One thing I’ve learned from traveling so much is to basically never have a plan. This is because if you have a plan, it will without a doubt go wrong somehow and you will have to just go with the flow. Which is exactly what happened when I tried to get home Tuesday night. EVERYTHING went terribly wrong.
My flight was scheduled for 11pm Tuesday and I would get home at 6 am Wednesday to spend the day shopping and hanging out with my mommy (she took the day off work and everything for me!) So I’m just chilling at the airport in Santiago for what I stupidly think is the last time, when they tell us our flight is cancelled! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING! Is what I was thinking to my self/saying out loud. I was so ready to go home and see my family after five months but I couldn’t I had to wait at the airport for them to decide what to do. So even though we knew the flight was cancelled at around 10:35 we had to wait around until 2am. WHAT THE HECK?! Not only did they not let us leave until 2, but American Airlines claimed it wasn’t their fault and wouldn’t pay to put us in hotels or for transportation. Well that was just the cherry on top of the crappiest sundae ever because I had no cash left to pay for anything and was not about to take out more money for one day that I didn't even want to be there for.
Never fear I made friends with some crazy American girl who lives in Santiago and just so happened to have an extra room with a futon in her apartment! What are the chances?! So I, along with a kid from my program and another gringa we picked up at the airport, went with this girl to stay at her place for the night. So it was close to 3am when we finally got there and made ourselves beds…well sort of. The next morning I woke up with the AWESOME realization that I still had some leftover pancake mix, chocolate chips and peanut butter in one of my ridiculously large suitcases! #winning We made a delicious pancake breakfast, stored our giant maletas (suitcases) in her bodega (storage unit) and wandered around Santiago one last time. After an afternoon of eating at a restaurant named California and walking around Santiago (I’m not really sure where all we walked because I recognized nothing), we decided to go back to the airport and check in early just to make sure there was a flight leaving that night.
AND THERE WAS!!!!! Thank goodness, I honestly don’t know what I would have done if I’d been stranded practically homeless in Santiago for another day. I arrived a day late and was picked up at the airport by just my dad instead of my whole family like originally planned. But it didn’t even matter that it wasn’t how we planned it because I made it home!!
So there you have it. The somewhat shortened tale of how I finally made it home to Texas. Too bad it was rainy and gross when I got home; it made me miss the beach more than I had anticipated. I also noticed that Americans are very very loud. I’m still adjusting to some American customs that I lost and getting caught up on pop culture and trends. But I feel at home. (you know, until I leave for Italy on Thursday). I am truly a citizen of the world now! Oh you’ll be happy to know that my first lunch home was a #1 from chickfila complete with a dr. pepper to drink!
Thanks for reading my blog and following my crazy/sometimes boring adventures/daily activities in Latin America!
Besitos,
Gaby
P.S. MERRY CHRISTMAS/FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!
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