Personal Narrative: My First Trip To New Jersey

Vacations had always been an ordinary occurrence for me. Most of the locations were only an hour or so away, and the visits lasted only a couple of days at most. My parents accompanied me on each of these trips, so I always felt a constant, secure presence near me. But when my mother informed my brothers and I that we were scheduled to see my grandmother, who lived over 1500 miles away in New Jersey, a flood of anxiety and excitement rushed over me. Being only twelve, I felt like I was off to a far away galaxy of some sort, not another state, as the idea of being there for an entire week lingered in my mind. It was my first trip to New Jersey, my first time flying, and more importantly, my first extended stay from home. I was prepared for the journey ahead with the opportunities it held, and staying without my parents would lay down a new path into maturity and independence. My attention was focused on the trip and what was to come of it as I boarded the plane for the four hour flight.
After arriving in Parsippany from the airport, we exchanged greetings with our grandmother, picked our rooms, and unpacked our bags, knowing this would

My brothers and I visited a near-by beach, where people went frequently. The thing that shocked me the most was- that I had not asked for permission to go, I just went. However, freedom was the main thing that came to mind, something I never thought would feel so enlightening. After the beach visit and a good night's rest, we were off to something much larger; New York City. There is nothing like it, as the endless buildings, which seem to rise forever, the masses of people, blanketing the sidewalks and streets while walking to and fro, and the mix of so many different, unique cultures flow together to form a single living, breathing metropolis. I felt a sense of freedom in the city and was disappointed in having to make the trek back to the little home in