January 21st.
For over a YEAR I had been anticipating the event that happened that day.
And for MONTHS I had been waiting for that specific date.
January 21st, the day that I, at 22 years old,
would MOVE all the way to Paraguay.
would MOVE all the way to Paraguay.
Finally that day had come.
On January 19th and 20th, I spent most of the day frantically packing up my whole life, sending some things to my storage unit and the others, the things necessary for a teacher in Paraguay for a year, were thrown haphazardly into two large duffel bags, a small red duffel, and a rolling backpack.
I stayed up all night on Monday the 20th, and at 4:00am it was time to start heading to the airport. Mom drove us through a thick fog all the way to Tampa as I sat in the passenger seat addressing some envelopes that never got mailed and writing my information on luggage tags, in true procrasinator fashion. ;)
As we arrived, I figured all my stresses would be left at the curb and I would walk confidently to my plane, excited for my adventure... instead more stress tests awaited me, along with a guardian angel.
After saying goodbye to my mom, I got to the ticket counter to check-in. The lady at the counter asked if I had my return ticket home. I got nervous and told her I didn't... That I hadn't bought it yet, but I plan to later. The airline required that I buy a roundtrip ticket so there was evidence I'd be leaving the country before my visa expires in 90 days. After many silent prayers asking God to work this out because I was not expecting to pay $940 that morning, the ladies came back from talking to a supervisor and were able to offer me a return ticket for just $218.35! They just added it on to my existing ticket and all I had to pay was the difference in price between the one way and the roundtrip, and I can assure you God was the one holding the calculator on that one. ;)
I was so nervous then that Natalie would be asked to do the same when she checked in for her flight, though I later found out that she didn't. Weird, right?
After the ticket fiasco happened, I was told my two checked bags were too heavy... but luckily, the kind lady (Ms. Guardian Angel) who helped me get the $218 ticket instead of the $940 one told me it was okay and that she wouldn't charge me.
THEN she told me my carry on bags were too big for the cabin, even though I had taken a tape measure to WalMart with me along with the baggage regulations to make sure I purchased the correct sizes, and told me I'd have to check one. Again, she said she wouldn't charge me for it! Praise the Lord! I could finally be on my way!
At this point my plane was boarding and I was nervous I wasn't going to make my flight if I had to stand in the long security line. In walks Ms. Guardian Angel on her way to the gate... "Copa Airlines? Anyone flying Copa Airlines?" Me and an elderly couple raised our hands and she escorted us to the front of the security line so we could pass through quickly and make it to our flight on time.
At this point I was tired, hungry, a little stressed, but overwhelmed with how good God was taking care of me through all of these little problems along the way. I sent my last goodbye text messages and at last I was heading south!
When I finally made it to Panama about four hours later, I was so glad to have all the problems in Tampa behind me. It still felt a little strange knowing I had a ticket home for April 19th since I had mentally prepared to be away until December, but I knew I could go online and pay some fees to change that later. (Natalie and I plan to visit Brazil and Argentina this year to renew our visas, and then return home in December.)
Being at the Panama airport brought back some fun memories of my last trip to Paraguay. Getting to know everyone before we got to Paraguay, sleeping on the benches during our 12 hour layover on the way back, Jenny sharing her Disney Princess coloring book, getting Dunkin Donuts with Rachel and Lauren. It was nice to be in a familiar place, but weird being there all alone.
I was able to get two hours of free wifi after I ate lunch so I could check in with family and friends, but unfortunately it expired right before I could tell them I was getting ready to board the plane to Paraguay and remind them I might not have wifi to contact them once I got to Paraguay.
As it got closer to our boarding time, I realized they started calling people to board a flight to Montevideo... I quickly realized my gate number must have changed because everyone at Gate 32 was holding boarding passes for "Montevideo - Gate 26" I asked a girl next to me and she said to go check and see if my plane was at 26. Once I got there they told me it had actually changed to Gate 16 which was at the complete opposite side of the airport! So I practically ran all the way there (thankful I had checked that second carry-on in Tampa) and luckily made it just in time to board the correct flight.
I stayed up all night on Monday the 20th, and at 4:00am it was time to start heading to the airport. Mom drove us through a thick fog all the way to Tampa as I sat in the passenger seat addressing some envelopes that never got mailed and writing my information on luggage tags, in true procrasinator fashion. ;)
As we arrived, I figured all my stresses would be left at the curb and I would walk confidently to my plane, excited for my adventure... instead more stress tests awaited me, along with a guardian angel.
After saying goodbye to my mom, I got to the ticket counter to check-in. The lady at the counter asked if I had my return ticket home. I got nervous and told her I didn't... That I hadn't bought it yet, but I plan to later. The airline required that I buy a roundtrip ticket so there was evidence I'd be leaving the country before my visa expires in 90 days. After many silent prayers asking God to work this out because I was not expecting to pay $940 that morning, the ladies came back from talking to a supervisor and were able to offer me a return ticket for just $218.35! They just added it on to my existing ticket and all I had to pay was the difference in price between the one way and the roundtrip, and I can assure you God was the one holding the calculator on that one. ;)
I was so nervous then that Natalie would be asked to do the same when she checked in for her flight, though I later found out that she didn't. Weird, right?
After the ticket fiasco happened, I was told my two checked bags were too heavy... but luckily, the kind lady (Ms. Guardian Angel) who helped me get the $218 ticket instead of the $940 one told me it was okay and that she wouldn't charge me.
THEN she told me my carry on bags were too big for the cabin, even though I had taken a tape measure to WalMart with me along with the baggage regulations to make sure I purchased the correct sizes, and told me I'd have to check one. Again, she said she wouldn't charge me for it! Praise the Lord! I could finally be on my way!
At this point my plane was boarding and I was nervous I wasn't going to make my flight if I had to stand in the long security line. In walks Ms. Guardian Angel on her way to the gate... "Copa Airlines? Anyone flying Copa Airlines?" Me and an elderly couple raised our hands and she escorted us to the front of the security line so we could pass through quickly and make it to our flight on time.
At this point I was tired, hungry, a little stressed, but overwhelmed with how good God was taking care of me through all of these little problems along the way. I sent my last goodbye text messages and at last I was heading south!
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| Scriptures and truths that got me through the day! |
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| View on my way to Panama |
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| Breakfast on the flight to Panama |
When I finally made it to Panama about four hours later, I was so glad to have all the problems in Tampa behind me. It still felt a little strange knowing I had a ticket home for April 19th since I had mentally prepared to be away until December, but I knew I could go online and pay some fees to change that later. (Natalie and I plan to visit Brazil and Argentina this year to renew our visas, and then return home in December.)
Being at the Panama airport brought back some fun memories of my last trip to Paraguay. Getting to know everyone before we got to Paraguay, sleeping on the benches during our 12 hour layover on the way back, Jenny sharing her Disney Princess coloring book, getting Dunkin Donuts with Rachel and Lauren. It was nice to be in a familiar place, but weird being there all alone.
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| Lunch in Panama :) |
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| In the Panama airport (Picture I sent to my mom to show her I made it safely to Panama) |
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| Panama City to Asunción! |
FINALLY I was headed straight to Asunción.
After a six hour flight, most of which I was sleeping, I had made it to Paraguay and was greeted by Tim and Margarita Revett, LAM missionaries who I've been in contact with for months. We loaded up my bags and headed to my host family's house. I was so excited to be back in Paraguay and felt like I was right where I belonged. After arriving at my new home, we brought my bags up to my room and I stayed up for a little while talking with my host mom, Felicia. It was a great end to a very crazy day!
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| FINALLY in Paraguay! :D Me in my new room |
The next morning my roommate, Natalie, arrived and after finally connecting to wifi, I found out my mom thought I might have gotten kidnapped in Panama or something because I never contacted her... oops. At least I was able to finally contact everyone and let them know I made it safely!
Natalie and I spent our first day unpacking, organizing our room, and getting to know our host family. It was a great first day of our Paraguay Adventure! :)
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