What would bring someone from Canada all the way to Hoboken? For Kirsten Schmidt, it took the NYU College of Dentistry. Kirsten moved to Hoboken three years ago when her husband started attending NYU and hasn’t looked back since. While moving to a different country took some getting used to- she had to break in her sneakers and adjust to city life- Kirsten quickly grew to love Hoboken.

Kirsten grew up a country girl in Edmonton, Alberta, where life moves slower and the scenery is more rural and spaced out. “There’s not that much sense of community in Edmonton, which is one thing I really like about Hoboken.” Hoboken has given Kirsten a feeling of home along with an abundance of activities to partake in. One of Kirsten’s favorite ways to spend her summers are participating in the free activities and events on the Pier- “I just took a free Zumba class the other day and loved it. Everyone should try it.”

When Kirsten’s not busy with Zumba or one of the other many pier activities, she likes to people watch in the park. “There are so many different faces every day.” To Kirsten, Hoboken is the perfect balance of youth and family. “There’s a really good culture for young people, with all the bars, and it’s also very family oriented. I can see why people want to raise their families here.”

While Kirsten eventually plans on moving back to Canada with her husband, she makes every moment in Hoboken an eventful one. Patricia’s Yarns helps feed her love of knitting, where she can take knitting classes and walk by and see what new yarns she might want to try out on her next masterpiece. Describing herself as “creative and passionate”, Kirsten also enjoys photography, refining her painting skills and visiting the Stevens Institute of Technology on warm summer evenings.  Kirsten thinks people miss out on the beauty of the Stevens’ campus during the summer, saying, “It’s a great place. They have comfortable chairs, beautiful trees and hundreds of lightning bugs- we don’t have lightning bugs in Edmonton.”

Kirsten likes to take the short PATH ride into the city on weekends, but always appreciates coming back to Hoboken. “Hoboken can be crazy, but there’s a sense of familiarity and coziness. It’s the best way to escape the city.” When Kirsten’s husband isn’t attending classes or studying for a test, they like to dine out at their favorite restaurant, India on the Hudson, and fulfill their ice cream addiction with Ralph’s Ices.

When asked what she’s going to miss most about Hoboken, Kirsten responds, “It’s like home now. I’m going to miss walking out and having everything right there.” For now, Kirsten is making the most of her life in Hoboken, and wouldn’t have it any other way.