Julia during her internship in New York

Julia in NY

Here I am, almost three weeks in ’the city that never sleeps’. It’s truly a dream coming true. I’m currently in my last year of the course ‘Fashion & Design’ and this year I got the opportunity to go on an internship for half a year. I decided that it was time for a new adventure and where better to go than New York City?!

Preparations

In November of 2016 I started looking for an internship position and I’m glad I was so early with searching as you really need all the time you can get! I’ll be honest, it was a lot of work. A questionnaire here, a questionnaire there, another form on top of that, making passport photos, making other appointments… But in the end it was more than worth it to finally hear the words ‘’Your J-1 Visa has been approved’’ at the consulate in Amsterdam. Plus, I learned a lot in the process!

In New York

I have to say that it’s astonishing how quickly I got used to living in New York. I feel totally at home! Although I often still find myself having to use the App ‘Maps’ to avoid getting lost. But I’m sure it will all be fine. I’m staying in the Webster Apartments with a lot of other girls. This place is definitely one to recommend! It’s in Manhattan, just clear of all the busy crowds and with a beautiful view on The Empire State Building.

The first few days were still a small vacation for me: exploring the city, shopping etc. On Monday I had another day off because it was Labor Day. Tuesday, I finally started at my internship and time has (unfortunately) been absolutely flying by ever since!

In the two weeks that I’ve been here, I’ve already seen a lot. We’ve been to Greenwich Village. When you watch the show ‘Sex and the City’ I’m sure you’ll recognize this! Furthermore, we also went to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, to SoHo and the Brooklyn Bridge.

One of the many reasons why I love New York, is because there’s always some something happening no matter where you look. In the subway, people suddenly put down a radio and start to dance. All the people are all just so social and open-minded, I love that!

Another reason is that New York has all these different neighborhoods which each have their own vibe and mood. When you go to Williamsburg for example, you really don’t have the feeling you’re still in New York. It all just looks so different.

I really look forward to the holidays in New York. All the lights, the wonderful shopping windows of Macy’s and Bloomingdales but also the stalls and the ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center and in Central Park. And not to forget: Black Friday! The Christmas decorations are already hung up in November, so we don’t have to wait incredibly long to get into the Christmas mood!

Luckily, I don’t have to say goodbye yet to New York for a very long time and I’m very curious what more this City has in store for me!