The morning started off kinda crazy with some baggage issues. First of all, I was trying to make my bag light enough while using a small WW scale. This proved to be a difficult task, but I felt like I made a good effort. I finally got a reading lower than 50#, so I just hoped for the best. When I cinched up my supposedly sturdy military duffel bag, the part of the clasp that kept the whole bag shut snapped in two! At this point, I had not eaten breakfast and it is time for us to leave. I then frantically scoured through the condo trying to find some duct tape. I seriously thought we had some. Emily was kind enough to help me with my search (as well as make me a lovely breakfast sandwich), but our search ended with things falling from our shelves in the laundry room and my finally opting to try packing tape. This seemed to do the trick for the time being, so off we went. FYI: Duffel bags are much harder to transport than fancy luggage with wheels. I guess this helps the military guys feel tough, because it was definitely hard to carry.
We arrived at the airport with time to spare thanks to my roomie’s driving skills. I even got to check my luggage curbside (quite a blessing). Oh, and the lady had some sort of scale in her arms as she was able to determine my bag was under 50#, just by picking it up. This skill would definitely come in handy as a traveler.
Everything went smoothly at security and then I made it to the gate where the children were having foot races and the parents were cheering them on. I thought this was quite interesting, but then with more thought (and Em’s suggestion), I decided that it was the parent’s attempt to exhaust the children’s energy before the long plane ride. I think one of the kids did not get out enough energy, because he was kicking my seat a lot of the plane ride.
Today, dad and I searched for the right part to make my bag sturdy. We finally found the correct sized carabineer and then dad filed the piece down and covered it with tape to ensure its safety. We also had to get me another water bottle, because for some reason, mine decided to leak on my bag and was also leaking when I was drinking from it.
My stepmother cooked a lovely late lunch that included shish kababs on pita and tabouli..excellent! Then dad and I went to the beach for a couple of hours. After a nice relaxing time on the beach filled with Iraq’s history (I was asking a lot of questions), we came back to the apartment and had a seafood feast as my dad called it. It consisted of salmon, bay scallops, and shrimp on a bed of spinach and bell peppers…again tasty! I have a feeling I won’t be eating much like this in Haiti. After dinner, we went for a walk and I ended up getting some gelato. Dad was “disgusted” at the $4 price tag, but I assured him that it was expensive everywhere not just Miami.
Well, tomorrow is another adventure. I am not sure exactly what to expect, but it will be quite a drastic change from today. I am praying that God prepares me mentally, physically, and emotionally for tomorrow and the rest of the week.
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