New York!!

I have spent just over 24 hours in New York and have seen and done so much! The flight yesterday was delayed by about an hour and a half so I had plenty of time to get to know the lady sitting next to me, including her family history, her son's many qualifications, her diabetes etc etc etc! On arrival to JFK airport 11 fellow BUNACers and myself met and got a shuttle bus to the Hostel Internal New York where I got put in a room with 5 bunk beds- 4 kampUSA people- Oli, Ola, David and Morag plus a couple of other BUNACers who were not on our flight. We had a short walk around the area circling the hostel and grabbed some mcds. Everyone was shattered so we had an early night.

This morning we all woke up at about 6, showered had breakfast and headed for subway! We went to Times Square which was absolutely amazing and so surreal! Everything is so big and bright and colourful. After this we went back to the hostel and all of my new friends and I were separated as they went up to their camp in upper state NY. Luckily... I wasn't left on my own as someone who had contacted me on fb- Hannah turned up from another hostel and we went off to go and check our luggage into the next hostel we were staying at- Vanderbilt YMCA.

We spent the rest of the day being mega tourists! We saw Grand Central Station (Incredible), Central Park (beautiful and massive), New York Public Library (so much better than UEA library), Rockerfeller Centre, Trump Tower, The Plaza Hotel and American Girl store amongst other things.. We also went to go up the Empire State Building but it was very cloudy so we have decided to go Saturday night and hope for clearer weather! We are also going to head to Ellis Island and see the Statue of Liberty tomorrow. It has been a very exciting day and being in Grand Central Station made me feel as if I was an extra in Gossip Girl! We have walked for hours and hours and taken hundreds of photos.

Today I met some really interesting people including a man with very long nails who first asked us to donate money for his cause and then said he had jobs for us which involve watching a tv screen and watching security footage. The pay was amazing but the orientation evenings aren't until Tuesday and Thursday so I think I will be giving it a miss. We also met a couple of guys from Holland in Starbucks who shared their table with us when there was no space left! We walked around Central Park with them and saw a young guy singing and dancing who told us he had been on American Idol and need us to watch his YouTube videos and add him on facebook! Austin Freeman! I also bought some Calvin Klein sale jeans from Macy's which was very exciting! Altogether a fantastic day and I really feel like I've seen a lot of NYC although I am absolutely shattered. The YMCA is a little bit grim but it's all part of the experience :) I got to speak spanish to a lady in Macy's today which was also a lot of fun.

Tomorrow we are thinking of going to Ground Zero, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, Times Square (as Hannah didn't see it today) and the Empire State Building. I am also going for brunch with a New Yorker tomorrow which is super exciting! Sunday is our departure day which is a little bit scary as I'm still not sure where I'm going! Hannah might have a job in Cape Cod, she is phoning the man tomorrow and seeing if she has one and if he has a place for me too :)

Wish everyone at home was here to share the experience! xx