My first day after arriving was, to be honest, a bit stressful. I had to wait for my pickup, and then at the hotel I had to wait again before I could check into my room, because I arrived in the morning rather than after lunchtime.
I shared the room with three other girls, and luckily there were no problems at all — everyone was very kind and friendly 💖
We reached New York City for the first time by boat and saw the Statue of Liberty, although only from a distance.
But I liked the city right away!
But I liked the city right away!
We stayed in the area of the 9/11 Memorial, where we were given a very moving tour. We also visited a national park, which was incredibly beautiful. It felt unreal to see in real life the famous New York views that you usually only see in movies.
That was also when I first experienced American prices: a sandwich and a bottle of water cost me $18, while nearby I bought a GAP hoodie for just $30.
Of course, the biggest impression was Times Square. An unbelievable number of people and so many stores! That’s where I became friends with some new girls, and we walked around exploring all the popular places. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to see everything.
Overall, the first days were full of new friendships and impressions, and they became a great start to my exchange program experience.