Thanksgivingness.....

So the week is almost over and I haven’t even posted about my break! I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving Break, I know I did! Well, let’s just say it wasn’t your typical thanksgiving, at least for an Illinois-er. I spent all of last week is New York! The flight to NY and back was perfect:

Leaving Chicago Monday afternoon...








Flying so high in the sky!!


I’ll just let my pictures tell the story…

My brother was scared to fly into the big bad city of New York...



But when we neared the city--it was amazing...














Then our adventure began...

Monday night we arrived and had dinner at the little eatery at our hotel. PAN American in Queens (one of the 5 boroughs of NY)--"the most convenient hotel in NY!" was the banner hanging outside. It was sweet because most of the people that stayed there were from around the NY area, or they were foreigners from Norway to Ireland to Minnesota (haha) to Illinois-ers =P.

ANYWAY, the main reason for my trip to NY besides seeing family that I haven't seen in ages?? THE Tour of Light conference held at the United Nations headquarters in New York! Sukyo Mahikari, a spiritual group I am a part of, held the conference. And it was absolutely amazing to meet people from all over the US, not to mention all the youth group members! THAT was exciting. Unfortunately cameras were not allowed in the United Nations headquarters so I have no pictures from this day. Can you imagine some young person like myself in my youth uniform with a whole other group of youth members walking into the United Nations representing something we believe? I felt so honored to have been able to attend such an event! I got to sit in one of the huge conference rooms and have that funny little earpiece w/ the English translator and listen to Odairisama's greeting. If you want any more information about the organization...ask me via email (elota2@uis.edu). So this was an all day event and the main highlight of my week...although there were many others..

So how can one top something like going to a huge conference in the UN?? Nothing really...but it can get kind of close.

Wednesday we rode in style and took a tour through Manhattan. (and the main reason why we had a limo instead of a tour bus for the first half of the trip was because the tour bus we were supposed to take broke down!)



So..onto the first stop on the tour:



Too bad King Kong took the day off...I wouldn't blame him though...it was pretty chilly up there..



the very top of the Empire State Building



a couple of shots that I took when I was up in the observatory:













Our next stop after the Empire State Building everyone's favorite stop: LUNCH!!
So our tour guide, Jay-jay had us eat like a "new yorker" and we had to eat in a deli, cuz that's how new yorkers do it. And MAN, was that an experience...never in my life had I had to order something so quickly in such a tiny cramped space. But what a rush! haha..never knew ordering some pizza would be so crazy.

Then our next stop was right across the street:


The ferry ride was windy/rainy but awesome:
another ferry passing by with the Statue of Liberty coming up...



my brother being a goof...we're getting closer!



A pic my brother took of me...and I wasn't really ready...



We shopped around a little bit in the Statue of liberty store at the foot of the Statue...lots of fun! Then we took the ferry back to Manhattan...and I took a sweet pic of the Miss Liberty at dusk....as we were leaving...



For this next stop I'm just going to post pictures...
*-*-*


*-*-*


*-*-*



And then we traveled around Times Square..got stuck in Times Square traffic at 7pm..and kind went to the UN, but you could barely see it because it was so dark out. We had a chance to shop around the Rockafeller Center and we finally made our way "home."


Wednesday night was when our relatives picked us up to stay with them in Stanton island. That was a really long drive that I can't really remember cuz I think I fell asleep several times...

Thursday: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The whole point of us getting the whole week off for break. I felt so blessed to have the opportunity to go on such an amazing vacation...of course there's always the little bickering--but in the end we all still love each other..(insert: awwwwwww). Reflecting this past week I realized how blessed I really was, and that I shouldn't take for granted all the family, friends, and other blessings in my life. I had so much fun taking a commuter ferry from Stanton Island to Manhattan--to see the all famous Macy's Thanksgiving Parade!! 80th Anniversary!!
This is kind of a funny picture of me...i was freeezing, but it felt so good to be out there:



Friday: We had to leave NY...
Brooklyn Bridge


A sweet shot from my window seat:




....and that's it! That's the end of my NY TRIP!!!! It was amazing...wasn't too long or too short..and was just what I needed to unwind....until friday night when I realized I hadn't done any of my homework that was due after the weekend....!! But I still hung out w/ Brian and Kevin friday night..and we watched Borat...THAT was an 'interesting' film...that's all I'll say about that.

The rest of the weekend, I got to spend time with friends in their hometown and just enjoy the rest of my 'break'! It was good to see old friends and finish up all my homework. Sunday was a blast moving back into the dorms and getting a feel for the old room again.

And then I realized I had a ton of homework to do....

thankfully I was able to finish it all by the time it was due ;)! Note to self: stop being a procrastinator.

And that's my break! Fantastic huh? Sorry it took so long to post.

Also, today is November 30th, the last day for a certain individual to work for UIS--and I would just like to take a moment to wish well to a Mrs. Donna Tucker. And a CONGRATULATIONS on YOUR RETIREMENT!!! It's well deserved, and for the short time we worked together--all the random lunch conversations, we became friends over the year! You really went out with a bang! 3 parties in one week, you must be someone special!! I wish you all the best in any future endeavors you may have, and may you bring a smile (like you did with all of us in SUITE 525 in the PAC) to any person you meet!!!


And with this, goodnight. :)!