When you think of New York City you think of an environment that is constantly in motion and never able to stop. This is true. This city never sleeps. It is always in fast-forward, and as you pass people on the street you find that they are so pressed for time, to get from destination to destination, that they are unable to smile or say "hello". This was hard for me to understand the first week of this trip, since at the Lutedome it's almost considered unkind to say "hello" to some one passing you on the walkway.

Wow, three days left! It is bizarre to think that I will be living in a different city for three weeks, and experiencing a melting pot of cultures through art and day to day interactions. This will be my second time going to New York City. The first time I traveled with my high school band and performed in the Macy's Day Parade, but now, I will be traveling to experience much more than a couple tourist destinations. There is something about New York that is able to capture your heart...your very being, and not hold it confined but rather relinquish freedom. For centuries, New York has stood as a symbol of freedom, hope, and prosperity...all that this country is said to offer. There's a magic that seems to find every crevice of the city, and although it is always evident, it is more so at night. Times Square shares a glow and life that is so powerful it seems capable of healing any crisis that resides in your soul. It's magnificent. Breathtaking. I look forward to standing as an individual in the glow of the light, but knowing that I am a part of something much bigger. I hope that I am able to capture one image (although I will be taking many) that can truly capture the very essence of the city.