The Power of the Pen

Quarter Finalist 2009 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship
It is amazing what the power of the pen can do inclusively, it granted me the opportunity to go on an expense free trip to New York and Washington D.C.

It is amazing what the power of the pen can do inclusively, it granted me the opportunity to go on an expense free trip to New York and Washington D.C. When I applied to the Joseph C. Casale Scholarship I never imagined that I would be one of the winners because it seemed like a great opportunity that was out of my grasp. The day the six winners were to be announced I had softball practice and didn’t have the ability to attend the ceremony. I would never have known I was a winner if my friends wouldn’t have come to congratulate me.

The day we had to leave to New York I was very nervous and didn’t know what to anticipate. Even though I had traveled to other states I had never gone that far away from home and more specifically alone. I always appeared to be strong and brave but inside I was as scared as a baby. However, I felt better once I was close to my friends because we were all going through the same situation. As we were leaving Los Angeles we all received a “goodie bag” that included a digital camera, a $300 gift card, and hygiene essentials. We all felt like movie stars as the chauffer drove us to the airport.

When we arrived to the John F. Kennedy airport it was pouring cats and dogs. It was a huge change of climate going from sunny California to cold and cloudy New York. On our way to the hotel we were all disappointed since we couldn’t see any sights the city had to offer. Yet, the days that followed were life changing. During our first day in New York were visited the location where the twin towers were located and honored the memory of all the individuals who died during the tragic accident. That day we also visited the street were millions are made and billions are lost, the famous Wall Street. On top of that we went on our first taxi ride. The following three days were just as exciting as the first. We took several subways, visited the Empire State building, visited the Met, the Schwartz toy store, attended two Broadway plays, went to Times Square, and went on a ferry ride around Manhattan. 

Washington D.C. was much quieter but not less exhilarating. We visited several different monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Jeffersonian, and the WW II Memorial. It was a great privilege to visit some of the most important places in the world. However, as everyone knows important places require a lot of security. During our visit to the capital my roommate, Jocelyn, had the bright idea of taking pictures of the security guards. In a matter of seconds several security guards surrounded us and told her to surrender her camera. We all panicked but nothing happened it was just a procedure.

Some of the best moments of the trip occurred either during dinner time or at the hotel. At the hotel we played games such as the wigi board or UNO. During dinner we all shared our platters, which made everything taste even better. Throughout the course of the trip we tried to find the place that served the best crab cakes but they were all delectable. Overall, the trip opened my eyes to a world I did not know that existed. I experienced many luxuries that I do not have, I talked to ghost, and I just had the time of my life. I wish I could relive the entire trip all over again.