The principle of a rose
Day 20 | EF New York
Last full day. That sounds wrong, doesn’t it? I don’t like the fact, that things are ending. But getting over things that end helps us getting stronger and more prepared if (and it probably will) happen again. But let’s for example take my blog entry about the opportunity to travel, I said there, that when there are no endings, there won’t be any catch up’s, any reunions or any excitements to see each other again. Also, there might be no progress. When you have something forever, you would probably not be able to hold stand when this object isn’t there anymore. But when you get to know each other for like 3 weeks, you build surely for this time a great relationship, but does it hold stand for longtime? A lot of people forget each other after a while. In the beginning, it may be really hard, but you get to learn new things, new people and forget about the other ones. BUT. What when you give your best to stay in contact, what when you really try to see each other again. Will it work? Well. I don’t know. I just know that there are people, living all over the world, which who I had a really good time with in those weeks. At the moment of writing — all the feeling, the moments and all the experiences are still fresh, so I can write how I really would like it to be in future. But okay, let’s keep this tiny information for the review, as this should be an daily blog. Hah. Yay. So check the review, when it’s up.
Soo. TGIF. Thanks God It’s Friday. Well, not that much that it is this Friday, but okay. This Friday started early. Should be obvious — I wanted to enjoy every last second in NYC. So I started like everyday, with taking a shower. I decided to skip breakfast, that I can go for a walk and be back when class starts. But hey, you wrote that you are going to be a bad guy? Yes, I wanted to skip class in first place. But because of the fact that I already got all my presents, I asked myself — what should I do in the city alone (the others decided to go to class)? And I seriously found no answer for it — so, rather than staying in a coffee shop for a couple hours, I decided to go to class.
Long intro, now to my day. First of all, I went at about 8am to the Tarrytown lakes, which are situated right next to the EF campus, but I wasn’t able to make my way to there yet. So I started walking and in under 5 minutes, I was standing in front of a green’ish small lake.
I actually thought it was further away, but it’s right around the corner. If I had known about it earlier and had my jogging shoes with me, I might have been there for jogging sometimes. But well. I stayed unsporty during those 3 weeks. Shame on me. There is a sports building next to my dormitory and I haven’t been there yet. Tzzz. Well but I got an excuse, I wanted to go for swimming. But the pools open from 4pm to 9pm. During this time, I’ve normally been to NY or somewhere else, doing cool things.
So I continued my stroll downwards until I got to the Patriot’s Park, which is situated in Sleepy Hollow, the village next to Tarrytown. There I captured some moments with my phone. Those moments I used later for Instagram material and also today’s blog header. Yay. Really beautiful park with a strong background story. It has been made for the fallen solider in the 2nd World War.
So I continued my walk and went to this chilean bakery Rocio told me about. She told me that I really have to go there, it might be my last chance for now to get some chilean specialties. So I bought something I forgot the name of — because it was in Spanish. Another situation, where knowing how to speak Spanish would be great. I really have to learn it. Let’s see soon. Yay.
This cake was really good, I liked it. So no negative points for visiting Chile someday. I tried it on my way back to the campus, where I stopped for an Dark’N’Stormy Smoothie in a coffee shop in Tarrytown. And because I had to buy things for 10 dollar to pay with card, I added 2 cranberry muffins to the check. The smoothie is basically a mixture out of part frozen Strawberries, Bananas and Blueberries. And it is really gorgeous. Maybe the healthiest thing in this trip so far. But as I got 2 muffins, too — the whole breakfast isn’t that healthy. I ate one and saved the other one for tomorrow, for having something at the airport. Might be a good idea. Maybe it’s going to be dry as a death valley, but I don’t know.
Time was almost up, so I went back to the campus where I grabbed my school things and made my way eventually onto the classroom at 10am. Studio class, easy one. As it was the last lesson for a lot of the students in Debora’s class, we played the game Apples & Apples from the first week again.
It was a fun last lesson. I felt happy that I chose to be there rather than worrying around alone in NYC. So about the whole lesson we spent either with doing this game or talking about our future after EF. It was nice, a good last lesson.
After that one, I decided to wait for Rocio to later go to town with her for a last time. Because she got a progress test on this day she had to be there. I used that time for doing some luggage or helplessly trying to fit everything inside. But it eventually worked quite smooth. The time flew and therefore it was like 2pm when we left the campus to go again to this chilean bakery. I was already a bit stressed because we first said that we’re going to Williamsburg and then to dinner near Grand Central. And this was almost impossible by the time then. So I got a bit mad about it. A friend of Rocio had to drop off a package in the post office, so we went there on the way. There were some misunderstandings between the friend and the lady in the post office which resulted in a yelling battle between them. It sounded really terrible. Like — devastating. So afterwards, all of us were a bit mad. Terrible day. Last day. Yay.
We then still went to the chilean bakery. Because lunch and so on. So when we got there, they said that the particular food our chilean friends wanted (called completo or so.) was sold out for today.
So. Because of the fact, that it was already 3pm, Rocio and I decided to go back to the city. But we had to get back to the campus first, because she had to take her stuff. That’s now perfectly fine with me. But then I don’t know — I had this sad feeling inside of me, that made me think that I waste my last day. Well. But when I look back to this day, it was one of the greatest days. And I don’t regret anything. Why? Give me a moment.
So we went back to campus and then made our way to the train station. One last time with the train from Tarrytown to NYC Grand Central. It was like 6pm when we got to NYC and we then headed straight onto the one restaurant, an Italian from my class recommended to me. It’s called Academia Barilla Restaurants.
Aaaand… it was really awesome! One of the best (when not the best) food I ate in NYC so far! I had. We both took a lasagne and it was perfectly delicious.
It was just like the pasta of the brand Barilla I used to know in Switzerland. Therefore, it’s awesome and tastes like home. How awesome.
After this beautiful lunch aka dinner, we felt okay again. Actually, way better than before.
So we went afterwards in direction Grand Central where we went in some shops and had a great time.
Eventually, we headed at 8pm — the time when most of the shops close — to Times Square. There, I just wanted to say goodbye, I guess.
So we walked there and went to Footlocker again. There I was looking for a cap, because I really wanted one from NYC. Yay. So I found this awesome cap with an apple printed on it. Awesome.
Furthermore, I tried on some really cool shoes. And they fit aswell. Two strikes in one store! I already thought that I won’t be able to find a cap or shoes. So I felt really lucky and satisfied. Then, when I was just about to pay, somebody tabbed me on my shoulder and there were two guys standing in front of me, with which I play music in Switzerland. They just arrived today and were looking around. It’s Times Square, sure. But how small is the possibility to meet somebody there, without know about each other? That’s amazing!
So we caught up a bit and then I felt like really fabulous. So the day was already really amazing. So we walked by the store Sunglass Hut where we bought our sunglasses the other day. And Mr. Sunglasses, was also there, working. That was really cool, so I could wish him all the best and say goodbye. Yay. At this moment of the day, everything was like working, everything was working on making my day awesome.
So at exact this point, I was satisfied. I felt I had seen everything in this city I wanted to. Yay. That’s basically the point I wanted to reach that I’m happy to go home and share my experiences rather than being disappointed because something didn’t work out.
I think this day was like a rose. A great part of it is spiky and really uncomfortable. But anyway, the only thing that counts is how the rose blossom looks like, because no one cares about the spiky part.
Later, we did something I probably wouldn’t have done alone. To scream. Just a scream of pure happiness. So I did it and felt uncomfortable with. But nobody cared anyway. So I repeated it and it felt great.
Whoooooooooooooooooooooooohhh!
I felt actually that great, that whenever I’ll have shy moments in my life, I’ll think back to this place, and get inspired from it to do it. I felt really inspired that I did it. Life moment. Start getting out of my own shell from now on.
When I finished having goosebumps, we went to the train station where we took the train. In the train, we (mostly Rocio, haha) chatted with a native woman, living near Tarrytown. It was interesting to get an overview over the education system in the USA and other things. Therefore, those 50 minutes train ride were over super fast. That was also my last train ride in NY for now. Not yay? I don’t know — so. Yay.
We walked up to the campus, as we did it always. At the campus, I decided to spend my time at the umbrellas in front of Gaines to enjoy the last night moments. I met my roommate Arthur there and we then went to our room where we finished doing our luggages at like 4am. Yay. I was able to fit everything, without overweight anywhere! :)
So after this nightly session, I decided to go to bed and sleep for a few hours until we have to checkout. We have to be out of our rooms at 10am tomorrow. Soon.
So, hope you enjoyed this blog! If yes, maybe see you tomorrow for the last one!
XO Yannick
