first things first.

My trip started out wonderfully before I even left because of my incredibly thoughtful friends. First off, Megan gave me a new memory card for my camera. (thank you!!) It was so sweet of her. I've been needing one for a very long time, and it was so nice having a card that would hold a bajillion pictures. I went crazy and now have 7 bajillion pictures to sort through, since I would download them every night and start afresh each day.

Krystyna gave me a present which had the instructions "to be opened on the plane". I just love surprises, and this one left me in awe—a book for my trip full of ideas, notes, and thoughts of what I should do in New York. Everyone else in my group was jealous.





These were my favorite spreads, but there were many, many more with suggestions such as: buy a New York Times newspaper off the streets of NY, take a picture with a policeman on a horse, feed the pigeons in times square, squeeze a NY fireman's bicep, and create your own graffiti. She even gave me money to give to the homeless people. How thoughtful is that?