Mischa Fubler exploring life in the Big Apple
How does an island boy get used to life in the big city?
It takes some time and lots of exploring, according to Mischa Fubler.
The 28-year-old moved to New York City just over a year ago with his wife Gia.
He’s certainly kept busy — pursuing a master’s degree in IT, teaching at a high school and DJing on the weekends.
Like many Bermudians, Mr Fubler was familiar with the Big Apple from trips when he was younger.
He found the city completely different living there as an adult.
“Settling in has taken some getting used to,” he said. “It’s a massive city, so there’s still lots left for me to explore, but I walk, ride my peddle bike and subway with the best of them now.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a New Yorker yet. For me, you can’t really claim a city as home until you can show the taxi driver new shortcuts.”
He lives in Staten Island, “the oft-forgotten” fifth borough of NYC.
It’s more similar to Bermuda than he ever imagined.
“Excluding the weather, it’s very green, hilly and much more suburban/residential in nature than the other four boroughs in New York,” Mr Fubler explained.
“There’s only about 500,000 residents on the island, so it has more of a small-town feel.”
Staten Island doesn’t have Manhattan’s big skyscrapers but there’s still plenty of excitement to be had.
Mr Fubler said he’s been extremely surprised by the small, yet vibrant arts scene there.
“There’s a really cool hip hop/skate-apparel shop I like called Richmond Hood Company. It gets support from [hip hop group] Wu-Tang [Clan] and puts on cool block parties that always incorporate art and artists in some way. They also host a regular open mic night.
“Other cool places I’ve found are a local brewery/ indoor skate park — the only one in New York City — and a couple of music venues on the island that are fun to check out as well.”
When he ventures away from Staten Island he tries to visit indie hot spots in Brooklyn.
He went to a bass party in Bushwick a few weeks ago, which crammed an enormous sound system into a warehouse-style space.
It wasn’t a residential area, so the bass could be heard down the block and there were no noise complaints. Mr Fubler has also stumbled upon a monthly event called Reggae Retro.
“They play lots of conscious and new roots reggae, nothing newer than 2005 or so, I reckon,” he said.
Mr Fubler said he was surprised to find a few other Bermudians pursing music-related aspirations in the city.
“I actually went out to a party in midtown where Premier [Michael Dunkley’s] nephew, Harry Dunkley, was one of the headline acts. He goes by Choppa Dunks and I’ve seen him popping up on event flyers in Bermuda recently as well. I also saw that singer Twaneé Butterfield was here and performing as well.”
Mr Fubler said his own musical ambitions have also taken off since moving to the East Coast.
He’s a member of an international collective of DJs known as Sideshow Kuts. The group’s organiser set him up with his first gig alongside popular DJ Steeve D within his first month of moving to the city.
On the weekends Mr Fubler spins at weddings and private events — once or twice a month he visits the Richmond Hood Company to play there as well.
Still, the best part in moving to New York City was having the chance to grow with his wife.
“A move anywhere, even if the culture is similar to home, will help you grow as a couple,” Mr Fubler said.
“Being placed outside your comfort zone and forced to rely on each other really gives you a sense of your partner’s character, and your own.”
Mischa Fubler spent four years teaching in Bangkok, Thailand and a lengthy stint studying in Toronto, Canada.
He said the amount of preparation needed for a move depends greatly on the personality of the person involved. Below, some of Mr Fubler’s tips that might help with your big move:
Travel light
It’s probably cheaper to buy things when you arrive at your new home rather than to pay to ship them. “When we moved to Bangkok with the intention of living a year, which quickly became four, I took one suitcase. It contained a few seasons of The Wire, a couple classic movies, and about 50 of my favourite ties.”
Keep a fresh set of clothing in your carry-on
While his luck with checked luggage has been impeccable, Mr Fubler said he has heard too many stories of lost luggage to risk touching down after hours of travel without anything to change into after a shower.
Don’t leave without the first and last month’s rent
Even on the other side of the world, Mr Fubler found that most landlords wanted the first and last month’s rent cheque up front. So avoid the stress and make sure to have this money saved up.
Don’t pay for storage
Mr Fubler said he and his wife were lucky to have a friend with extra space in their basement.
However, they sold most of their stuff and gave/lent the remainder to friends. “Much of the stuff we left in storage in Toronto went unused even after we returned,” he said.
“It might have been different had we only stayed overseas for a year, but after four I think I actually used maybe three items from a hockey bag worth of clothing I left in storage.”
