Three years I am studying computer science, I need a break. A break in studying, not in computer science! This is time for an internship, as imposed by my school. This time, I wanted to leave my native contry to have a long experience in new environment. Relatively new, because I chose to spend the next five months in the USA, not Tibet.

I was proposed a very attractive internship, both technically and financially. The company is called 24/7 Real Media and does digital marketing. It is located in the middle of Manhattan and lends us an apartment near Central Park. I mean us because I am leaving with three other students I will introduce another day. I will take off on September 2 and come back on January 31. Until now, I had to prepare everything to go to Uncle Sam’s. And they are cautious. Well, I got everything right on time.

A problematical task is money management. Most banks do not want to open an account in the USA for less than a year. Obviously, I could say that I stay longer, but I would pay fees for the rest of the year. And if I use my current credit card over there, I would be charged enough to feed a dinosaur (a big one).

I was told to look at HSBC because they provide easy and cheap international money transfers, and a long interview with a banker confirmed it. I chose to open an account in Paris, so that I could use my credit card in any HSBC cash machine, even in New York, without any tax (6 times a month). The banker told me they could open an account there later if I wanted/needed without charging me. Maybe. At least for a beginning, the best is to bring cash, and since $ < €, to change the money in France.

About phone, let’s stay I will use emails. Neither SFR nor Orange had something interesting for international calls. They both have their passport option, but that just lowers a bit communication bills. I have seen that AT&T, the US communication leader, provides something called GoPhone, it may be a solution for local and international calls. The solution looks just like phone cards. I will take a closer look at it.

LCD Soundsystem — New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down (2007):

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I think I am quite ready, with 22.999 kg of luggage…