Not Just a Bridge – The Golden Gate Bridge

Growing up, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco was the ultimate symbol of USA for me. New York was all the way far behind me. I feel like I see the bridge in the movies more often than the Statue of Liberty. Also, California is more popular in Filipinos than the eastern state counterparts.

You see, the Golden Gate Bridge is more than just a bridge for me. It is a symbol of a little girl’s big dream – to catch a glimpse and probably take a million photos of it. I remember seeing it in movies when I was young(er) and asking myself “How does it feel like to actually see, touch or even kiss that bridge in real life?” They would not call it “golden” for no reason at all (or so I think).

Fast forward to year 2010 I fulfilled more than that little girl’s dream- I have decided to live in the USA; in one of the best cities in the world, New York city to chase and catch bigger dreams. But this was not my 10-year-old self actual fantasy. It was to catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge and take million photos of it.

Then seven years have past, here I am, looking at the exact same bridge I’ve seen in movies when I was ten(years old) but this time it’s more real that I can actually touch or even kiss it if I want to. The feeling was so surreal. I remember when we passed through the bridge I even exclaimed, “Finally, I am in America!” I knew right then and there that my 10-year-old self was cheering with my adult self saying- “We finally made it.”