NYC: Thanksgiving 2011

Day 1

Happy Thanksgiving November 24, 2011 and New York New York song stopped by into my ears as Pat, Stefi, X and I spend our Thanksgiving holiday in NYC. Why NYC? Well, it’s the most accessible, cheapest and nearest destination from Boston. We depart from South Station on the afternoon and arrived in NYC at night. It seems that Thanksgiving holiday for American looks like Eid al-Fitr holiday for Indonesian when most people go back to his/her hometown. The bus station is crowded. We stay at our acquaintance in Queens.

My first impression of NYC: feels like as if I were in Jakarta…in a better version of course.




Day 2

On the next day, we go to Macy’s Parade. I don’t really like the idea of spending my holiday in a crowded place in a big city like this. But, hey I’m in US. I can’t expect to hang out in crowded place which has an atmosphere like when I sat in the middle of the crowdedness in Kathmandu. Hence, I am more excited on seeing the audience than the parade itself.




The street is packed of people for sure. I wonder seeing the people. I bet they’re not Americans. I mean the normal American would be at home preparing Thanksgiving dinner right? I just assume that they are tourists or Americans who want to show the parade to their children and have someone else prepare the Thanksgiving dinner. Well, my roommate said that her parents took her to Macy’s Parade when she was a little kid. But, as she had grown up, she avoids the parade. Here some information from Wikipedia: “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy’s Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy’s started in 1924”.

Besides the audience itself, we can see the parade!!! Yay!! These are some characteristics that mean a lot to me (yeah right): Elmo, Kung Fu Panda, Spiderman, and Smurf.











Since the police clear up some part of the streets from the cars for the parade, we could take a walk in the middle of NYC street. When else can we do that? There’s a family who are not only walking in the middle of the street, but also singing. It’s great! One of them said: This is my holiday. I can do this :) Happy Thanksgiving mam!




I have to continue this writing tomorrow. It's 2.24 am. Haven't sleepy yet, but must wake up in the morning...

12 hour in NY: Aug'11

An email to Erica....

"I arrived in New York on Sunday noon. The immigration officer there was very nice. He knew that I had to continue my flight to Boston on the afternoon, so he reminded me to pick up my luggage first and explained how to get to domestic terminal. This is my first time to US and I always thought (and most of my friends as well) that US immigration is quite 'mean' to Indonesian passport holders hehhehehehe. But that thought had changed since I found so far that all the officers at the airport are helpful as long as you're cooperative of course :)

After I checked in my luggage for a flight to Boston with AA, I had a lunch. Later, I found out that AA canceled all flights to Boston that afternoon. The AA customer service suggested me to reschedule the flight to tomorrow. I gave her my blank look and said: "This is my first time in US and I had no plan to stay in NY. I only have my friend in Boston who is going to pick me up in Boston". And she's surprise..then she rescheduled my flight to another flight but from LaGuardia airport.

I took a bus to LaGuardia ..and voila..it's LaGuardia. It turned out that all flights to Boston by AA were canceled due to the weather (I already called my friend who lives in Manhattan in case I need a place to stay the night in NY). The AA customer service was very panicked to see the Boston flight schedule. I said to her: inhale...exhale...take a deep breadth..relax mam :) huahahhaha I'm the one who's supposed to be panic that time.

I was kinda upset at first. But who can blame the weather? After all, I was too tired to get upset in a long time :) She became more relax then (a lot of people still in the line wanted to ask about their canceled flights). She changed my flight to US Airways and told me the direction to go to US Airways departure lounge. It's on the other side of the airport. She spoke veryyy fast and I just said: what??? She repeated it. The point is: downstairs, take a bus, terminal B. And I asked again: which way is the downstairs? huahahhaha she's out from her counter and pointed me the way. Don't worry, she's still smiling. Maybe she thought: crazy Asian!

I ran..it's 17.00 and the flight was 18.00. Well..finally I was in US Airways to Boston at 22.10 :) the weatherrrrrr!!!! When the pilot said: passengers...be prepare for the turbulence ahead....I successfully fell asleep :)

I met a lot of interesting people along the way.

- There's a British thought me coming from Tunisia..when I said I am from Indonesia. Jeezzz...Indonesia not Tunisia (I already mentioned Bali and near Singapore).

- While I was waiting for the flight, there were two women entrusted me with their bags when they're going to toilet or buying food. I was surprised Erica...there's no way in Indonesia someone will entrust their bags to a stranger (or I looked like someone who opens a daycare bag? hehehhe)

Along the way from JFK to LaGuardia...I see it just like Jakarta...severe traffic jam. I haven't visited other parts of NY. Here, there's a lot you have to do by yourself: self check in at the domestic terminal, put your food trash by yourself, swipe your debit/credit card by yourself, etc.

The heat Erica....it's hot here. Ok without the humidity..but it's hot. It's kinda ridiculous when someone from tropical country complained about the heat huehhehehehe I realized that most of my time in Jakarta is spent in air-conditioned room. But the parks in Boston are beautiful. It'll be very cold here in winter.

I thought that's the story for now. I have to go the laundry...(another thing you have to do by yourself) :) It's great."

Hence, no Indonesia's travel stories until next year...