Our Irish guest for the month of July arrived yesterday. Brogan comes from County Derry in Northern Ireland. She is a member of the Project Children Group which brings Irish children under 15 to the USA every summer.
Brogan had to be met at Kennedy Airport. Too many years since I had been there I relied on my brother Joe, who works in NYC, to get me around. And get around we did. We met on Staten Island and since we were both early, going to Coney Island to walk to boardwalk seemed an appropriate way to while away the hours. The fishing pier was proof that America is truly a melting pot. Each fisherman was a different nationality and their boom boxes played an international musical language. Being at the beach with the NY skyline right behind you is a unique experience for we non city dwellers. Passing up a hot dog at the original Nathans, we opted for dinner at an Italian clam house in Queens. Going from Brooklyn to Queens the farewell sign read "Fegeddaboudit", not simply good bye. Dinner was amazing. Mussels marinara and calamari....mmmmm.
Brogan was ushered in by bagpipes and since it was just sunset, Joe drove off to show her the NYC skyline after dark, taking us to some cool places that tourists never go. Ice cream under the Brooklyn Bridge lights was magical. The Statue of Liberty from Red Hook dock was illuminated by fireworks in Jersey City. So beautiful. We rode on cobblestone streets...who knew they still existed? It made me want to reread A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN.
Brogan was fading fast so we left NYC with a promise to return. I hope she had as good a day as I. Being with my brother was fantastic and the tour of NYC unbelievable. We grew up going to "the city" as we called it but it is so different now and I think I have grown to love it again after years away. Seeing the remains of the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing brought back great memories of how special those World's Fairs were. "The city" reminds me too of birthdays my mother and I celebrated with a Broadway show and dinner at a fancy restaurant. We saved all year for it and couldn't wait for April to come. Gotta love it. Maybe I am still a city slicker at heart. Where would I put my sheep?
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1 comment:
Hello,
I am interested in the Project Children group. I had heard of this program many years ago & am glad to see it is so successful. Is this your first year of participating? Our state isn't listed as "participating", but I am still interested. Welcome to the US to Brogan.
Marianne in Oregon
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