In March 1938 Balink immigrated to the United States, became a citizen, and worked as a correspondent for Dutch daily newspaper, "de Volkskrant". The 1940 United States Census indicates that he was living in Queens, New York, with his wife, Lydia. From New Jersey and twelve years his junior, Lydia worked with Balink as his secretary. In 1948, he published a socioeconomic study of the Caribbean, "My Paradise is Hell". In the 1950s he founded and edited a magazine, "The Knickerbocker", a publication aimed at Dutch Americans. The magazine was instrumental in allowing Dutch baseball player, Han Urbanus to train with the New York Giants. Urbanus used this experience to further develop baseball in the Netherlands. Also in the 1950s, Balink chaired the committee for the William the Silent Award for Journalism. In early 1953 he served as executive of Holland Flood Relief Inc., which helped coordinate relief efforts during the North Sea flood of 1953. Balink was an active amateur tennis player.