31-day writing challenge Day 4

 Day 4. And today's topic is "Your favorite holiday memory".

I've been to 15 countries, but it was actually not that hard to choose a favorite holiday memory. When I turned 18, my sister gave me the best birthday gift I've ever received: a trip to New York! Ever since I was a little child, I've always wanted to go to New York. And now it was happening! We didn't actually travel until the next year though.

The trip started with 19 year old me, taking a plane overseas for the first time by myself. It was stressful, but I was so excited. I met my sister in our airbnb in New York and we stayed there for a week. I remember we went walking around the neighborhood and taking the metro. Other things we did was watching Mean Girls the musical, checking out the Friends building and Sex and the city building, went to a baseball game, Moma museum, and we went to the 9/11 memorial and the world trade center.

My favorite memory from that trip is honestly just the feeling of being there. The feeling of finally standing in the middle of Times Square after growing up watching New York on TV. All the impressions and sounds and smells. So many different people from so many different cultures. All the different languages you would hear just walking down the street. It was a wonderful feeling, and I would love to go back someday.

However, the trip didn't stop there. After staying in New York for a week, we went to my sister's apartment in Chicago. She had been living there for around a year at the time. I had never been in Chicago either, but it was equally fun as New York. She showed me around the city and we went to Lincoln Park zoo, planetarium, took a boat ride in Lake Michigan and went on the observation deck of the John Hancock building. We also went to a pumpkin patch thing and a fall themed market. You could buy cinnamon apples and different fall themed decorations there.

I also have a favorite memory from Chicago. My sister, her boyfriend and I drove to see the Home Alone house! That movie has been my favorite Christmas movie ever since I was young. I might be a bit "Americanized" by my sister because we usually only watched American Christmas movies growing up and I've always been interested in the USA, especially New York, but also Los Angeles. I think I might be influenced by all the movies.

All photos are taken by my sister.