If you follow me on Twitter you know that I label myself as a “Native New Yorker.” That’s because I’ve been living in New York all my life. That’s also because the furthest west I’ve traveled in America was probably somewhere around Pennsylvania, maybe even Baltimore. I love my city and I never ever leave it because I experience all the world’s cultures right here in Queens, NYC. Asides from a trip to Canada, and Florida, I’ve never traveled outside of NYC alone, and most places I’ve went traveled to has always been with friends or parents.
Well, that all changed last week.
Just last week, I did something I always wanted to do and dreamed of. I planned it for two months before, but I decided to go take a solo vacation to Los Angeles. My friends called me crazy. Said I have no life for going alone.
But, for the first time in my life, I’ll be going to the “Left Coast.” It also was the first time that I was traveling alone, and on my own bank. I paid for hotel, and airfare with my own (freelance) money. I also got a selfie stick, because, well, I needed to take photos!
My parents were also cool with me going as long as I called them every night and let them know where I was heading everyday. I was hella nervous, as you’d expect, but I wanted to learn. I wanted to experience my country. I wanted to grow.
And so, I depended on Google and Reddit for planning my trip, and also a friend that I had met online (who happens to live in LA.) More on her in a later post, but the idea was that I was going to be independent and on my own for the first time … and also a very far way from home.
I wasn’t depending on my parents or the first time in 26 years.
My father dropped me off the airport on the morning of my flight, and wished me a safe flight. I checked in with JetBlue and ended up going through TSA. All routine stuff there. I then waited at the gate and boarded my flight, and got on the plane.
It was a long 6 hour long flight, but I was so excited. I took pictures out of the side of the window, and spoke to the people next to me. I posted on Twitter about my experience, and annoyed my friends on Instagram with posts in my story.
I couldn’t wait for the plane to land. When it did, it was one hell of a new experience, that I’ll never forget.
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