New York circa 2004
Missing New York City while in New York City
“Actually, I was wondering if you could travel with me,” my friend said on MSN Messenger. It was right before the winter break of my college freshman year, 2003 going 2004. I was a little surprised since we were not so close as friends back in Japan. We met when we both had been studying to apply for U.S. colleges. She ended up at a school in Texas and I did in Rhode Island. Then, when our first holiday season in the U.S. came around, she messaged to invite me for a trip. The idea did excite me, so I said, “sure, I can go with you.” That was how we decided to travel to New York City that winter, two of us, for two weeks.
It was the second time I traveled to the city. The first trip was with my father in my senior year in high school. We traveled to visit schools I was planning to apply. To be honest, I could not even narrow my choice down to the east or west coast. I had never been to the U.S. and the encyclopedia-esque book of U.S. colleges only listed the basic information of each school. How was I supposed to pick a school that I would spend four years? A city? A state? For me, the trip was more to get the general feel of the cities I had known only by name. We went to Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. New York City was by far my favorite. We spent little time checking out colleges, then spent most of the trip by just exploring the city. I was amazed by everything the city had to offer.
For the second trip to New York City, my friend and I mostly walked around different neighborhoods while picking up all sorts of knickknacks. I bought a black wrap skirt at a flea market in SoHo, Destiney’s Child CD at Tower Records, and a Chinese fan in China Town. We window shopped at the luxury stores on Fifth Avenue, took a picture of a guy playing drums with plastic buckets, and visited the construction site of the World Trade Center. I felt quite intimidated riding the evening subway with our suitcases.
We decided to spend New Year’s Eve at Times Square. We figured it would be the ultimate touristy thing to do. Only a few years after 9/11, the security at Times Square was very tight. We had to enter the area about six hours prior then wait outside. I wouldn’t dare going there now, but back then, we were excited. That we were in New York City. The city that astonished me so much. I remembered the time I had to pick a college from the ones I was accepted. I picked the one in Rhode Island since my advisor told me it would be close to New York City. Sort of. It turned out to be a four-hour drive. The vast geometry of the U.S. was still hard for me to grasp.
As we shivered on the slowly darkening street of Times Square, some started to sing their national anthem. I believe it was one of the South American countries. I was impressed to see how they could be so cheerful under the freezing weather. All I did was worrying about finding a toilet and wishing for time to pass faster. Yet at that moment, I realized that we were actually in the middle of the place people from various backgrounds share the same experience. We were in this together sharing the joyful moment.
It was midnight. We stared at the top of the tower where the ball was supposed to drop. “Did it drop?” “I don’t know. I can’t see a thing.” Then, the fireworks came. Next, the shower of paper confetti. All the while people were cheering and hugging each other. We were not there to see the actual ball drop but to experience this whole “I once spent New Year’s at Times Square.” I wondered if I would be coming back to the city one day. I picked a few paper cut-outs off the street and later glued them on my journal. That was how my second year in the U.S. had begun.
After all those years, I am writing this inside a room in New York City. The friend who traveled with me is still a nice friend of mine. I still wear the black wrap skirt I bought on the trip. Even after spending so many years in this city, and now more than ever, I remember the moments I spent during that trip. It is funny how many things I acquired on that trip had survived the challenge of time, including my love of the city. The feel of people from different backgrounds sharing the same moments. Joyful or painful. I am ready to fall in love again, taking the subway like the first time, walking down the streets of different neighborhoods, and being amazed by everything this city has to offer.
