I got about 90 minutes of sleep before we had to get up at 5:30. I slept in my flying clothes so I was out the door quick. We met with everyone in the lobby and the hotel had packed us lunches. That was really nice of them, we had an apple, banana, 2 mini sandwiches, a yogurt, and a tea.
I weighted my suitcase again and it's about 48 pounds. I can barely pull it behind me with the broken wheel. I took the apple from the lunch and put the rest back. I just don't have any room on me to carry anything more.
We all got on the bus and Maria and I were dropped off at the Aalen train station. Our dean hugged us goodbye, she is so sweet. I was tired as hell.
Our train took us from Aalen to Stuttgart where we got off and boarded another train, each ride an hour long.
Luggage everywhere
Miles to go before I sleep
The Stuttgart train took us to the Frankfurt airport. This is where everything went to hell.
We tried to check in with our passports at these machines but were told it was too late to check it. That's bullshit because our flight didn't board for another 2.5 hours. We asked for help and were told we were in the wrong section of the airport, so we had to take a bus to Section 2. It was a 7 minute bus ride.
At Section 2 we tried to check in but again received the same "It's too late to board" message. By now Maria is anything but calm. On top of that she got 3 hours of sleep and was a mess. I was annoyed with her attitude. We talked to another employee and were directed to Delta's international security thing. I don't know what it's called but it wasn't the security point where you take off your shoes or whatever. Maria and I tried to speak with a lady but we were separated and I instead spoke with a man while she spoke to the lady. He asked me questions like "Do you have any weapons?" and "Did anyone give you anything to put in your bag". Then he asked where I was going. I said Detroit (we received our flight information with EF tours since we're still flying with them. They gave us this info two or three months ago). Things got... weird? I looked over to Maria, who was maybe 30 feet away, and she was crying. Oh shit.
Basically we were told our flight didn't exist. We were actually suppose to get on a flight to Amsterdam and the employees told us to hurry as it was leaving in 10 minutes. I had seen signs all over the place stating you must check in at least an hour before your flight, no later. I knew where this was going.
We tried checking in and were told we missed the flight. I was told to speak with another Delta employee who would have to reschedule our flight.
I found the person I needed to speak with. She asked what was going on and I explained "Hi, we're on a university trip and our professor gave us the wrong flight information." Which is true. Jami was the organizer of the Ireland trip and she was the one to give Maria and I our flight info. I kind of hate Jami.
The employees typed on the computer lots while we waited. Maria kept saying "They better fix this." And I told her to shut up. I was decently anxious and scared as it was without her crying and threatening employees. I was very nice to the lady and tried to smile to show I'm friendly damn it. This seemed like a situation where you needed to be nice in order to get what you wanted, not crying and telling them "Fix this!".
The employee rescheduled us another flight to Amsterdam, then Minneapolis. We would have to stay overnight at the airport in Minnesota since there were no direct flights to Rapid City until Friday morning. I really wanted my mom there. Maria was crying and I didn't know what I was suppose to do or say in this situation and my mom could have fixed things. But my mom wasn't there. Today, I must learn.
I agreed to this new schedule and our employee lady told us it cost $600 to change flights. Maria, bless her, pulled out our original flight information that Jami gave us last May and was rude with our employee, saying we shouldn't have to pay because it wasn't our fault and that no one had told us our flight changed. She was right though, no one had told us. The employee looked up more numbers and did more typing. Then she said that our original flight had been cancelled a few nights ago and since no one had told us we wouldn't be charged.
Calla and Maria. Good cop, bad cop.
So we got this new flight change for free! Hallelujah amen. We then had to check in at another desk to get our tickets printed and our luggage escorted away. I barely had time to say 'goodbye' and 'meet you in Rapid City' to my suitcase. Maria checked in first. She was obviously upset and this employee kept asking if she was okay. She was too pissed to answer. I said she would be fine. Maria went to scout out the next destination while I checked in then I caught up with her. Next stop was security! That went smoothly.
No it didn't, that was a joke. Nothing goes smoothly today. I tried to check in and got rejected (Maria got in fine). An employee had to check my flight info and passport, blah blah bureaucracy shit. While I was checking in I noticed that my ticket the lady had just printed me was under Maria's name. So we had 2 boarding passes for Maria. God. Damn. It. I was told to go through security anyways and I could get it changed at my gate.
Security went fine because that's the only thing I have control over it seems and I can get in and out very quickly.
We found our gate and I tried to check in there. It took about 15 minutes. When I was done, they gave me a luggage sticker and said "This is for your friend!". That's nice and all but Maria already had a luggage sticker. I didn't. I pointed this out and it took them 5 minutes before they came back to me with a new problem. Someone checked both our bags under Maria's name and you only get 1 free bag check. I asked and they said we wouldn't have to pay for this screw up. These people printed me 2 boarding passes, one for Frankfurt to Amsterdam, and the other from Amsterdam to Minneapolis.
Guess what happened? Another mistake! They actually printed 2 boarding passes for Amsterdam to my sweet homeland and none for idiot Frankfurt! This is insane. The amount of screws up we have been having today is unbelievable. And even more crazy, not one of them is our fault.
Eventually I got my correct boarding passes. I cannot wait to get the hell out of the Frankfurt airport. It has officially replaced the Chicago o'Hare airport as my least favorite airports in the entire milky way galaxy.
We had to take a bus to our plane and we were dropped off right outside of it.
Get me out of here please.
Maria and I weren't sitting together on our flight. I felt bad for the guy who sat next to me and whoever sat next to her. We must smell awful, we need to do laundry bad. The ride was about an hour long and we got these nice little orange cookies to munch on.
Come for the cookies. Leave because everything else at this airport sucks
Then we were in Amsterdam! My layover to Europe a month ago was in Amsterdam. I recognized some things when we walked through the airport. It's crazy to think that a month ago today I was in Amsterdam, waiting for my flight to Ireland. Today I'm back in Amsterdam waiting for my flight to the USA. Where did all the time go....
We had to go through some passport checkpoint and I got stamped. Hurray for stamps! I got us some food, a couple sandwiches and a cup of fruit. We boarded the plane and Maria and I were thankfully together. But we were in the dead middle of the plane, no window seat with people on each side of us.
I watched Interstellar (nice work Nolan) and practiced my Korean.
Yo I got this, it's the first one
Redemption.
The flight was so boring. My butt hurt from all the sitting down. It was a 9 hour flight and I didn't fall asleep once. They served a lot of snacks. I had pasta and a salad for dinner.
Airplane food, what is your deal?
And then we landed in Minneapolis! God bless America, was I happy to be in the motherland. We had to go through customs and I was really anxious about that. I had to answer some questions like was I around livestock, did I bring back any fruit or meat, did I bring back any plants, blah blah. I said no to everything and had my picture taken. I don't know why. I looked so effing cute in my photo though, I looked legit like some FBI Most Wanted and it was badass. I didn't get to keep the picture, sadly.
We had to get our suitcases again. Mine was there, 1 wheel and all! I was very happy to see my suitcase. Then we said goodbye again. Maria was pulled aside because she had bought tulip bulbs in Amsterdam and had to show them (she had the certificate for US and Canadian's though, smart girl).
Maria checked some flight schedules and found one going to Aberdeen tonight. Her sister lives in Aberdeen and I guess it's close to where her parents live as well. We had to make a decision: spend the night in the airport with the possibility of getting a free hotel, or try to get on this flight to Aberdeen where Maria's sister could take us to back home before the flight to Rapid would arrive. Maria's want to fly to Aberdeen was stronger than mine to stay in the airport. We choose Aberdeen and were able to get out suitcases rerouted there. It took about 20 minutes for the employees to get it all figured out.
During all of this I've been carrying around Ian's Cool American Doritos in my bag (they wouldn't fit in my suitcase, so sad). They're all broken and that's ok. Ian still gets free Doritos.
Special appearance by fox Mulder.
We chilled for maybe three hours before it was time to board the flight to Aberdeen.
"Where is Aberdeen?" I asked Maria.
"It's on the opposite end of the state as Spearfish." Maria explained. Oh joy.
I got to see Minneapolis at night. That was alright I guess?
Peace out Minnesota
I slept on the flight. We landed in Aberdeen South Dakota at 11 and went to get our luggage. Bags came and went and we waited. And waited. I knew back in Minnesota that this would happen. Murphy's Law maybe. Our bags never showed.
Maria was very pissed off and we waited for a Delta employee to show up. Her sister Cassie was there. She's a cool chick. She and I both told Maria to shut up because she was being a bitch. I'm upset of course, but I don't know. I feel like I've already lost today's battle and I'm on the ground being kicked over and over again. To not have my suitcase there was just another kick in the already bruised shins.
The employees tracked down our bags and said they were currently in Rapid City. We would get them on our way by tomorrow.
We went to Cassie's place and that girl is a sweetheart. She did our laundry, gave me some clothes to wear, and made up an air mattress for me. I fell asleep easily. It was midnight Aberdeen time, seven in the morning German time.
I should end the blog here but I want this to be my last post so we'll keep it going.
At 5 it was time to get up. I got to shower. My exterior has improved but my interior hasn't changed since last night. Maria decided we would be getting home around 1 in the afternoon today. She promised me last night that we would be back before the flight to Rapid City would have gotten us back (which was 10 am). That was the reason why I agreed to go to Aberdeen. Instead of cleansing breathes, I just imagine Rikku at this point.
We left at 6 and went to Caribou Coffee. Cassie bought us drinks. She has done too much and is very kind. This Caribou Coffee had a chalkboard with people to write on. I picked up some chalk.
The light at the end of all this
Then we drove to Dupree South Dakota. I hated the ride. It was three hours and I'm anxious the entire time. It was a dirt road to her family's farm and it had been raining a lot the past few days so it was very muddy and slippery. It was like driving on icy roads. I get major anxiety driving on icy roads and was borderline having a panic attack in the backseat. It sounds ridiculous but it was rough on me.
But we got to the farm! Maria's mom greeted us with an eggbake breakfast and coffee. The food was good. We chilled for an hour or so there and I met her dad too. Her family is all very nice. My family is still cooler though.
Since Maria lives on a farm, they have chickens! I ran around with the chickens like a lil country bumpkin.
Sorry for eating your eggs this morning.
Then her mom drove us three girls to Rapid. Maria was super chatty the whole way. I'm really happy she got to see her family (I keep telling myself how happy I am for her. If I don't my temper about getting home so late will get me).
We got to Rapid and it was the first time I recognized a familiar road since May 18th. Maria forgot our luggage stickers (I just don't know anymore. I can't deal with her). We went in the Rapid City airport and talked to a Delta employee. He asked some questions, then went to the luggage room and got our suitcases. I'm so happy to have my suitcase back.
Then we drove to my house. I was feeling either really car sick or anxious. I can't tell the difference anymore.
I got home around 2. Rikku and Bruno were in the yard watching us pull up. Maria gave me a hug goodbye which felt stupid because we'll still see each other all summer. She and I are still buddies. Then they left. I went into the yard and said hello to the dogs and hugged them both.
'You look familiar...'
'Oh, Miss Calla! Welcome home!'
REFLECTION!
For the last month I've been trying to find an answer to the question I knew I would be hearing a lot when I get back. "How was your trip?"
And what do I say? So much happened it seems it will be hard to answer. When people ask "How was it?" I'll think about seeing the Berlin Wall, the Norwegian waffles that were so delicious, and Van Gogh's paintings and letters. I'll think about Tom our tour guide in Ireland and Karin our tour guide in Germany. I'll think about Tom reading us Ulysses and Karin giving us pretzels and candy. I'll think about hanging out with Maria, Kaitlyn, and Mia in our hotel room and ordering pizza. I'll think about hanging out with Maria and Todd in our hotel room and drinking vodka. I'll think about the beach in Ireland where I picked up rocks for my family and the hostels having such great wifi. And when they ask I'll remember the Viking Ship Museum and the Book of Kells.
I'll remember walking through Ireland and listening to the street musicians and how fantastic they were. I'll remember how sweet the air smelled in Norway and how calming it was. I'll remember eating stroopwafles in Amsterdam and it bringing me back to eating them as a child. I'll remember seeing the fireflies in the dark woods of the Black Forest at night.
And people will ask about the trip and I'll remember the taxi ride to our hostel in Norway. I'll remember arguing with Maria over what time to leave Amsterdam. I'll remember being in the Frankfurt airport, just trying to come home. I'll remember my mom putting money in my account and trying not to cry.
I'll think about the heat in Berlin and Maria getting sick. I'll think about almost throwing up at the helicopter plant. I'll think about how dizzy I get after riding on the trains and ferry.
I'll think about the bog bodies and taking all the pictures of them. I'll remember the Poison Gardens and having so much fun and taking a billion photos of the plants and their description signs. I'll think about the Anatomical Museum and how we couldn't take photos there, but if I could I would have taken many.
I'll remember being in Ireland when gay marriage was legalized, and being in Berlin when the Champion League Final was being held there.
When people ask about the trip I'll remember the baby sheep and how they cute they were. I'll remember our horse carriage ride. I'll remember the pigeons in Amsterdam climbing all over people. How the only thing I missed back home was Rikku and the thought of her kept my spirits up.
I'll remember how impressed I was by the robots at Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. How exciting the Guinness factory was. How boring the Titanic museum was.
I'll think about the guy from Finland we met on the train. I'll remember singing Uptown Funk with him.
And how much laughing there was with Todd.
I'll think about Kaitlyn and Mia and how much fun it was to be with each of them.
And I'll think about Maria. How we even each other out, her strengths being my weaknesses and vice versa. How angry she made me. How absolutely caring, kind, and generous she was to me. How we've already begun planning Europe Part 2 (hello Southern and Eastern Europe).
I'll think about myself because I have a touch of narcissism and I kinda love myself. I learned a lot. But I'm still Calla. This trip changed me but at the same time it didn't. When people ask about the trip I'll want to direct them to this blog because there's just too much to say on the matter. And when they ask I hope they never find this blog because I'm still a private person. I'll remember how each night I would take the time to write about the events I had that day. How tired I was some nights that I fell asleep at the kindle. How excited I was to journal some days that I would type events before midday came. I'll think about how thankful I am that I got to go to Europe for a month, and how glad I am that I did this.
I don't know what to say when people will ask. It's almost overwhelming. It was an entire month of adventures and was exhausting and exhilarating and amazing and scary and wonderful. It was quite possible the best month of my life. When people ask, I will tell them just that.
Belfast Northern Ireland, May 28th
Edinburgh Scotland, May 30th
Oslo Norway, June 1st
Stockholm Sweden, June 3rd
Stuttgart Germany, June 11th
Amsterdam Netherlands, June 12th
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