I first met Tiffany when we were both participants on an NYU Alternative Winter Break. We were driving from New York to Atlanta, Georgia, where we would stay for a week and volunteer with the program “Open Hands,” a charity that prepares and delivers meals to homebound seniors or those who suffer from chronic diseases. A sixteen hour car drive definitely is sufficient time to bond, and Tiff and I did just that! Somewhere along I-95, we truly went from strangers to close friends.

While we were in Atlanta, we had the amazing fortune of visiting/delivering meals to some amazing people. Our favorite person was arguably 95-years-young Margaret, whom we nicknamed “Maggie.” Although Maggie rarely put her teeth in when we were there, she was still as sharp as a pin and we had a great time hanging out with her in her apartment. While we admired the seemingly endless supply of plastic flowers in her apartment, she would tell us stories about the civil rights movement (which was very prominent in Atlanta) and recount stories from her past as a poor black woman with few rights.

Thankfully, we had an extra “NYU Alternative Breaks” t-shirt with us, and we all agreed it would be best if we gave it to Maggie as a token of our friendship and utmost gratitude. Tiff and I also performed our very own version of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” for her; although neither of us are vocally talented, our rendition nonetheless came from the heart and Maggie was moved to tears (that, however, could be only because of our screeching voices).

After every encounter that we had with the senior citizens, Tiff would scream, “Have a blessed day, Georgia peach!” back at them, and they were visibly brighter and cheerier than before. When people ask me about my trip to Atlanta, I cannot begin to articulate everything I gained. It was nice being out of the New York weather for a week; we got to sight-see Atlanta, a charming and historic city; we got to help countless people and create a better understanding of our role as Americans; but most of all, I forged a friendship with a very special person with whom I would love to travel even more.