Lost in NYC

New York City is one the biggest cities and most densely populated in the world, so there is a great chance of getting lost. The New York City borough of Manhattan contains 214 numbered east-west streets ranging from 1st to 228th. The streets do not run exactly east to west, because the grid plan is aligned with the Hudson River, rather than with the cardinal directions. Many people say that the streets are still confusing after they’ve lived there for years. “I still get lost almost every day, and I’ve lived here for seven years,” said Luis Corzo, an NYC resident. An article from the NYC Metro said, “There are more than 6,400 subway cars, which collectively traveled about 325 million miles in 2020, 472 subway stations, 665 miles of track, 5,784 vehicles in our bus fleet; all 100 percent accessible to riders with disabilities.”

I was about 14 years old, and it was my first time going to New York City by myself. I had been there many times before with my family but never solo. I got off the Greyhound bus and was waiting for my sister and her boyfriend. As the night approached, I started to get worried; my mom had warned me before that I should not be out after dark. Perhaps that was just her being worried or trying to make sure I was where I said I was. I called my sister several times, but she did not respond I tried to call my sister’s boyfriend, but he did not answer either.  At this point, it was 8:00 p.m. My phone had died, and I was stranded in a foreign place alone. I had a choice to make: should I walk away and try to make it to my sister’s house with no directions or should I stay where my sister told me to wait for her? Most people would be looking at Google Maps to find a place to go and be safe but that was not an option for me because I had left my phone charger on the bus. I saw people rushing around and everyone looked so busy and in a rush; I did not want to interrupt them to ask for help. Finally, a police officer saw me and could tell I was in some trouble. He asked, “do you need help?’ I replied with “yes, I need to find my sister”. He then proceeded to ask me what my sister’s phone number was and tried calling her, but she didn’t answer. At that point, I was completely confused and out of options. Then in the distance, I heard someone yelling my name. It was her, Finally. When we walked home, I asked her “why weren’t you here on time?” She said, “I am it’s 8:45”. I had told her the wrong time that the bus was dropping me off. When asked about the ordeal she commented “I felt bad, but it was honestly your fault.” I learned a very valuable lesson that day that communication is key when traveling and in life in general.