(A belated entry... from JFK airport before I leave the country)
JFK airport is teeming with people. I’ve decided I don’t much like this airport, because they give very poor instructions on how to get from place to place. When I disembarked from my Cincinnati-JFK flight, there were no instructions at the baggage claim area on how to get anywhere else in the airport except to further Delta connections. I had to ask several perturbed Delta employees how to get to AirFrance.... and finally found the AirTrain that took me to Terminal 1.
I’m writing this from the lower floor of the international terminal, eating a disgusting and greasy piece of pizza. It was the cheapest option at the “Panini Express” kiosk, which sold sandwiches that didn’t look much better for about $9.00. My hunger is gone now, but my back hurts a little from carrying my ridiculously heavy backpack. And I wish I had the internet. There are lots of wireless connections here, but none available to me.... not even one I could pay $19.99 an hour to use Unfair. So here I sulk.
The one cool thing about this airport is that about 12 different languages are being spoken around me right now. And at least I have my computer, so I can write this entry and post it to my blog and Facebook later.
Less than an hour until I meet my group, and stand uncomfortably in a crowd of hundreds while I wait to go through security screening. Really—the lines are incredible. It looks like a rock concert might be going on in this terminal, only people aren’t jumping, and the only sound is the murmur of one thousand voices.
I really wish my backpack weren’t so heavy. *sigh*.
And my adventure begins, with a greasy slice of pizza in my belly. :)
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
A better update from Rabat
The end of my first day in Rabat is nearing an end, and it has been a busy day. I only got about 6 hours of sleep last night, and was very restless and hot, and sick. I have a nice little cold that is keeping me company. Thank goodness for Advil Cold and Sinus.
All the SIT students attend classes at the CCCL, the Center for Cross-Cultural Learning, which is located in the medina (the centuries-old walled city) in Rabat. The CCCL is a 19th century Andalusian house, every inch covered with mosaics. I hope to bring my camera to the center sometime soon so I can take pictures and post them for you to feast your eyes.
We had a 1.5 hour intense Arabic course today, and learned to say hello, introduce ourselves, say where we're from, and that we're students. Four hours later, I can't remember any of it. (Ok, maybe a little bit). I'll do lots of studying tonight.
After our Arabic lesson and a "Safety and Security" talk, my new friend and soul-twin Carly and I decided to leave the center and search for sodas in the medina. We managed to make it to a small shop, buy a Fanta and water, and get lost in the medina on the way back to the center. To say the medina is labyrinthine is an understatement. Most everything looks the same, and there are twists and turns and corridors and tunnels everywhere. We finally made it out.... a fun trip.
Now I'm sitting on the roof terrace of the CCCL, looking to the west to the Atlantic, to the north to the river, to the east and south to the city. The smells of dinner are wafting up from the stairwell, and my stomach is growling for couscous and lamb.
So far, I can't complain.
Salaam!
"Salaam aleikum". Peace be upon you.
All the SIT students attend classes at the CCCL, the Center for Cross-Cultural Learning, which is located in the medina (the centuries-old walled city) in Rabat. The CCCL is a 19th century Andalusian house, every inch covered with mosaics. I hope to bring my camera to the center sometime soon so I can take pictures and post them for you to feast your eyes.
We had a 1.5 hour intense Arabic course today, and learned to say hello, introduce ourselves, say where we're from, and that we're students. Four hours later, I can't remember any of it. (Ok, maybe a little bit). I'll do lots of studying tonight.
After our Arabic lesson and a "Safety and Security" talk, my new friend and soul-twin Carly and I decided to leave the center and search for sodas in the medina. We managed to make it to a small shop, buy a Fanta and water, and get lost in the medina on the way back to the center. To say the medina is labyrinthine is an understatement. Most everything looks the same, and there are twists and turns and corridors and tunnels everywhere. We finally made it out.... a fun trip.
Now I'm sitting on the roof terrace of the CCCL, looking to the west to the Atlantic, to the north to the river, to the east and south to the city. The smells of dinner are wafting up from the stairwell, and my stomach is growling for couscous and lamb.
So far, I can't complain.
Salaam!
"Salaam aleikum". Peace be upon you.
Hanging at the CCCL
Getting ready to go to my first "Intense Arabic" crash course.
Food is wonderful, views are grand. Sights and sounds and smells, oh my!
I can't wait to move in with my host family. Everything is a little too comfortable right now and I yearn for the excitement of not showering for a week, of public baths, Turkish toilets, and language barriers.
hopefully they'll come soon!
Food is wonderful, views are grand. Sights and sounds and smells, oh my!
I can't wait to move in with my host family. Everything is a little too comfortable right now and I yearn for the excitement of not showering for a week, of public baths, Turkish toilets, and language barriers.
hopefully they'll come soon!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
In Paris
After many hours of traveling, I'm finally in Paris.
Safe. And tired. But well fed by AirFrance.
Laptop battery is dying. More updates later.
Safe. And tired. But well fed by AirFrance.
Laptop battery is dying. More updates later.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
In New York
I'm sitting in JFK getting ready to board the plane to Paris.
I've already made "acquaintance/friends" and I'm very excited to be going.
I listened to chants today while I was waiting during my layover and I read Siddhartha. And then I felt better.
Not much more news now.... I've got butterflies and I really can't wait to see what happens next.
I've already made "acquaintance/friends" and I'm very excited to be going.
I listened to chants today while I was waiting during my layover and I read Siddhartha. And then I felt better.
Not much more news now.... I've got butterflies and I really can't wait to see what happens next.
Sitting in the Cincinnati Airport
*Big sigh*.
Thank goodness I'm sitting at the gate and getting ready to board.
This morning my mom and I got on the computer to check my flight. I was listed as a Delta "Non-Rev", which means I was trying to take advantage of my father's status as a Delta Retiree, and was trying to get to New York for free. Yesterday it looked like everything was going to work out perfectly.... but this morning, things had changed. Instead of having 15 open seats on the flight (which meant I would surely get on board), they flight was oversold by 3 seats = I wasn't going to New York.
We made feverish phone calls to the emergency line for Lyon Travel to let them know I wouldn't make my Air France flight to Paris this evening, and called my dad to see if he could do anything. God bless that man. He used his Delta connections to call Delta directly (Expedia had told me that all seats were sold and that I was going nowhere) and explain the emergency, and spent "a small fortune" to get me a seat on the plane. Thank you Dad!
So, after my father spent hundreds of dollars on a seat and pulled all the strings he could, I am sitting at gate B25 with a sense of ease. I'm going to Morocco!
My backpack is heavy, but not over the weight limit. It checked no problem. I was "chosen" by Delta to go through extra security screening, so I spent a good 20 minutes getting screened. (There was no one else there... so I didn't have to wait. That was nice). I like the air puff machine. :)
They're now boarding zone 1, which means zone 5 will be walking on board soon.
I've got happy butterflies in my stomach!
Hopefully I can post an update in New York. If not, I'll send messages from Paris or Rabat.
Thank goodness I'm sitting at the gate and getting ready to board.
This morning my mom and I got on the computer to check my flight. I was listed as a Delta "Non-Rev", which means I was trying to take advantage of my father's status as a Delta Retiree, and was trying to get to New York for free. Yesterday it looked like everything was going to work out perfectly.... but this morning, things had changed. Instead of having 15 open seats on the flight (which meant I would surely get on board), they flight was oversold by 3 seats = I wasn't going to New York.
We made feverish phone calls to the emergency line for Lyon Travel to let them know I wouldn't make my Air France flight to Paris this evening, and called my dad to see if he could do anything. God bless that man. He used his Delta connections to call Delta directly (Expedia had told me that all seats were sold and that I was going nowhere) and explain the emergency, and spent "a small fortune" to get me a seat on the plane. Thank you Dad!
So, after my father spent hundreds of dollars on a seat and pulled all the strings he could, I am sitting at gate B25 with a sense of ease. I'm going to Morocco!
My backpack is heavy, but not over the weight limit. It checked no problem. I was "chosen" by Delta to go through extra security screening, so I spent a good 20 minutes getting screened. (There was no one else there... so I didn't have to wait. That was nice). I like the air puff machine. :)
They're now boarding zone 1, which means zone 5 will be walking on board soon.
I've got happy butterflies in my stomach!
Hopefully I can post an update in New York. If not, I'll send messages from Paris or Rabat.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)