Visit to New York City

[DavidO]

I am planning to visit New York City during the month of June...This is my first visit to the US.

It would be nice to have some contact with some local brothers and sisters as I plan to stay 2 weeks.

Are there any brothers from the big city online?

Maybe they can give me some tips as to suitable accommodation? I am unemployed at the moment so I can not overspend my budget.

I am planning to take my daughter with me (age 18)

Your brother from the Netherlands,

David

[trottigy]

David, speak with the elders in hall about your visit. They can go on-line and get you information from the US branch for discounts and places to stay in the area. Make sure you have your DPA (Durable Power of Attorney) - they do ask for it as proof you are a JW.

My wife and I did this last year - it was awesome!!!

[ava]

I am planning to visit New York City during the month of June...This is my first visit to the US.

It would be nice to have some contact with some local brothers and sisters as I plan to stay 2 weeks.

Are there any brothers from the big city online?

Maybe they can give me some tips as to suitable accommodation? I am unemployed at the moment so I can not overspend my budget.

I am planning to take my daughter with me (age 18)

Your brother from the Netherlands,

David

New York City can be a bit intimidating your first visit, lol. There is alot to do though.

I have been there twice now, and we are hoping to go sometime this year.

Enjoy your visit.

[bohemian]

David, speak with the elders in hall about your visit. They can go on-line and get you information from the US branch for discounts and places to stay in the area. Make sure you have your DPA (Durable Power of Attorney) - they do ask for it as proof you are a JW.

My wife and I did this last year - it was awesome!!!

What is this "Durable Power Of Attorney"? How does it prove one is a witness?

[retroHelen]

Dear David, we went to New York on a budget on 2 occasions (the 3rd time it was a tour of America which was a special treat) - we actually went twice because we won airline tickets just for buying Entemann cakes and on another occasion - a vacuum cleaner. We stayed in fairly basic accommodation we found on-line, but made sure it was near a central subway station, so it was easy to get about New York.

We had Baedeker's Guide to New York which gives bus numbers/subway trains for each destination and a good map.

We checked out the map of the airport before we got there so we were familiar with the terminals for arrival and departure so we would not get lost. We organised our transfer to the hotel on the general airport coach service and found where their bus-stops were. This took us to the main Port Authority bus station and we took the subway to the nearest stop to the hotel or walked there.

Shortly after arrival in new York, the first thing we did was go to the Times Square Visitor Centre and get a 4 day or week's pass (depends how long you are staying) on the subway.Also, this is the place to stock up on any leaflets about places to visit, with opening times and admission fee information. There are public restrooms here, which is handy to know - if you need restrooms anywhere else, you have to pay for drinks at bars or entry to venue first to get to them.It is worth the initial expenditure for the subway pass as it was cheaper in the long run,and easier as not all subway stations have offices where you can get tokens/tickets and working out the digital push button displays to buy a ticket was too complicated for us.Get a good map of the subway, so you can work out the route and which train to catch to the nearest tourist destination you want to be. We went by subway to most places.

We found food cheaper than Britain and much larger portions at MacDonald's. Around the Broadway area we found places called Deli's, some run by Vietnamese. They sell hot food you collect, buffet style in a big covered plastic dish-like container and you pay by weight of the container at the till. We bought for 2 of us and drinks from their chill cabinet and found a place to sit and eat it - Central Park or Bryant park - where you can watch new York life for free. They play French boules in Bryant Park and anyone seemed to be joining in!

You can walk round some great shops without buying anything and they are like theme parks/interactive - your daughter may like them. Check out online or Youtube for Toys r Us, Warner Brothers, Walt Disney, FAO Schwarz Toys on 5th Avenue. You can goggle at some amazing skyskraper atriums/foyez for free - Trump Tower, Chrysler Building etc

Some museums were by voluntary donation, but much cheaper than Britain anyway. We spent a whole day at the Natural History Museum with it's amazing Rose Science/Astronomy Centre where you go on a 3D trip round the Universe. Another whole day at the Met Museum - a bit like Paris Louvre or the British Museum.

Bethel was the only expensive trip. We got the subway to downtown Manhattan and taxis were reluctant to go over to Brooklyn from there and charged more. We had been spooked by people telling us not to make our own way about Brooklyn as it was not as safe in the streets, so we preferred taxi. The brothers at Bethel's reception organized the taxi back, which dropped us at Chinatown/Little Italy, where you can buy souvenirs cheaper than at the tourist shops Midtown/uptown as they are all made in China anyway!

We have always had a great time in NY. The only part we did not enjoy was the long security checks of ourselves and our luggage at the airports that you have to allow time for - but such is life in these unsafe times.

[trottigy]

David, speak with the elders in hall about your visit. They can go on-line and get you information from the US branch for discounts and places to stay in the area. Make sure you have your DPA (Durable Power of Attorney) - they do ask for it as proof you are a JW.

My wife and I did this last year - it was awesome!!!

What is this "Durable Power Of Attorney"? How does it prove one is a witness?

Last week at your service meeting in the UK (January 30th) what was the last part about?

[bohemian]

Advance Decision to Refuse Specified Medical Treatment document.

You evidently call it something different in the States. ooops. Power of Attorney has a somewhat different connotation in Britain, I fancy.

[trottigy]

Advance Decision to Refuse Specified Medical Treatment document.

You evidently call it something different in the States. ooops. Power of Attorney has a somewhat different connotation in Britain, I fancy.

Yeah, it is a "scary" term here also. In the US when you give someone "power of attorney" they can do anything they want - even having you locked away in a "crazy farm". Fortunately, that form is a "limited" type of "Power of Attorney". To make MEDICAL decisions in case of ones inability. But even that is big.

I never thought of the different terms that would be used around the world. Thanks bro.

This is a great document to ascertain if someone is a witness. I mean it wouldn't be foolproof in any way, but a good starting point. What other religion urges it members to make medical decisions based on Bible principles - before they get in an accident? None that I know of.

Remember when we got the Insight books? In the US, they had us show our "No Blood Cards" to show how long we were in the truth. Back then our DPAs had us put how long we were baptized in them. That is changed now, but that really showed how many of us had filled them out.

Every now and again when I go to an elders school or something where they want to check out if a person is a witness - they ask to see this. I find it interesting.

[rocket]

One other thing to remember for those that move from one State to another in the USA. The DPA is State specific. The DPA in Nevada may be different in legal terms used there in, than the one used in Oregon for example. So when moving from one State to another one need to update their DPA.

(In Oregon and many other States) For people with serious medical issues including the elderly, Hospital Emergency rooms go by a POLST which is an official DPA/Medical Directive signed by a Doctor (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Paradigm). This POLST is registered by the STATE and can be accessed by an EMT team or any Hospital Doctor via phone or internet. Your POLST should include your current DPA because the registered POLST will override a DPA in some circumstances. POLST are filled out and registered with your State by your Primary Physician.