Trip Home from Spain- wrote it but never posted

Home:   Woke up after 2 hours of asleep.  Felt so strange to be leaving.  But it's go mode.  Go down stairs and see ALL the other students clumped in the tiny lobby.  They hadn't gone to bed.  They were all crying.  I start crying.  Hugs hugs hugs.  Lots of hugs and tearful goodbyes.  But it doesn't last long.  We've got to go.  I get a cab with Melissa cause we are on the same first flight.  It is pouring rains.  A group of our boys are being so sweet helping people to get taxis and get stuff into the taxis.  

Driving in the dark in the rain to the airport in silence only interrupted by Melissa and my sobs.  

Bye bye old beautiful buildings of Valencia.  

Worst series of flight connections.  Madrid flight moved.  On phone thurs night for 2 hours with continental guy.   Get to airport and ticket not ready.  Spend two hours watching other people check in and go off towards security.  Some miscommunication had happened between guy on phone and Valencia.  Finally she says I can go.  I don't have to pay to check the bag.  I Barely make it to plane.  Stupid Ronika (girl in my program) in front of me in security with liquids in her bag!  Moron.  Left my passport at security.  I'm also moron.  Running running running. 

Barcelona:  had to go out of the terminal and get my tickets.  Lady said I had to pay for second bag that was checked in Valencia.  Almost cry.  Tell her what’s up.  She says take it up with her manager.  Show me your manager woman.  "Excuse me sir, but ..."  and I proceed to tell him about how this was all continentals fault and the Valencia airport people didn't make me pay for the bag so I don't see how it is fair that I pay for a bag that is already checked.  He claimed he didn't realize the bag was checked already.  And I don’t pay.

Newark:  Before landing in the U.S.... I at some point realize how close my flights are together.  We land and I barely make it through customs and onto the next plane.  I frantically butted in front of everyone in line (a long line) for passport control.  Then frantically waited on my bag.  Then rechecked my bag.  Then run run run to more security.  Uhhhh.  Awful. 

Charlotte:  had to haul -- and I mean run my ass off - to get on the next plane again.  Literally every time I sat down on a plane it was seconds away from taking off.  Sat next to sweet little marine boy.

I talk a lot these days.  We talked all about our travels. 

ARRIVE!!  (in Birmingham) Bags didn’t.  Who cares.  I barely got here. Kinda spacey airport lady

Stop at o’charleys to eat.  Ahhh American food. Tater skins, cheese wedges and CHICKEN FINGERS!  Honey mustard ahh. So tired.

Mom, Joe and I were talking about everyone crying at farewell lunch when the waitress walks up and decides to join the conversation  (reminder this is AL and she is wonderfully country)

Waitress:  What’re you talking about?

Me:   (slightly stunned).. umm you know.. when things end and you’re not really sad.

Waitress:  you mean like a funeral? 

Me:  umm yeah kinda

Waitress:  yeah.. my husbands great grandmother.. well no its his grandmother and my kids’ great grandmother.. she was in the hospital and she woke up and said to the nurse.. “mary, what am I supposed to do?”  the nurse said what do you mean.  And she said “Why am I not dead yet?  I am ready to die! Why ‘m I not dead yet!”  “Well ms. Joyce I don’t guess your home in heaven is ready just yet.”  And so when she died it wasn’t sad.  I was like We should all be happy! She lived a full life. 

Me:  yeah… just like that.

Monique haircut…

Getting my haircut this morning: Me, "Yeah...it was great. I went to Paris, Rome, etc." The haircut lady, "Oh Rome! I would love to go to the Sixteen Chapel!" Me, "Yeah, the Sistine Chapel is amazing" Lady, "Oh I bet the Sixteen Chapel just blows you away." I tried. Totally back in the south again.

You walk around like you are this brand new person.  Buying shoes at Loebs like a normal person.. .all these people have just lived a day to day routine.. I just got back from Spain.. you think “Do you not realize who you’re helping check out right now?  Do you not know who I am, where I’ve been and what all I’ve done!”  not in an egotistical way.. but in a way that’s like… how can you not see on my face.. how can you not look at me and tell and automatically have to ask “Ohh.. I see you’ve been living in Spain how was it”