Today I went to visit my family in New Jersey. On the bus I met a 22-year-old man, Marty, from Kentucky. He was staying at his friend’s house in New Jersey, and was a little confused about which stop to get off at. Luckily we were going to the same place so I was able to show him where to get off the bus. We started talking and he explained that this was his first trip to New York. In fact, this was the first time he had ever been on a plane. He told me how he was so nervous about getting on the plane that his skin turned pale like my skin. (He has considerably darker skin that I do).

<!--StartFragment-->

Marty told about his adventures in New York City. He went to Canal Street and bought his favorite cologne for only fifteen dollars while it is usually sold for eighty dollars. He told me about his trip to Central Park and the people he met there: 2 girls from Brazil who currently live in Brooklyn, and old man, and a young couple with their children. He told me that he passed the Empire State Building and wanted to go to the top but didn’t have the time. He told me that his next trip to New York he would definitely visit the top of the Empire State Building.

Then, he asked me if I had been to the top of the Empire State Building. I was a little embarrassed when I admitted that I never have been there. “What?!” he exclaimed when he heard my response. “How could you not have been there? You live in New Jersey right near the city, you go to school in the city, and now you have an apartment in the city. Promise me you’ll take advantage of that.”

And I did. So now one of my goals for this year is to visit the top of the Empire State Building. I wonder if I can get a discount with my Cultural Passport…

<!--EndFragment-->