Living thousands of miles away from your family is one of the toughest things anyone can face. Seeing my whole family only once a year for just a few weeks is something my family and I go through every summer when we visit them in Paris, France. When my parents decided to move across the world for my dad’s job, it came with its challenges. Not being able to spend holidays or celebrate life’s biggest milestones with their siblings and parents was a sacrifice they made so my sister and I could live in America.
This is why whenever we get the chance to see our family, we take it. The last time I saw my uncle, aunt and cousins was in June. Normally, I would have to wait until next summer to see them again. But this year is different, as I will not be returning to France, and we do not know when we will see them next.
So, when my aunt told my mom she would be visiting New York City with my cousins for a week, my mom immediately saw the perfect opportunity to surprise our cousins.
On Oct. 25 at 6 a.m., my family and I boarded a flight to New York City to surprise my cousins, Elisa and William. Earlier this year, they had surprised us by visiting Miami for a week, so it was only fair for us to return the favor.
We landed at 10 a.m., rushed to our hotel, dropped off our bags and hurried over to my family’s hotel to catch them off guard. Around 11:00 a.m., we spotted my cousins walking down the street. My sister and I quietly followed behind them, then suddenly hugged them from the back. This completely caught them off guard and left them stunned.
After the laughter, hugs and some tears, we spent the rest of the day exploring the city together. We started by walking through the streets of Manhattan, guiding them through the location of our old apartment and preschool.
This really felt like a full-circle moment, as every time we visit them in Paris, they show us their home, their school and their favorite spots. Now, it was our turn to share a piece of our past, since I lived in New York for about two years when I was younger.
We ate lunch at Jack’s Wife Freda, wandered around SoHo for some shopping and tried the famous Levain Bakery cookies and BonBon Swedish candy. Our day ended in Times Square, surrounded by bright lights, loud music and the quintessential New York ambience.
The next morning, we woke up bright and early to spend our last few hours together. We walked through the streets of Brooklyn, crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoyed one final family lunch before heading back to our hotel to say our goodbyes.
Surprising my cousins after months apart was such a special and heartwarming experience. Even though we only had 24 hours together, it felt like a huge gift. Seeing my dad bond with his brother and my sister and me reconnect with our cousins reminded me how precious family time really is, and how it should never be taken for granted.
