moving to nyc

appllvappllv
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Hello,

I've been hired as a teacher for the NYC public school system. I've only been to the city a couple of times and those have been tourist things. I'm still deciding whether or not to accept the offer and i would love opinions on what its like to live there.



Which neighborhoods are safe/cheap to live in? I would prefer to be as close as financially possible to the city but really safety is my biggest concern.



How expensive is everyday life in NY? I'll be making teacher money so things will be tight.



Any one have any experience with public schools, namely high schools in areas like the Bronx or Brooklyn? Thats probably where I will be teaching.



Thanks for the help

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    To put it plain, NYC isn't cheap. It's cheaper than Tokyo, but that's about it.



    There are a few people from the city who can help you more, and I'm sure you'll get those posts soon. I have a bunch of friends in Manhattan who always bitch about the cost of living, which is something, but it is also true that Manhattan is particularly expensive.
  • Reply 2 of 6
    pfflampfflam Posts: 5,053member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by appllv

    How expensive is everyday life in NY? I'll be making teacher money so things will be tight.





    Hahaha



    you're getting my schadenfreud all in a huff!!



  • Reply 3 of 6
    dmzdmz Posts: 5,775member
    'to commit suicide in New York would be redundant'

    -Woody Allen (I think)
  • Reply 4 of 6
    trick falltrick fall Posts: 1,271member
    I personally would not live anywhere else. At least not in America. Anyway, do you know what neighborhoods your prospective schools are in? NYC is a big place with lots of variety between the neighborhoods. I would personally go for the Brooklyn school unless its in an unusually bad area. Brooklyn is kind of the hip place to live these days. Unfortunately the middle class has been pretty much priced out of Manhattan below 96th street and if you live above 96th street you would be further from the best parts of Manhattan than if you lived in a good neighborhood in Brooklyn. Give more detail and I'll be happy to give more advice.........
  • Reply 5 of 6
    appllvappllv Posts: 4member
    To everyone who didn't advise me to kill myself, thanks for the help .



    The thing about this is that i don't know where i will be placed as a teacher, only that it will be in a "high need" area. That means Brooklyn or the Bronx. Part of the deal is that the program pays for my masters in education but i also won't know where i will be attending school until late May and the program starts in June.



    This makes choosing a place to live something of a pickle. Of course I wouldn't mind a commute as long as i could live somewhere SAFE, relatively cheap, and just a tiny bit fun.



    Are you saying brooklyn is my best bet? Any particular areas? Any areas to definitely stay away from?



    Thanks
  • Reply 6 of 6
    trick falltrick fall Posts: 1,271member
    Its real hard to say where to live without knowing where you would be working and going to school. Some of the more prime neighborhoods in Brooklyn are:

    Williamsburg

    Brooklyn Heights

    Boerum Hill

    Carroll Gardens

    Park Slope



    Do a search on those on Craigslist and you'll start to get a feel for what your rent might be like. Also note that it is very common for young people in the city starting out to have a roommate. Also there are other areas in Brooklyn that are safe, nice and cheaper, but further away from Manhattan like Bay Ridge and Kensington.



    I have a couple of friends who are teachers in the city and I haven't heard any bad stories, but they are not in the worst schools.
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