Elle Joan is an actress and performer from Lisbon, Portugal. She has been living in New York for almost two years, moving between Manhattan and Queens. This is her story.
Why New York
“I’m from Lisbon, Portugal. Born there, grew up there, and spent most of my life dreaming about New York.
I’m an actress and a performer, and this city has more improv, more stages, more creative energy than anywhere I’ve ever been. Coming here wasn’t a spontaneous decision. It was something I wanted for a long time. And now that I’m here, almost two years in, I can tell you it’s exactly what I hoped and nothing like I expected.
Life Across the Boroughs
My daily routine changes depending on where I am in the city. When I’m in Manhattan, I try to get to Central Park every morning. Just a walk, some air, a moment before the day takes over. When I was living in Astoria, Queens, I’d walk toward the waterfront instead, finish the day watching the sunset over the water. The boroughs feel like different cities. You adapt to each one without thinking about it.
What stays the same is the movement. You’re always going somewhere. Every single day.
Finding a Place to Land
Finding a place to live that actually worked for me, as someone arriving from Portugal without the typical rental history and guarantors the NYC market demands, was the part I was most nervous about. SharedEasy made that part easier. No broker fee, no complicated application. I moved in and the rest was already handled: furnished, WiFi running, cleaning sorted. One less thing to figure out while figuring out everything else.
One of my favorite moments since moving in was a gathering where Rael, one of the residents, made homemade tapioca for everyone. We were all outside, talking, just being together. It sounds simple. It was really good. That’s what the events here feel like, not forced, just people who ended up in the same building actually getting to know each other.
I’ve been here about a month at my current place and I’ve already met people from 15 countries. Fifteen. In one month. Artists, tech people, finance people, architects, every kind of career path, all in the same building. The diversity of people I’ve met through SharedEasy is something I couldn’t have planned for.
What New York Does to You
The best thing about New York is what you can fit into a single day.
You can walk from Chinatown, where you are fully immersed in one world, to Tribeca, which feels like a completely different universe, and it’s not even that far. You can travel through what feels like different countries without leaving the island.
This city is made for everybody. I have never been somewhere that genuinely has a place for every kind of person.
My Speed Changed
New York changed my speed.
I used to be slow. I walked slow, thought slow, liked everything chill. Lisbon has that energy. It’s beautiful, but it’s unhurried.
Now I walk fast. I move fast. My whole rhythm shifted. Almost two years here and I genuinely don’t think I could spend a full day on the couch anymore. The city doesn’t let you stay still — not because it forces you, but because there’s always something that makes you want to move.
I don’t think I’d want it any other way.
If You’re Thinking About Making the Move
New York is a lot. It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s bigger than you expect. But if you find the right place to land, the rest follows.
SharedEasy made my first step easier. I didn’t have to figure out furniture, bills, or how to meet people in a city where nobody has time. It was all already there. If you’re moving to New York and you don’t know where to start, start there.
The city will do the rest. I promise.”
Watch Elle tell it in her own words below.
Elle Joan lives at SharedEasy's Manhattan Central Park West Home, Upper West Side, Manhattan. Resident status verified by SharedEasy. Story told in their own words, edited by Sofia Alvarez, Content Editor at SharedEasy.
