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Frequently Asked Question's
» Can I get a driving license?
» Where is it cheaper to buy my groceries?
» Where is it cheaper to buy my furniture?
» What Internet service should I get?
» What Mobile phone should I buy?
» Should I buy a monthly metro card?
Your very best option when your partner starts to disappear in September is to use the OISS facilities to go to the weekly meeting of the partners (see the paragraph about it on the partners home page).
It is your best chance to make very good friends that are in the same situation as you are in.
Then of course, you can meet people at some gym classes, academic classes and parties!! So go out and try to participate at any gathering that could allow you to meet people.
This is a question you are going to ask yourself everyday at the beginning. I do not mean to scare you but he or she is going to literally disappear from your direct environment! So do not let this affect you too long: you must react very soon and make new friends as soon as possible!
This is a situation totally normal: he or she is going through the process of integration in his/her new life of his/her classmates, the timetable is crazy and they very soon start the process of recruitment for the next summer internship. So, be prepare to realize that this whole process will be done without you, and it does not matter that you like it or not!
You will be integrated after a few months, and you will know more about the places you can find him/her or the beer blast on Thursday evenings.
During this MBA, I would have only one advice to give you: get a life so that you do not have to wait for your partner’s company to live and the time you will spend with him/her won’t be tensed or sad.
» Can I get a driving license?
The website that will give you all the information you need is www.dmv.org
To make a long story short, you have to re-pass your exam: even if you have a driving license in your own country, you have to take the written test and the road test to get a license.
For all the requirements, go on the website above and click on Other New York Drivers information and then Drivers from other nations.
» Where is it cheaper to buy my groceries?
In Chinatown you can get almost everything for a good price, but if you prefer to go a supermarket there are many supermarket chains in the city some of them are: C-Town, Assocciated, Gristedes,…
In Target and K-Mart you can find from food to furniture for less expensive prices (they don’t sell fruits or salads).
Finally there are some wholesale stores like BJ’s wholesale club where you can join the club for an annual fee and get very good prices or National Wholesale Liquidators. (These stores have from food to cloth)
You can find a complete grocery-stores list in: http://newyork.zami.com/Grocery/ or buy on-line at http://www.freshdirect.com/
» Where is it cheaper to buy my furniture?
Of course it all depends on your budget, but I assume most of us get here on a tight one!, so without a doubt, the best place will be Ikea. I suggest you get online www.ikea.com, before going to the store. That will give you a very good idea about prices and styles. Remember that all MBA student’s from different places get to the area around the same time, so Ikea can get really crowded and run out of stock fast!. If you get online first, you will also be able to check availability on the pieces you are interested in buying.
Important things to consider about Ikea
- The closest Ikea store is at Elizabeth, NJ, it is easy to get there, buses leave from Port Authority (42th st and 8th Av) every 30 minutes and on the weekends buses are free. You can check the bus schedule and cost at: www.mta.com. You can also rent a car for a day or a weekend and take the stuff you buy with you.
- Ikea delivers, but it costs approximately $100. So try to buy all your furniture at once, so again, going online ahead of time is a big help.
- Ikea only delivers furniture, so be prepare to take home with you a big blue bag filled with rugs, curtains, dishes, silverware, glasses, etc…you can really find a great variety of thing for the house at good prices.
- Buses have small compartments where you can put some stuff that you decide to take with you
- Assembling the furniture is the most challenging part, but it is part of the experience, so enjoy it!!. My advice is to buy a basic electric driller and a set of tools…very helpful.
- Don’t worry if you still need a lot of things after your first trip to Ikea. Believe me you will go back many many times.
Another good alternative to shop for furniture is Target, the thing is that Target doesn’t deliver so, you either have to order things online, or rent a car and take home with you the assembly furniture. Target has also a big selection of home supplies, including towels, kitchen stuff, shits, decoration items, etc.
If you want something a little bit special for your home there are a lot of different options and prices!. You can check them out over the internet:
West Elm: www.westelm.com
Target: www.target.com
Bo Concept: www.boconcept.com
Bed, Bath & Beyond: www.bedbadandbeyond.com
The container store: www.containerstore.com
TJ Max: www.tjmax.com
Create & Barrel: www.creatandbarrel.com
Pottery Barn: www.potterybarn.com
Portico: www.porticostore.com
Bombay: www.bombaycompany.com
Feline’s basement: www.felinesbasement.com
» What Internet service should I get?
The easiest option is to take your Internet connection via the cable: Time Warner is the most used.
They have several packages at different prices and you have to choose what suits you. You can check all the possibilities on the website: www.timewarnercable.com
But you can also check the ADSL with Verizon at http://www.verizon.com/ or RCN at www.rcn.com
» What Mobile phone should I buy?
Most cellular-phone companies require your credit history or ask you for an initial deposit form $125 to $600. Depending on the minutes you would like to have and the numbers of lines and services you need you can get a family-plan for $60+tax, but it depends on the promotions of each company.
Some companies are: Verizon, T-Mobil and Sprint
» Should I buy a monthly metro card?
During the first couple of months sightseeing is common and you’ll find yourself walking to most places. As you get use to the city and its transportation system you will probably rely more and more on the subway.
On most cases it will depend on how far you live from the places you typically go to. We encourage trying out the $10 dollar cards at first, which offer 6 rides at the price of 5.
As a rule of thumb, if you use the subway more than 11 times a week, you should buy the monthly metro card.