Leaving home is never easy, especially when traveling to a foreign country. It can be intimidating to be around so many new and unfamiliar things. Finding food, music, and art that reminds you of home can bring so much comfort, which is why New York City is such an attractive place for international students to study.
As one of the original stops for immigrants entering the United States from the 1850s to the 1900s, New York City earned a reputation as a “melting pot” of cultures. Today, much of New York is still a network of neighborhoods with people from China, India, Latin America, and just about everywhere else.
Many of these communities represent an exciting blend of identities — a little bit of home and a little bit of the United States. They are also perfect for students who need to reconnect with their own culture while studying internationally.
Thanks to the diversity within this global city, international students attending Shorelight universities in the New York area can feel right at home simply by visiting one of these neighborhoods.
International Neighborhoods in New York
The five boroughs of New York City are Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Each borough is like a smaller city within the bigger city. Each features vibrant communities and cultures from all over the globe.
Manhattan is a bustling metropolis. You can find almost every type of restaurant, shop, or place of worship imaginable in Manhattan. Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx are massive and home to innumerable pockets and neighborhoods of people.
In addition to the boroughs, Long Island, NY, northern New Jersey, and even parts of Connecticut are considered to be part of the New York City metropolitan area. For an international student new to the city, it can be hard to know where to go to find a little slice of home.
To help narrow it down, here are the best neighborhoods to find Chinese, Indian, and Latin cultures.
Southeast Asian and Chinese Neighborhoods
Chinatown, Manhattan
Chinatown in New York is one of the largest and oldest in the United States. The densely populated Chinese neighborhood features busy sidewalks lined with souvenir stores, food stalls, open-air fish markets, spice shops, and fashion outlets.
Restaurants serve a range of authentic dishes, such as dumplings and hand-pulled noodles. Several temples are available for worship, and the neighborhood celebrates culturally significant events throughout the year, including Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year.
Flushing, Queens
Known as the second-largest Chinatown in the city, Flushing boasts an almost 70% Asian population. The area between Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, which extends for several blocks in all directions, is a fusion of American and Chinese/Korean cultures. Expect to see well-known fast-food chains found among Taiwanese eateries.
The New World Mall offers three levels featuring more than 100 Asian-owned stores and a food court with 32 different vendors serving food from all over the globe. There’s also a karaoke lounge, a large dim sum restaurant, and an Asian supermarket selling a variety of Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese grocery items.
Indian Neighborhoods
Little India, Jackson Heights
Running along busy 74th Street between Roosevelt and 37th Avenue is a little oasis of Indian (and Pakistani and Bangladeshi) culture, affectionately known as “Little India.” International students will find an array of stores selling Indian sweets, ethnic foods, Bollywood films, saris, and other Indian garments.
Restaurants serve a wide variety of authentic dishes, and it is typical for the smell of curry and spices to fill the air. Don’t be fooled by the American-sounding Jackson Diner; it is a great spot for traditional Indian fare, including tandoori. The neighborhood is home to several temples and mosques, and every year celebrates Diwali with a festival.
Curry Hill on Lexington Avenue
This section may be more of a street than a neighborhood, but it does the trick when craving Indian cuisine. Located between 27th and 28th Avenue in Murray Hill, this area is affectionately known as “Curry Hill,” thanks to the many different regional cuisines found along its three-block radius.
Latin Neighborhoods
Longwood, The Bronx
Predominantly a Latino (Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and Hondurans) neighborhood, Longwood may feel more like the Caribbean or South America than the South Bronx. The area surrounding Bill Rainey Park features plenty of bodegas, bakeries, cafes, and barbershops.
Visitors can sample Latin American cuisine, like tacos and pupusas, at the numerous restaurants in the area. The outdoor Longwood Festival each June celebrates with merengue and salsa dancing, food vendors serving authentic Latin cuisine, and lots of activities for everyone.
Bushwick, Brooklyn
For more than half a century, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, Ecuadorian, Peruvian, and Colombian people have called the Bushwick neighborhood home. Though there may be fewer Latino-owned businesses today, the area still offers a bit of home for Central and South American students with its variety of eateries, coffee shops, and ethnic markets.
Feel at Home Without Leaving Campus
Adelphi University
Though Adelphi University is in Garden City, New York, Manhattan is only a train ride away. Thankfully, however, student life on campus provides plenty of ways to combat homesickness. Students can join multicultural clubs or take part in the range of events offered throughout the year.
The multicultural center is a great resource for international students as it “supports Adelphi’s diverse community of students, campus engagement, and multicultural and global experiences” and “is a place where all students — especially BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, international and first-generation students — can feel at home.”
Marina, an Adelphi University student from Brazil, said, “I chose to study at Adelphi because I wanted to live in New York, [and] I feel so good about my decision. New York is the center of the world, and Adelphi [gives me the chance to] to follow my dreams. The quality of the education is excellent, and the networking opportunities seem to be endless!”
The American Musical Dramatic Academy (AMDA) College of the Performing Arts
The New York City campus of AMDA has been the launching point for countless actors, dancers, and singers who are now living their dreams as performing artists. Students come from all over the world to the college’s Upper West Side Manhattan campus, not far from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. AMDA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with more than 40% of the student body identifying as racially or ethnically diverse.
“After living in AMDA housing for four semesters, I can confidently say the housing team has always looked out for me and has my best interest at heart,” said student Gianluca. “They are a group of understanding humans who treat the student body respectfully and make residential life a fun yet safe experience.”
The New School
Of all the schools mentioned, The New School may have the most quintessential New York campus for college-aged students. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, more than 2,000 students live in New School housing. The New School students are a part of stylish, downtown New York culture and are centrally located, with subway access to any borough outpost.
The school is incredibly diverse, with more than 3,500 international students and research scholars representing 100+ countries. Popular majors reflect this global sensibility and the unique opportunities available in NYC, with many students choosing to study fashion design, fine and studio arts management, and webpage design.
Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Even though Saint Thomas Aquinas College is located 20 miles north of Manhattan in Sparkill, New York, students can still visit the city whenever they need more familiar surroundings. The school, however, encourages on-campus engagement and promises a “welcoming, friendly community where international students find acceptance and collaboration across dozens of nationalities.”
There are plenty of opportunities to participate in events or clubs, and the staff is always available to help make the transition to a new country a little easier. Javier, an alum from Spain, said, “the international students are really taken care of in terms of keeping us happy, helping us get involved, and making sure we’re supported academically.”
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University is on Long Island, about 60 miles from New York City. You can take the commuter train to New York in less than two hours. Stony Brook is a great option for international students who want access to the culture, internships, and career prospects of New York City, but not the day-to-day hustle and bustle.
Located along the shores of the Long Island Sound, the university also gives students access to some of the best beaches in New York state. Less than 50 miles away are the Hamptons, a popular collection of seaside villages packed with designer boutiques and world-renowned restaurants, alongside the occasional celebrity.
“I heard from my brother that Stony Brook is a nice university, and the campus looked so beautiful, so that’s why I chose to come here,” said Sayaka from Japan. “I want to tell parents that they do not need to worry about anything. There are so many internationals, and even the native speakers are so kind. Their children won’t have a hard time.”
Finding a Home Away from Home
Diversity is a big part of what makes New York City such a great place, and each unique culture leaves its mark on the city, whether it be through food, fashion, art, entertainment, or commerce. The neighborhoods listed above are just a small window into the global world that exists in New York City, and what someone is looking for may not be where one expects to find it. It only takes a little searching to find that the far-off place one is missing may not be so very far away after all.
Shorelight can help you find your US university home away from home >
