken breasts, or $7 plus tax and tip for an iced latte.
This made me increasingly hesitant to leave my apartment and actually enjoy the city I’d spent so long trying to get to. I knew that things would be more expensive, but living with that reality felt overwhelming.
It took me a while to find balance and feel comfortable spending money on things that I truly value.
It’s been easier to connect with people than I thought
Laura Keys
Before moving, I’d heard stereotypes about New Yorkers being rude and unfriendly. I wish I’d known before that this isn’t the case.
I joined a local gym and started meeting so many kind and interesting people who, best of all, live right by me. Now, I’m routinely bumping into people I know on the street — something I never thought would happen in such a big city, and certainly not this soon after moving.
Contrary to the stereotype I may have believed, I feel surrounded by people who approach life with more positivity than I’m used to in London. It’s a refreshing change, and I’m happier as a result.
I’ve also found New York’s bustle to be extremely motivating. It’s hard to be bored in a city where there’s always a new place to visit, or something interesting happening on the next block. I don’t know if I’ll feel like this forever, but for now, I’m enjoying it.
The hardest part of moving was the slow drip feed of change over months. Now that I’ve been here for a full year, though, I’m starting to develop a deep love for my new home.
It might have taken longer and been more expensive than I expected, but moving here has been well worth it for me.
