Nothing beats the excitement I felt checking into J1Accom Boston for the very first time. I arrived late on a Thursday evening and the place was buzzing with people. It was the first big night out in Boston and there were people everywhere chatting and making friends, all filled with excitement for the summer to come.
There were four of us doing our J1 in Boston, a city we chose because we had heard so many stories of former J1-ers having a brilliant time there (anecdotally it is also easier to get a job in Boston than Chicago/San Diego). Boston is also a very Irish city, with plenty of Irish pubs, GAA clubs and community organisations that made it feel even more like home.
J1Accom was always our first choice for accommodation, this was vindicated when we heard stories about the cramped conditions some people were living in in private accommodation.
To me, there were two principal reasons to choose J1Accom over renting a house/apartment. The first is that it removes the hassle of trying to find a place online, while removing the risk of getting scammed by dodgy landlords. As well, many of the private rented accommodation is much further outside the city than J1Accom.
The second reason is simple, living in J1Accom is just better craic. In Boston there were hundreds of Irish J1 students living under the same roof so there was always a buzz around the building. Living next door to other J1-ers means it’s easier to make new friends and there is always something happening in one of the many common areas.
Boston itself is a great city to live in, with a busy nightlife and plenty of shops, restaurants and things to do. It is also a smaller and more walkable city than many other American cities, with a great public transport system.
My summer in Boston is one I’ll never forget and the memories I made in J1Accom will last a lifetime.