Yes, I arrived yesterday morning at 5 am in the capital. However, when I arrived, my bag did not. I wasn't surprised, considering I almost didn't make my connecting flight in Paris. But before I rush in to all those detail, let me start at the beginning.
I left Tucson on Saturday afternoon at around 12 pm. It was hard to say goodbye to my family. Though I was excited to leave, the unknown of what to expect in the coming days was little frightening, plus the thoughts of flying internationally by myself was a little daunting as well. The flight to Chicago was short and sweet. Nothing eventful happened. When we landed in Chicago, I had 30 minutes to make my connecting flight to Paris. Thankfully the gates were fairly close to each other, so I didn't have to worry. At the gate I called home for the last time and said another tearful goodbye. It's amazing how God always seems to lift your spirits when you are down. As I was waiting to board the plane in Chicago, still a little emotional, a couple who was standing beside me struck up a conversation with me. They were actually from Phoenix and headed to Paris for their honeymoon. We talked for a while before boarding the plane and then low and behold, when we boarded the plane, guess who I was sitting by? Yes, that same friendly couple. It was a good flight to Paris, though I didn't sleep at all. When the plane arrived in Paris we were told the local time was 8:30 am. (Sunday morning) I thought "great, I have 2 hours before I need to catch my next flight". Let me just say, Paris is the biggest airport I think I have ever seen. When I got off the plane I had to walk, and walk, and walk before I actually ever made it to the main portion of the airport. I was instructed to go down some stairs in order to get to terminal 2c. (I had landed in terminal 2a). I went down the stairs and was then told to wait for a shuttle bus to come and pick me up. It was then I learned the time was really 9:30ish and not 8:30. I started to panic. My flight from Paris to Bahrain boarded at 10:20. I began to think there was no way I was going to make my flight. We waited and waited and waited...probably a good 30-45 minutes before a shuttle bus arrived. Of course when we got on the bus, terminal 2c was the last stop. By this time it was way past 10:20. I ran off the shuttle bus at terminal 2c up some stairs to discover I had to go through a security check point. I then ran up more stairs to get to my gate, which thankfully was right at the top of the stairs. I raced down the walk way you go down in order to get to the plane. I had to go down more stairs that took me outside to a waiting bus. Thankfully the bus was packed with other people who were apparently late for our plane. The bus drove us out on to the airport tarmack ( I think that's what it's called) and we finally boarded the plane. Let me just say I was a little bit of a wreck. When I sat down I just wanted to start crying. I'm not sure why because I had made my flight, but it was all a bit stressful. Arriving in Bahrain about 6 hours later, I was able to finally meet up with the teachers I was supposed to meet up with in Paris. We rushed to our gate in Bahrain and again had to take a bus out onto the tarmack in order to board the plane. Let me just say, I think Bahrain is the hottest place I have ever been! It was around 8pm when we boarded the plane and the air was so think with humidity and it was so hot!!! It took my breath away it was so hot. This plane was not full at all, so the three of us had the whole back of the plane to ourselves. We definitely took advantage of this and spread out in the seats and slept most of the way to our destination. We finally arrived at 4:50am Monday morning. After going through customs and immigration we made our way to the baggage claim. This was the first thing we saw:
There was another pile of "lost/unclaimed" luggage on the other side of the conveyor belts. We waited for our bags of come down the conveyor. My two travel companion's bags came right away, but I continued to wait and wait and wait. My bag, my one and only bag, never came. Thankfully one of my traveling companions knew what to do. We went over and inquired about it. Apparently, though I made the flight in Paris, my bag did not. The man who helped us filed a claim for it and said it should be there in the afternoon. However, we were leaving in an hour to go to a different city an hour away by plane. He told us to call later in the afternoon and they'd fly it down to me. Hopefully my suitcase will not end up in a pile like the one above!
The now four of us (we added another traveling partner for this leg of the trip) made our way to the domestic airport and boarded a little, tiny propelor plane. We arrived at our destination and then had an hour van ride to my new home for the next 90 days. After I settled in I went up stairs to one of my new friend's apartment and took a shower. She let me use her toiletries and things, since mine hadn't arrived. We then went out and walked around, ate at a local restaurant, and tried to get money out of an ATM. We all had no luck with getting money. In fact, the ATM told me it had given me money, but it didn't spit any out. So, now I have to get that situated, because I really didn't withdraw any money.
I ended the night by attending a prayer meeting with all of the people I will be working with and getting to know over the next few months. It was a great time even though it was hard to fight sleep. I was able to meet one of my students at the meeting. I think I was in bed last night by 8:30. Unfortunately I only slept 3 good hours and tossed and turned the rest of the night. Hopefully I will get adjusted to the time soon and be able to get on a pattern of sleep. Pray for me as I begin this journey. I am excited and so glad I'm hear. God has been faithful to comfort me and give me a peace through the journey. Continue to pray for me. Please pray my bag arrives. We have called the airport twice and they have not picked up the phone. Pray that I can get everything worked out with the bank and get the money I withdrew, but didn't really get. I thank God I've had a peace about it all, but I would really like my suitcase, with my clothes and toiletries.
I left Tucson on Saturday afternoon at around 12 pm. It was hard to say goodbye to my family. Though I was excited to leave, the unknown of what to expect in the coming days was little frightening, plus the thoughts of flying internationally by myself was a little daunting as well. The flight to Chicago was short and sweet. Nothing eventful happened. When we landed in Chicago, I had 30 minutes to make my connecting flight to Paris. Thankfully the gates were fairly close to each other, so I didn't have to worry. At the gate I called home for the last time and said another tearful goodbye. It's amazing how God always seems to lift your spirits when you are down. As I was waiting to board the plane in Chicago, still a little emotional, a couple who was standing beside me struck up a conversation with me. They were actually from Phoenix and headed to Paris for their honeymoon. We talked for a while before boarding the plane and then low and behold, when we boarded the plane, guess who I was sitting by? Yes, that same friendly couple. It was a good flight to Paris, though I didn't sleep at all. When the plane arrived in Paris we were told the local time was 8:30 am. (Sunday morning) I thought "great, I have 2 hours before I need to catch my next flight". Let me just say, Paris is the biggest airport I think I have ever seen. When I got off the plane I had to walk, and walk, and walk before I actually ever made it to the main portion of the airport. I was instructed to go down some stairs in order to get to terminal 2c. (I had landed in terminal 2a). I went down the stairs and was then told to wait for a shuttle bus to come and pick me up. It was then I learned the time was really 9:30ish and not 8:30. I started to panic. My flight from Paris to Bahrain boarded at 10:20. I began to think there was no way I was going to make my flight. We waited and waited and waited...probably a good 30-45 minutes before a shuttle bus arrived. Of course when we got on the bus, terminal 2c was the last stop. By this time it was way past 10:20. I ran off the shuttle bus at terminal 2c up some stairs to discover I had to go through a security check point. I then ran up more stairs to get to my gate, which thankfully was right at the top of the stairs. I raced down the walk way you go down in order to get to the plane. I had to go down more stairs that took me outside to a waiting bus. Thankfully the bus was packed with other people who were apparently late for our plane. The bus drove us out on to the airport tarmack ( I think that's what it's called) and we finally boarded the plane. Let me just say I was a little bit of a wreck. When I sat down I just wanted to start crying. I'm not sure why because I had made my flight, but it was all a bit stressful. Arriving in Bahrain about 6 hours later, I was able to finally meet up with the teachers I was supposed to meet up with in Paris. We rushed to our gate in Bahrain and again had to take a bus out onto the tarmack in order to board the plane. Let me just say, I think Bahrain is the hottest place I have ever been! It was around 8pm when we boarded the plane and the air was so think with humidity and it was so hot!!! It took my breath away it was so hot. This plane was not full at all, so the three of us had the whole back of the plane to ourselves. We definitely took advantage of this and spread out in the seats and slept most of the way to our destination. We finally arrived at 4:50am Monday morning. After going through customs and immigration we made our way to the baggage claim. This was the first thing we saw:
The now four of us (we added another traveling partner for this leg of the trip) made our way to the domestic airport and boarded a little, tiny propelor plane. We arrived at our destination and then had an hour van ride to my new home for the next 90 days. After I settled in I went up stairs to one of my new friend's apartment and took a shower. She let me use her toiletries and things, since mine hadn't arrived. We then went out and walked around, ate at a local restaurant, and tried to get money out of an ATM. We all had no luck with getting money. In fact, the ATM told me it had given me money, but it didn't spit any out. So, now I have to get that situated, because I really didn't withdraw any money.
I ended the night by attending a prayer meeting with all of the people I will be working with and getting to know over the next few months. It was a great time even though it was hard to fight sleep. I was able to meet one of my students at the meeting. I think I was in bed last night by 8:30. Unfortunately I only slept 3 good hours and tossed and turned the rest of the night. Hopefully I will get adjusted to the time soon and be able to get on a pattern of sleep. Pray for me as I begin this journey. I am excited and so glad I'm hear. God has been faithful to comfort me and give me a peace through the journey. Continue to pray for me. Please pray my bag arrives. We have called the airport twice and they have not picked up the phone. Pray that I can get everything worked out with the bank and get the money I withdrew, but didn't really get. I thank God I've had a peace about it all, but I would really like my suitcase, with my clothes and toiletries.
No comments:
Post a Comment