The second morning in New York was a lot better, but still not great. I woke up in the morning with the same feeling in my stomach. Though, it was a lot better because I was not adding another layer by worrying if I was actually sick, I knew that I wasn’t and that by the afternoon I would be feeling fine. Not much happened this morning, a little teasing with Mrs. S at breakfast is always a good way to start the day.
We started the day out in the city by boarding the bus, and in order to be safe I sat in the front of the bus with my friend. As a whole school group, we bussed over to Brooklyn to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan to get footage in lower Manhattan, well our group did. Everyone else just went to certain places to ohh and ahh and learn about the significance, but we knew that the following day would be very busy. Anyways, walking the bridge was lots of fun and it was very pretty to see the city from far away. Though, I do think that it’s better to travel as a smaller group. We were stuck behind everyone else. Also, what I had been a little nervous for about having Mrs. S as a chaperone came true a little bit, her frazzled and stressed state. At least we were able to escape the big group for a little bit and she could go back to her more relaxed, fun self with just us.
Like I was saying, this day would be pretty hectic as would the next day in order to fit everything in, because our group just had to be difficult. What should have happened was this, go down to a few locations as a whole group after walking the bridge, go to the 9/11 memorial together, spend some time at the seaport, then go back to Central Park on the bus for a little bit more, then on Thursday go down to lower again, but this time to gather footage before the group interview and then again after. However, because my group choose a location in Brooklyn our day on Thursday was not as easy, cascading to making today more rushed and stressed. We had to go along with the group to most locations, but as well doing the readings, we also had to get footage. And what should have been a fairly relaxing late morning to early afternoon became rather rushed as we split from the big group to get as many documentary places filmed as possible to eliminate tomorrow’s stress. In the end we got half done, which was our goal, but everyone was pretty rushed and stressed during the filiming. Though, after looking at the footage it seems as if they have plenty to work with, it will just take some creativity.
I had said previously that we went to the 9/11 memorial. It was very pretty and was touching. (And on our walk over there a group member got separated from us although she was still with the big school group. It shook her up a little bit, but we were joking that because of where we were going people would think that she was being sentimental.) I decided to walk around with her and it was very relaxing. It was astounding to see all 3000 names of those that died, including what we thought to be the saddest of them all, “______ and her unborn child.”
We made it back to the bus with plenty of time before we had to leave for central park. The rest of the day was definitely my favorite part of Wednesday, and maybe even all week. The first part of our central park activities was going to Strawberry Fields in order to see the “imagine” memorial, where the plan had been to sing our rehearsed acapella Beatles songs in tribute. However, there had been some discussion in class about wether or not we would actually sing there or not because of a law that says that it is a quiet zone (keep in mind that it was not a silent zone.) Even though they have been doing this for a few years now and have never gotten in trouble, and the singing would not be very loud and it would be in tribute to John Lennon, we decided not to sing there, but find another place to sing. None the less it was a very beautiful memorial and it was actually smaller than I thought that it would be.
After giving people plenty of time to marvel at the mosaic, we continued on to the Bethesda fountain where there is the annual whole humanities group photo taken. So many of us began to get the song, “That’s How you Know” from the Disney movie, Enchanted, stuck in our heads as this was one of places of filming. While we were there we saw two wedding shoots going on, both of which were very cute, and also reminded us of the song. After getting organized for the photo we didn’t know where to go. Some people had seen a sign at the memorial that said no amplified music, which made sense and also meant that we would be allowed to sing there. The question was, do we walk all the way back or do we continue on and find another place to sing. No one really knew and the two leaders were not communicating very well, which created leadership issues and tension. This was the point that Mrs. S and the rest of us were just joking and just waiting for instructions, which never came. It was pretty nice though because for the first time the week Mrs. S and I were walking buddies. I always enjoy just talking with her, in fact I just like being with her and listening to her stories, she is just so amazing and supportive.
For the whole walk it was mostly Mrs. S and me side by side, though we still talked with some others, it was a great walk, even when we got lost. We were pretty much the leaders of the group with one of the main leaders in the very front. I am not really sure what happened, but I think that we just talk took the wrong path because we ended up having to cross a small back road and it was just all very confusing. Though, we made it there and what is life without a little adventure. I can’t remember everything that was said on the walk, but it was something about talking about Mrs. S life before teaching and what she would do if she was president, all I need to remember though is that it was a very fun walk with Mrs. S. (I realize I keep saying that and not elaborating, but it is so hard to explain the connection that I have to this teacher, especially without going into details or to someone who doesn’t know her, but she is seriously my top teacher and my “school-mom.”) On the walk in where we got lost we were going to the Belvedere Castle, it wasn’t all there, just a tower. However, we went up to the top where Mrs. S took a picture of us, and another little surprise.
After the castle, we went to our final stop before returning to the hotel, the Obelisk. We ended up singing here as we waited for the busses to come back. Though, some groups decided not to sing, which we thought to be totally unfair since we really didn’t want to sing, but Mrs. S pushed us forwards. It was fun, though we started cracking up 3 times during our performance, and we were sandwiched between two really good groups. The first time we started laughing was because someone messed up the song, the second time was because we looked at Mrs. S and she was making faces, and the last time was because people kept thinking that we were done with our song after each repetition of the chorus (there was a lot at the end). We tried to get Mrs. S to join us, though again she refused that she couldn’t carry a tune (like any of us could). On the bus home we continued our singing fest, where she did join in.
We headed out to iconic TImes Square for a dinner at Hard Rock cafe. Again, we were the first ones there by quite a bit, though that meant, again, that we were the last ones to sit. It was fun though, I sat with my friends from other groups and we all caught up with how our week was going. Also, the evening was very nice because the cost of the restaurant was already included into our total cost, meaning that we didn’t have to deal with paying out of our wallets. On the way out of the restaurant my group is halfway up the stairs when we hear “Sammy Hager!!!” We turn around to find Mrs. S freaking out because Sammy Hager, from Van Halen, is at Hard Rock. She had went to his concert this past summer and I swear her reaction was worse than a teenage girl, it was pretty funny. (We love you Mrs. S)
The rest of the evening we spend shopping. It was kind of tiring and the actual shopping was kind of boring, but it was very nice and relaxing to talk with my two best friends and Mrs. S. This was what I pictured Times square to be and I love the hustle and bustle.
When we got home it ended up being a late night because of Mrs. S coming to talk with us about finalizing transportation plans for going to Brooklyn the next day. There was also a slight scare with a knock at the door which was a result of the hired security guard getting scared for another reason. So all in all it was a great, long, day. The morning was definitely rushed and kind of stressful, but the afternoon and evening made up for everything, in its simplicity, adventure, and relaxing quality. It very easily could have been my favorite part of the entire trip. Even what was to come tomorrow morning.
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