New to traveling

Hi I am new to the site and have been reading a lot of the post about traveling. I want to start traveling in April. I want to go to NY Long Island. Does anyone know around how much the housing stipend might be? I have been a nurse for 2 years in a large teaching hospital. I work in a CCU. I am nervous about traveling because of all the horrible stories I have read. Does anyone have any advice for a new traveler. Is the staff usually receptive to travelers? Thanks for your time.