The sun shines through my window as I pull the covers off of me. It’s a new day, and the excitement that I have cannot be contained. I hurry to the shower and then hurry back to my room to get dressed. My sister is doing the same. We both made sure that everything in our suitcases is ready and take everything to the car, wait for our mom, and start our trip up to the airport. Today is a day that I will never forget. Today I’m going to New York City.
At the airport, I can’t help but be anxious; the airplane took forever to get there.
â–º QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP
As soon as it did, I climbed up the stairs they placed for us outside, and took a look back at the airport and saw my mom and my brother waving at my sister and I. I waved back and then entered the plane. I had a seat next to the aisle, and my sister got one next to the window, but I didn’t mind at all. The clouds and the sky were beautiful until we got to New York. The sky got darker and raindrops were falling. But in no time, we were there. Outside my window it read, “Welcome to New York City”. The smile on my face could make the grumpiest of people smile too.
After a long flight, it was good to lie down on a soft bed. We were both at my grandmother’s house in Jersey City. We were tired and just wanted to sleep. Instead, I sat in bed for hours and daydreamed about what adventures we were going to have the next day. After that, my mind drifted off into sleep.
I woke up to the smell of a typical Dominican breakfast; eggs, plantains and fresh mango smoothie. I got ready to start my day and ate my breakfast quickly. Today we’re going to learn how to take the bus to New York City and how to take the subway for the first time ever. We walk out of my grandma’s apartment and sniff in some of the fresh air. We make our way to the bus station and waited to go to NYC. The rush of people at the bus station was overwhelming at first, but nothing compared to the rush of people near the subway. At first, I was frightened. Soon enough, my sister and I got the hang of it.
The rest of the days there, we spent going to museums and shopping. We went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the last day of the Alexander McQueen exhibit, and then walked across Central Park (on the same day) to the American Museum of Natural History. The next day we visited the MoMA and went thrift shopping throughout New York City. We went shopping down 5th Avenue and played in the rain in Times Square. There was an endless list of things we could do, but by the time we got halfway done, it was time to go back home.
I sat in the window seat on the plane and thought about my recent trip. I never knew that a city could have such a big impact on my perspective of life. I never knew that just one little spot on the map could be the home of such inspiration and endless possibilities. Right then and there, I decided that it was going to be my future home; that no matter where I decided to go in life, I’ll always know that New York City is where my heart is.
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