No city on earth has as many opportunities as New York City– at the same time, no city is quite so challenging.

In this post, we will sit down with a person who has learned to seize every opportunity that this city can throw her way.
 
Kim Beatrice is a young entrepreneur who has learned to overcome the many challenges of moving to, and living in NYC.
 
She is working hard on several promising projects, yet simultaneously manages to find time to enjoy all the excitement that this city has to offer.
 
Kim definitely knows a thing or two about making the most out of life in NYC— she even started a blog about it—  justnotmainstream.com, a site dedicated to helping you experience authentic NYC culture.
 
Kim was nice enough to share the story of her move to New York, and has some helpful advice for people who are considering living here.
 
Let’s hear what she has to say.
 
MTNYG: Tell us a little about yourself: where are you from and why did you move to New York City?
 
KB: I was born in Vienna, Austria and raised in Prague, Czech Republic.
 
I grew up traveling between our summer house in Fort Lauderdale, FL and our home in Prague.
 
After attending a VSFS University in Prague, I transferred to Florida’s University of Tampa, where I continued my studies.
 
I spent two years there and then proceeded to move to New York as a model.
 
MTNYG: What are some of the projects that you have going on right now?
 
KB: I recently launched my personal website kimbeatrice.com, and continue to work on my blog justnotmainstream.com which caters to exposing the hidden treasures of New York.
 
MTNYG: Now that everyone has an idea of who you are—let’s talk more about how you made the move to NYC– what was hardest for you about moving here? 

KB: I really only planned to move up here for a summer to model, but I fell in love with a boy and followed my heart along with my childhood dream to live in NYC and extended my stay indefinitely.
 
Though the relationship ended, my heart still skips a beat when I remind myself “I live in the most amazing city in the world.”
 
Even as an international traveler, the hardest thing about moving here was acclimating to the pace of the city. Every day I was meeting new people and gaining new experiences, things that thus far I had only seen in the movies.
 
At times New York City can be very lonely, and cold (haha),and you will have to work very hard to make it. But even with all those struggles it is so worth it!
 
4) What do you like most about your life in New York?
 
KB: I love that I am completely in control of my life. Working hard and focusing on my success, this city helped me become a strong independent woman.
 
I love that even though I work hard every day and am prepping for my master’s degree, I can easily get away to the mountains to snowboard during the winter, and surf or hike or go to wine tastings in Long Island in the summer.
 
5) If you had a friend who was moving to the city, and they were looking for a few different neighborhoods to check out, where would you send them and why?
 
I would definitely tell him/her to stay in Manhattan. It’s in the buzz of everything and living there will help you avoid wasting time travelling; which is time you could be doing something meaningful.

In a city like this you never want to let things get away. I have lived in Brooklyn as well as many neighborhoods in Manhattan, and I liked East Village the most so far. It has a great bar scene, you can get to the subway easily, and it’s well priced.
 
Eventually I plan on moving to West Village or a nice loft in TriBeCa or SoHo, but till then this is the perfect place for me.
 

The post Tips From a New Yorker: Why You Should Live in Manhattan – and Other Advise for People Moving to NYC appeared first on Moving to New York Guide.