Do you ever get that feeling when you're overcome with nostalgia for a place so far away that it's hard to even imagine? I look back with such fondness on those sunny days as a J-1 student. My journey last summer went from indifference to incredible excitement, and all those memories remain in my heart.

I was lucky enough to live in a country club. It didn't win me over right away; it happened gradually, and with each passing day, my friends and I loved it more. It had its own unique, cozy atmosphere. I remember stepping out of our cabin every morning, breathing in the fresh air, looking at the tennis court that was busy from dawn, and scanning for which coaches were working. Right there, next to the tennis court, we would gather almost every night to discuss everything happening, sharing our experiences and thoughts. We often went to the beach that was part of our club, soaked up the sun, called our parents, and caught up with friends before heading to lunch. We had the opportunity to swim in a huge pool, walk all over the club grounds, and act like we were members. We also spent evenings on the beach when we just wanted to take a break from everything.

Our club was located in a town just a forty-minute train ride from the center of Manhattan, so we could easily visit New York every day. At first, the city seemed quite dirty to me. A lot of things there are different from what they show in movies to brighten up the setting and give viewers the impression that this famous city, New York, is unreachable and incredible. It is interesting, mysterious, and, to my surprise, attractive in its own way. With each new visit, I saw the city from a new perspective, and during our last meeting, it revealed itself to me completely differently than it did on my first visit. It became one of my favorites.

All those skyscrapers drive you crazy. At first, we walked around looking up, not even trying to count the floors. We marveled at this stone city, the huge number of people around, and the constant noise of cars honking at each other. We were surprised by the free citizens who could hold their own rallies, shouting about their rights; we were amazed by the coexistence of Central Park in the very center of Manhattan and the huge stone high-rises around it, the number of homeless people along world-famous streets, and the special local color.

We saw Times Square by day and by night, a candy and chocolate shop with incredible flavors, the huge M&M's world, the old McDonald's, the famous Broadway, and all sorts of freaks. I remember us holding hands and running through the crowd on July 4th, Independence Day, to make it in time to watch the fireworks from Roosevelt Island, and then joyfully marveling at what was happening. New York is a city so alive that it takes your breath away! Its lungs are Central Park, its heart is Times Square, and the constant stream of people running nowhere is its blood. And this whole boiling, restless city remains in my memory as something incredible.