New York City Beyond Tourism

If you are reading this, then you are a member of an elite group—and we don't mean “the literate.” You're a student preparing for a semester abroad. You're taking a gap year to save the trees, the whales, or the dates. You're an 80-year-old woman who has devoted her life to egg-laying platypuses and figuring out what the hell is up with that. In short, you're a traveler, not a tourist; like any good spy, you don't observe your surroundings—you become an active part of them.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to study, volunteer, or work in New York City as laid out in the dossier—er, chapter—below. More general wisdom, including international organizations with a presence in many destinations and tips on how to pick the right program, is also accessible by logging onto the Beyond Tourism section of www.letsgo.com. We leave the rest (when to go, whom to bring, and how many changes of underwear to pack) in your hands. This message will Z self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck.

A Philosophy For Travelers

Tend To one of New York’s many parks through an internship at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation . Deliver nutritious hot meals and a friendly smile to AIDS and cancer ...more

Volunteering

Though New York is often portrayed as a city of opulence and opportunity, it also is home to substantial disadvantaged populations that lie hidden beneath the city's bright lights. As a result, New York ...more

Studying

It's hard to dread the first day of school when New York City is your campus and exotic restaurants are your meal plan. Study-abroad programs range from basic language and culture courses to university-level ...more

Working

New York may be a “concrete jungle where dreams are made of,” but a stay in this dreamy city can come at a price. Fortunately, there are some opportunities to earn a living and travel at the same time ...more