USA Trip 2003

Another 'BRGS Travel Experience' took place over the summer: a trip to the USA. Both exciting and reflective, as students took in both the traditional sights and Ground Zero, where the WTC used to stand.

Priya Loomba reports >>

On the 22nd of July, Mrs Kennedy set out with a number of staff and about 50 of our students, to Heathrow airport where we would fly to New York.

Arriving there at 11.00 pm American time, we drove to the Lower Eastside Y.M.C.A where we would be staying for three days.

On our first morning in New York, we had a guided tour around Manhattan, seeing sights such as Wall Street, Times Square, the Empire State Building, many famous shops, Harlem and loads more! We were able to see the September 11th site, Ground Zero and view the memorials, people from New York and all around the world had put up for the lost lives.

We also got to go shopping!!! We went to the world famous Macy's, Century 21 and a few malls. We took the underground to get to the Hard Rock Café where we had a great meal, and to the Empire State Building, from which we got a limo ride back to the Y.M.C.A!!!

We took a morning ferry to see the Statue Of Liberty on Ellis Island, as well as going to see the New York Museum of Immigration.

Our time in New York had been brilliant and we still had Washington to go to!

In Washington, we also got a guided tour around the city, seeing the White House, Capitol Building and lots of other famous political sites. We saw the impressive Abraham Lincoln and George Washington Memorials, and the Arlington Cemetery where many American soldiers are buried. We were able to go to the American World War II museum, to learn about the Holocaust and to see the Washington Memorial, an enormous monumental tower.

We got to do even more shopping here! We visited the Washington Macy's and a couple of malls and outlets, and bought loads of new clothes 'n' other stuff. We went to see Men In Black II as well as going to TGI Fridays.
At the end of the week, exhausted, we made our way to JF Kennedy, Airport, where we had to take our plane back home. Everyone had a brilliant time and no one wanted to go back!

Thanks for arranging the whole thing, Mrs Kennedy!

USA Trip 2003