Rug Burn Junky on 5/9/2007 at 03:15

---

Honestly, I can think of few cities that could better prepare you for NYC than London. All the usual warnings of "oh god it's so expensive" kinda go out the window in comparison, which is the only major drawback, but most likely not a factor given the salary premium you'll earn by being here.

Don't expect to get a housing deal like demagogue described. Locals try for years, and it's a luck of the draw thing to fall into something like that. One of your best bets to find no-fee apartments is craigslist, but I'd be willing to bet that your bank has relationships with apartment brokers to save you on some of those fees, which can be exorbitant. While apartments are similarly expensive to London, from everything I've gathered, they're actually smaller.

I do think NYC is less homogeneous than London, and because it's so varied, just more exciting. As a career move, I think it's a toss-up. NY and London are two of the top finance centers in the world, so that comes down to individual circumstances. I'm actually thinking of making the exact opposite move, for pretty much the same reasons you are (I've been talking to recruiters for a few weeks, have an initial interview next week, and I'm setting up callbacks in London for the last week in October). Once I know more, I'll probably have questions myself.

It's a horrible place to settle down and raise a family, but I have a feeling that that's at least a few years off for you.

/edit And Turtle's absolutely correct. One of my all-time favorite lunches is the lamb and rice cart just downstairs from my office. A giant plate, with a salad, and a free soda for just $5, and it's fucking tasty.

Rug Burn Junky on 5/9/2007 at 03:52

---

The things a man will do for some top-of-the-line pussy, eh?