(last night, before crawling into bed):in Syracuse... getting ready to fly in the morning! Guate here I come! year 2...I'm so ready!
(this morning, still optimistic about my day):STILL in Syracuse...delayed going on 4 hours... no Guate today folks... tomorrow morning I hope!
(this afternoon...):update: still in Syracuse... yup believe it! Have been abandoned by the 2 little kids and their mom who I befriended to pass the time...they gave up and are trying in the morning..the 3.5 year old was in great spirits...so I figured it wouldn't be appropriate for ME to cry... but now...all bets are off. Mom says to go to the bar and get a glass of wine...hmm DONE!
(this evening);update: flight cancelled... houston hotel reservation is now cancelled... SYR hotel is being booked... I will line up in a minute to get myself to Guate at SOME point...
(glimmer of hope...) :another update: apparently the nice man behind the desk had already put my name on the later flight to Newark...so even though it's full...I am one of the names on the list. So the later flight Newark is delayed and is to leave at 8pm... landing in Newark around 9. Leaving me plenty of time to get onto the delayed 850 flight to Houston...which is now set to leave at 1050! The man at the hotel in Syracuse which I booked when I thought all hope was gone...was very nice and cancelled the non cancellable reservation I made! the plus side of disasters in travelling: people are, deep down, very kind!
(calling it quits):12 hours and im calling it quits. Syracuase airport hotel tonight beong rerouted through DC tomorrow...guate by130 they said: guy at the counter said: well shea got to go teach little kids tey need to learn man so i used my mad skills to hook her up!- when talking to his coworker!
Quite a day! But surprisingly I am totally okay with it. Yes I would rather be in Guatemala with Brian ready to go into the school tomorrow etc. But Ive actually had a lovely day...I know..how have I had a lovely day in a tiny airport for 12 hours... well let me tell you ALL about it!
This morning, Mom and Dad dropped me off, they lingered until i got into the security line up, then I watched them, together, tackle the ticket machine to pay for their parking...I laughed at the teamwork it seemed to take. I went through security without a hitch and bought my magazine for the ride. Found a good seat, tried to get free wifi, which wasn't working... so I took out my travel Australia book to continue to plan my trip at Christmas.
The couple next to me saw the book and asked about it. They too are going, though have already been so we talked about that for a while. Not sure if they found it more fascinating that I was Canadian or that I was going to Guatemala.
Anyway they had run into some people they seemed to know as well, one of his grad student's (was his student) wife and 2 kids and were chatting so I read my book. and then the delays started. I bought some coffee... got onto the internet (woo hoo) and realized I was not getting to Guate, they saw me in line and realized that I wasn't making such an exotic(hehe) connection, so talked to me... well the lady and her little kids, really just the 3 yr old thought I was pretty cool and offered to show me her IPAD...I got my first IPAD lesson from a 3yr old...NBD!
I chatted with these lovely people and kept looking when Caitlin, the 3yr old, would yell Look Camille, look at this! So a couple of hours turned into 5... and Caitlin just kept saying: Mommy, can we get on the plane now? hehe. The mom would go check on the flight while we stayed with the kids, then , what surely secured Caitlin's love for me...i bought a fruit cup..fresh fruit at the airport: delicioso! When I brought it back to my seat and my things ,which they gratefully watched for me, she gets beside me on my chair...puts her head in my lap and looks at me and says: it's nice to share you know! " would you like some fruit Caitlin?" I asked... she stuck her hand in the fruit cup, took the watermelon and exclaimed: I LOVE WATERMELON! who could refuse...so I ate all the other fruit, she ate the watermelon. Her mom, who was on the phone during this exchange saw her kid stick her hand into, basically a strangers lunch and was quite embarrassed...i told her it was quite alright and that Caitlin had let me know that it was nice to share and that I agreed. Well that just made Nicole's (the mom's) day! she laughed... told her kid NOT to beg for food and that they would buy a fruit cup if she wanted on...(which they did, Caitlin still ate all of my watermelon).
Anyway... we moved back to our original gate to be in the heat of the action... so they stood in line...trying to figure it all out... i was sitting with the kids...oh Caitlin has a big sister, Alyssa, shes playing my DS at this point. Caitlin is mad about their being only one DS...like come on why wouldn't I have 2. but then I remember that my carry on is FULL of kids books for my class...so I whip a couple out and offer to read her a story (her mom at this point, I assume isnt sure if I am a FREAK or a God send...) so Caitlin is basically sitting on me, reading stories, NIcole is trying to decide: to bail or not to bail, the older couple has called it quits and I JUST WANT TO GET TO GUATEMALA!
Finally, the family decides enough is enough and they are going to try again in the morning. So they pack up, Caitlin hugs me good bye, Alyssa reluctantly gives me back my DS and hugs me as well. Then, Nicole (the mom, for those of you who are confused) comes, hands me a power bar and an apple and wishes me good luck and gives me a hug.
So all in all...good day. I am just humbled by the inner beauty and kindness of people. Perfect strangers coming together because, well lemons and all that!
I am now in at an airport hotel that I got for a distressed passenger charge hehe, went for a run, am skyping and writing to all of you! I should probably get to sleep as I am on the 4am shuttle back to my favourite place!
I'm pretty amazed actually...I thought I would be in a much worse mood right now (considering I never did get my wine!!!) but, really... it could be worse...they could have taken off and we could have been electrocuted in the storm... or whatever... so Im safe and sound, in a nice warm bed...life is good!
More from Guate... whenever I arrive
much love xo
