I live in New York City - Ask Me Anything!

[allfurcoatnoknickers]

I see NYC advice threads popping up on the travel boards a lot - anyone got any questions for a current Manhattan and former Queens resident?

I'm also married to a born and raised New Yorker, and we're imminently about to have a baby, in case anyone's wondering what it's like to be pregnant in the US.

The rain was crazy!!!!
But we had 3 beautiful days so was not an issue

Do they have family nurses (FNP) or similar to our district nurses??

The next step down from RN would be LPN (licensed practical nurse). Here are the requirements under the New York Nurse Practice Act:

www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursing.htm

Your scope of practice would be more limited and the wages would be less, probably 20-30% less. Most LPN's keep studying and then qualify for RN a bit later in their careers. I don't know what exam you'd have to take for licensing from overseas but it may be on the web page above.

My best advice would be to study up and take the NCLEX. Your RN license would open a lot more doors.

Here's more about the other career options:

everynurse.org/careers/

I'm so glad you went to the 9/11 museum and weren't scared off by it.

Holy shit!!!!! That's a lot of money.

I laughed when I saw this as my own reaction was "Oh Shit!" when I discovered how little nurses in the UK earn. Your problem is that the NHS is a monopoly employer and nurses are effectively civil servants. Here every hospital and medical practice has to compete to hire the nurses they want. There are a lot of nursing specialties where you can make $100k easily after you've had 10 years of experience and good recommendations.

@MissConductUS I took dd to the 9/11 museum last visit and she cried all the way round, she was only 5 but still remembers vague bits.

I think the museum is beautifully done, it's a real tribute, I walk round shivering and on the verge of tears for 2 hours

I am educated to masters level so wouldn't want to do much more studying
But I wouldn't mind studying for the nclex
I just don't want to do any more nursing degrees (BN, pGDip and MSc enough for me 😩)

@MozzchopsThirty You certainly have plenty of degrees now. When I said that you could study up for the NCLEX I meant using a review book. Apologies if it came across any other way.

I can't imagine going back to uni now either.

No not at all, I could cope with studying for the nclex
I just don't want to go back to uni

I was in NYC last month for a week and I absolutely loved it! We stayed in FiDi and I just want to go and do it all again! Loved people watching and crepe eating in Brookefield Place. Other highlights were Top of The Rock and walking the length of Brooklyn Bridge. It really is a wonderful place to visit.

@GiggleMcdimples21 So glad you enjoyed it! And you got in just in time before it got balls hot and unpleasant 😥

Hoping you're still around...

Does anyone know if I can hire or purchase cheaply a disability buggy (stroller) for my youngest in NYC? He's got hypermobilty and hypotonia, along with autism, and his legs get v tired quickly. He's definitely too big and heavy for a standard baby/toddler stroller. We will travel by taxi a lot if I cant find a suitable stroller, but just hoped we could explore on foot a bit.

Just came back to give this a bump - since there's a thread currently going about wanting to live in NYC and I managed to screw up linking to it...

@JaneyJimplin I didn't see this - I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer. Google most likely your best friend here...

Also, I've now had the baby - if anyone has any questions about having a baby/life with a newborn in the US. I've seen a few properly weird comments on threads about birth here, so I think there are a few misconceptions floating around...

Congratulations on your little one !!!! X

Ah nice to hear from you again & big congratulations!!

@CIT80 @TurquoiseDress Thank you! I am smitten. He's just so delightful you can tell he was gestated in NYC though, he sleeps through EVERYTHING - jackhammers, sirens, dogs barking, loud music - nothing wakes him up.

Great news, hope they took proper care of you at NYP, thanks for the update!

Have loved reading this thread. I love NYC and I want to go again now. Thank you for all this information.
Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy.

Congratulations on your baby boy.
Is debit card payment common in NY, especially small stores, thank you.

Hi thinking of coming to New York over Xmas holidays,
Do most places shut down for Xmas?
What's it like? Is it crazy busy and not advisable for first time visit?
Thank you

Do most places shut down for Xmas?
What's it like? Is it crazy busy and not advisable for first time visit?

Sorry I didn't see this for a few days @CrapTVAddict - Xmas is lovely in NYC and everything will be open, other than on Xmas day. Come see the Rockefeller Center Xmas tree and do some shopping there!

www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-lighting/

Midtown Manhattan gets really done up for Xmas. It is a bit busy but great fun if you're a Xmas person.

Just popping in again to see if anyone wants to know what it's like to be stuck in a 750square foot apartment, working from home, with a husband, 2 Jack Russells and a teething 9 month old baby .

I also have soap and loo roll though, so it could be worse...

Is it really quiet out in the streets? I imagine it’s odd to see such bustling places so quiet? People in my city (in England) don’t really seem to be acknowledging the social distancing!

@carolineforbes It is eerily deserted. We were out at peak commuting/rush hour time today and there was barely any traffic and hardly anyone around. It's really creepy.

We were close to business as usual this time last week - last Thursday I was at the gym, Friday we were out at the playground, then by Monday night, we're all on WFH, the gym is closed, daycare is shut and the playground is locked.

I was just in contact with my cousin in MA...she said the same. Very eerie.

I think we’re heading that way too! Are you allowed out still, to walk the dogs and things?