SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMERTIME!

Due to a series of bizarre mishaps and mail being mishandled my initial plans to leave and begin my summer abroad had been delayed, I had to reschedule my flight and didn't leave until shortly before midnight 3 days later.

Looking back I'm painfully reminded of my sinful nature and need to grow in my trust in Him. I realize that He loved me enough to use that to shake me out of my comfortable lifestyle and give me reason to examine my heart and reflect on the fact that my comfort in times of distress is more than knowing the right things but rooted in the understanding that I'm held in the hand of the God who is creator and ruler of all things.

I'm thankful for the cross because despite my sinful, weak and foolish attempts to figure it all out, in His grace God is able to bring Himself glory by causing me to depend on Christ and kindly and patiently teaching me the truths of His promises and the reality of His presence.

My first flight was an hour late and I wondered if I would make my connecting flight out of another airport. A stewardess who was also in the lounge waiting assured me that although 3 hours minimum transit time is suggested it was likely that 2 hours and 45 minutes would be sufficient. When I finally figured out of the airport I first landed in it took me a while to figure out where to go and how to get to the station that would take me to the airport I needed to fly out of for my final destination. The ticket lady explained that there was one bus left that I made it in time for that would get me there on time because at this time there was a lot of traffic. I thanked her and tried to quickly make my way from the terminal at the end of the line, 15 stops away where the bus I'd purchased a ticket for was parked. Sadly, the bus pulled out a few minutes early as I was walking towards it.

I waited another 15 minutes (in surprisingly cold 66 degree weather) for another. I explained to the bus attendant my situation and time of my flight. He looked at my boarding pass and said that it was close but I just might make it before loading my suitcase. On the bus the kind man found me and told me that they would stop at my terminal first and he'd quickly unload my bag so that I could jump out and try to make the bag drop off before it closed. He also directed me to the front of the bus to make my exit easier. When we got to the airport he asked for my airline and informed the bus driver. We both jumped out and he started unloading a lot of bags that didn't belong to me. The bus driver also got out and started helping him until they realized it was in the other locker that they weren't unloading. They got the suitcase, handed it to me and I took off amidst encouraging shouts of "that way and to the left!" and "hurry!" in British accents from the other passengers as they looked on and retrieved their luggage. I made it to the bag drop off and through security checkpoint. The flight was late, which didn't bother me, because I was glad to make it and not have to figure out what to do with myself since I unwisely didn't have any contact numbers on me for anyone I knew in the country.

After arriving at my final destination, I stopped to go through the whole immigration thing. The lady at the booth took my passport without glancing at me and started flipping through it in what I thought was an attempt to locate the appropriate visa. From my side of the glass window I observed that she said a few things to the guy working next to her, flipped some more then said something else in a language that is for the most part unintelligible to me. After a few moments she looked at me expectantly. I assumed she was talking to her coworker but it dawned on me that the expectant look probably meant she was talking to me. I asked if she was talking to me and she gave me a weird look as if I was either crazy or rude. Then I explained that I was sorry but I didn't understand because I don't speak the language. She kept looking at me. Finally, I asked if she was looking for my visa and offered to show it to her. At that she asked (in perfect English) "You have a visa?" She flipped again and this time saw it, stamped it and returned my documents to me.

After retrieving my luggage I exited the area and met the taxi driver who awaited me holding a sign with my name. I indicated that my name was on the sign and he silently took my suitcase and I figured I should follow. As he put my suitcase in the trunk he stopped to say, "You 1 hour arrive" which I correctly assumed meant I was one hour late. He then slammed the trunk and walked to the driver's door. During the drive he made a few phone calls one of which was to my contact there. He had the phone on speakerphone and I thought I heard her ask how long it would be until I arrived and his reply was an hour and 40 minutes. I remember hearing from another friend who'd visited last year that the taxi ride to the city was expensive but I'd assumed that was because of rate not distance. After the driver finished his phone call I asked if the city was an hour and 40 minutes away. He informed me that it could be 30, 40 minutes maybe an hour. That if I'd arrived at 4 and no traffic maybe. But I was an hour and 40 minutes late..........that promptly ended all further conversation until I arrived at the apartment and thanked him. In any event, I was just glad to safely and finally arrive.

At the apartment, one of my supervisors greeted me and showed me around before we went to the evening staff meeting and cleaned the building that was used. Following the meeting, I headed to the metro with she, her family and one of Joey's coworkers enroute to dinner. We stopped to take my photo for a metro pass then had dinner at an Indian restaurant. I've discovered that Chicken Tika Masala looks pretty much the same on a menu here as it does in English and it tastes just as great too! After dinner, Joey's coworker accompanied me home, although I insisted that I could remember the route, since I didn't yet have a phone. Arriving at the apartment I found and me the two young ladies from another city that Joey had swapped apartments with for the weekend. After exchanging pleasantries I headed to bed for a very, long 12 hours. A pretty eventful 24+ hours I'd say!