The entire group was on time and at BNA airport around 6:45 a.m. with our luggage and smiles following right behind. I accidentally went ahead and did security before everyone else, but it didn’t take for the rest of the group to get through. The flight itself was short, and many of the girls tried to catch up on sleep.

When we landed, luggage was secured, and we met our Bob Rogers tour guide, Michael, who caught us up on New York’s traffic problems and must-see sights. We made it to the hotel room, and all of the hotel rooms are cute and comfy.

We didn’t chill for long because we had a tour of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. What initially hit me was the “Surviving Tree,” which has survived being knocked over three times and struck by lighting twice. The museum itself was amazing because of the organization of information and gathered debris, as well as the videos and first aid vehicles that were collected during the moments of the attack.

After grasping the importance of 9/11, we took some time to unwind. We went to a bowling alley and had burgers and pizza for dinner. It was delicious! 

-Lydia