So...obviously I made back to Bolivia safe and sound. After a sleepless night in Cartagena waking up and wondering every hour on the hour, if I was going to have to fight with the various airlines over the weight of my carry-on...no one even looked at it. =) Well...I guess more acurately would be to say they didn't weigh it. They definitely looked at it.
Columbia is a tough country to leave. We had to go through four different security checks where they completely took my bags apart (my friend said that they actually handwand x-rayed her stomach). And, as it turns out, it also makes US Customs people twitchy when they see you're arriving from Columbia and headed for Bolivia. The customs guy looked at me...looked at my customs form and said, "Door 15".
Door 15 led me down a long corridor (all by myself) to another big, kind of scary, set of doors. Through that door was a big area with x-ray machines and tables and little cubicles that I was pretty sure I didn't want to go into. A big security type guy took my form and asked me why in the world I was coming from Columbia and leaving for Bolivia. I earnestly explained that I was a missionary and was headed back to Bolivia where I work with ex-street kids (I get that into every conversation I can). He looked sternly at me and then started to laugh and told me I could go. So I did. Quickly. Before he changed his mind.
Then I had an 11 hour wait in what must be the most boring airport in North America. I couldn't even check in for the first seven hours so I had to push all my luggage around with me.
My funniest moment came later at the American Airlines desk when I could finally check in. My first bag was over weight...but just. The AA lady gave me the lecture about over weight bags, but I could tell her heart wasn't in it and she let me check that bag. I pulled that one off the scale and put the other one on.
Yea...it was even heavier.
So she told me that for sure I couldn't check that bag unless I took something out of it. So I opened the bag and pulled out a big bag of coffee that had been given to us at the conference. She said that yes, that was enough. I promptly (in full view of this lady) put the bag of coffee into my other over weight bag that she'd just checked in. She didn't even notice. I laughed...but I made sure I used my inside voice. You don't want to get the airline ladies annoyed with you.
After that it was just a seven hour flight beside a big, old guy and I was home. It was funny...it was Jimmy, Andres and Roberto who met me at the airport in Santa Cruz, with no other adults there (Jimmy had driven). Which was fine...it just felt strange that it was just them...my guys are growing up. =)
And so here I am. I kind of got tossed into the deep end of the pool that first day. I got to sleep for a couple of hours and then Maribel arrived and told me that the mom of one of the guys we know was at the house and was waiting to talk to me about her son moving in. I had to tell her (for a number of reasons) that he wouldn't be able to. Then it was one kind of intense conversation after another all day. It was all good mind you...just a bit much all at once. Today wasn't much better...but I'm sure it'll slow down soon. This is what happens when I'm gone for awhile. =) Guess that means they missed me...
Thanks for praying everyone! Miss you all...
Columbia is a tough country to leave. We had to go through four different security checks where they completely took my bags apart (my friend said that they actually handwand x-rayed her stomach). And, as it turns out, it also makes US Customs people twitchy when they see you're arriving from Columbia and headed for Bolivia. The customs guy looked at me...looked at my customs form and said, "Door 15".
Door 15 led me down a long corridor (all by myself) to another big, kind of scary, set of doors. Through that door was a big area with x-ray machines and tables and little cubicles that I was pretty sure I didn't want to go into. A big security type guy took my form and asked me why in the world I was coming from Columbia and leaving for Bolivia. I earnestly explained that I was a missionary and was headed back to Bolivia where I work with ex-street kids (I get that into every conversation I can). He looked sternly at me and then started to laugh and told me I could go. So I did. Quickly. Before he changed his mind.
Then I had an 11 hour wait in what must be the most boring airport in North America. I couldn't even check in for the first seven hours so I had to push all my luggage around with me.
My funniest moment came later at the American Airlines desk when I could finally check in. My first bag was over weight...but just. The AA lady gave me the lecture about over weight bags, but I could tell her heart wasn't in it and she let me check that bag. I pulled that one off the scale and put the other one on.
Yea...it was even heavier.
So she told me that for sure I couldn't check that bag unless I took something out of it. So I opened the bag and pulled out a big bag of coffee that had been given to us at the conference. She said that yes, that was enough. I promptly (in full view of this lady) put the bag of coffee into my other over weight bag that she'd just checked in. She didn't even notice. I laughed...but I made sure I used my inside voice. You don't want to get the airline ladies annoyed with you.
After that it was just a seven hour flight beside a big, old guy and I was home. It was funny...it was Jimmy, Andres and Roberto who met me at the airport in Santa Cruz, with no other adults there (Jimmy had driven). Which was fine...it just felt strange that it was just them...my guys are growing up. =)
And so here I am. I kind of got tossed into the deep end of the pool that first day. I got to sleep for a couple of hours and then Maribel arrived and told me that the mom of one of the guys we know was at the house and was waiting to talk to me about her son moving in. I had to tell her (for a number of reasons) that he wouldn't be able to. Then it was one kind of intense conversation after another all day. It was all good mind you...just a bit much all at once. Today wasn't much better...but I'm sure it'll slow down soon. This is what happens when I'm gone for awhile. =) Guess that means they missed me...
Thanks for praying everyone! Miss you all...
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