How to learn the streets in NYC?

Don't worry. Even us native New Yorkers still get lost now and then. And the best way to find your way around is to just walk and explore. Manhattan will be easiest for you to learn your way around since it's pretty much a giant grid--the majority of the streets are numbered. You might have to use a street map for a while and sites like hopstop.com (which tells you how to get around by train and bus). But after a while you'll be able to get places without even thinking about it, just from experience. That's all part of the fun of moving somewhere new!