(In case you didn't read my earlier entries, which I highly suggest ;D, the Red Book refers to my journal that I kept while I was abroad)
January 10th, 2010 would be the start of a completely different kind of life.
The kind of life I thought I would never get to experience.
But before I would would begin this journey, I didn't know what I would expect.
The only thing I knew,was that I was really scared. I never been on my own for more than a few weeks.
I remember the days before my flight, I felt like I was in a haze. A lot had happened then, and I was feeling sort of numb. My head caught in some kind of stupor.
I prepared for the trip as diligently as my head could process.
January 10th, 2010 would be the start of a completely different kind of life.
The kind of life I thought I would never get to experience.
But before I would would begin this journey, I didn't know what I would expect.
The only thing I knew,was that I was really scared. I never been on my own for more than a few weeks.
I remember the days before my flight, I felt like I was in a haze. A lot had happened then, and I was feeling sort of numb. My head caught in some kind of stupor.
I prepared for the trip as diligently as my head could process.
I was afraid of going to Italy, rather than feeling excited. I was afraid that I would feel so alone, but I would be away from my family and friends.The night before I was to depart, my parents helped me pack my things. At this point, I finally understood that leaving would be a reality and I felt really afraid. But then I saw the struggle that my parents had to go through and the support that they were giving me this time, that I just had to smile for them and not look sad.
The next morning was a somber one. I didn't want to leave my bed. I lingered in it for an hour or so. My room and bed had become both a sanctuary and cell that past week. Finally I got up and prepared to clean up a bit more. I did some last minute packing and around 2:30 we left for JFK. I was to take three planes. The first one to Geneva, then to Zurich and then finally Florence. I had to get to Florence on the twelfth to meet up with the rest of the school. The plane to Geneva would leave around 7:15. We arrived there about three hours too early. Thinking that getting through customs and such would take a long time. There weren't many people going to Geneva that day. We sat around by the window watching other planes go by and the sky changing colors as the sun set. I was feeling more and more nervous as the time drew nearer.
Finally it was seven and time to depart. We sort of lingered around the gate until we said our goodbyes. My mom started to tear up and as I hugged my dad, he just said to not forget what he had told me. For some reason, as I walked away from them, I didn't cry or even feel the need to. I teared up a bit but that was really it. I turned around to see where they were standing and found that they had left.
I was panicking, since I thought I was taking too long to do all this..
I walked all the way to the other side of the airport, to gate B28..
except...
it was going to Canada.
I checked my ticket..I had made a stupid mistake.
My seat number was B28, my gate number was B22..
which meant I had to go back to the other side of the airport.
When I got there, I saw that there was an hour delay. So I thought I'd just sit down and write
When it was time to board, I dashed to my seat, thinking that if I got there first, i'd be able to get a window seat.
Except...It belonged to someone else.
I guess she saw how excited I was. But she told me that she liked the aisle seat so she didn't have to climb over people when she needed to get out.
I sat there thinking to myself, "Wow this is really it, I'm finally on this plane"
making me feel a lot more tense than usual. I looked out the window of the plane, looking at the nights on the highway. Wondering if my parents were somewhere there.
It was then we were about to take off.
and as I was ascending, I could feel my excitement/happiness going up as well.
It was the greatest feeling. Being in some object thats a jabillion tons, able to fly up into the air like that. Though I'll admit it was unnerving to see the icon of the plane on the screen in front of me, move slowly away from the coast towards the Atlantic Ocean.
My seat neighbor's name was Dina and she made the experience on the plane a lot less lonely.
I was lucky to have met her. She loved to talk and I preferred to listen.
I learned that being on a plane at night was a lot like being on a bus, except you
re thousands of feet up in the air. It was a long and uncomfortable trip. I kept waking up in the night, looking at the icon of the plane, now completely surrounded by the blue of the ocean.
I think I finally fell asleep around 1:30 but around 2:30, Dina woke me, saying that they were serving breakfast. "What? Now?" I was very confused.
I saw the sky changing color as the sun rose. It was really wonderful to see the mountains and rivers below me. I never saw anything like it.
It was time to descend into Geneva. The view became covered in thick clouds, with only the blue sky and sun visible. As we descended, I got excited to see the plane going closer to the sea of clouds and seeing the snowy, grey landscape below.
My next flight was at 6:00pm...which meant..a lot of time to wait. I thought I would visit the "rest place" that came with the plane ticket. I was told it was free but..I found that it was actually 48 SF to stay. I wasn't quite sure how much that was in American money, but I thought I would rough it up and just sleep on the millions of seats around the airport.
It was...not a pleasant experience.I had tried three different locations.
First, I thought it would be nice to sleep in front of the huge windows
but then I felt too self conscious.
The second place was too uncomfortable.
So I decided to go to a more isolated part of the airport and sleep there.
I ran over to the gate in time and saw that I had the window seat again.
(I double checked) and felt excited that I was about to fly into a new city.
Closer and closer to my destination.
(This is end of that day's entry
more to come later ;) )
The next morning was a somber one. I didn't want to leave my bed. I lingered in it for an hour or so. My room and bed had become both a sanctuary and cell that past week. Finally I got up and prepared to clean up a bit more. I did some last minute packing and around 2:30 we left for JFK. I was to take three planes. The first one to Geneva, then to Zurich and then finally Florence. I had to get to Florence on the twelfth to meet up with the rest of the school. The plane to Geneva would leave around 7:15. We arrived there about three hours too early. Thinking that getting through customs and such would take a long time. There weren't many people going to Geneva that day. We sat around by the window watching other planes go by and the sky changing colors as the sun set. I was feeling more and more nervous as the time drew nearer.
Finally it was seven and time to depart. We sort of lingered around the gate until we said our goodbyes. My mom started to tear up and as I hugged my dad, he just said to not forget what he had told me. For some reason, as I walked away from them, I didn't cry or even feel the need to. I teared up a bit but that was really it. I turned around to see where they were standing and found that they had left.
 |
| I think she was joking.. |
This was the last I would see of them for awhile. It was getting rather exciting. At this point I had to go through the metal detectors. I was kind of panicking about what I had to do. I closely examined what the people in front of me were doing, and I did the same.
I was panicking, since I thought I was taking too long to do all this..
I walked all the way to the other side of the airport, to gate B28..
except...
it was going to Canada.
I checked my ticket..I had made a stupid mistake.
My seat number was B28, my gate number was B22..
which meant I had to go back to the other side of the airport.
When I got there, I saw that there was an hour delay. So I thought I'd just sit down and write
When it was time to board, I dashed to my seat, thinking that if I got there first, i'd be able to get a window seat.
Except...It belonged to someone else.
I guess she saw how excited I was. But she told me that she liked the aisle seat so she didn't have to climb over people when she needed to get out.
I sat there thinking to myself, "Wow this is really it, I'm finally on this plane"
making me feel a lot more tense than usual. I looked out the window of the plane, looking at the nights on the highway. Wondering if my parents were somewhere there.
It was then we were about to take off.
and as I was ascending, I could feel my excitement/happiness going up as well.
It was the greatest feeling. Being in some object thats a jabillion tons, able to fly up into the air like that. Though I'll admit it was unnerving to see the icon of the plane on the screen in front of me, move slowly away from the coast towards the Atlantic Ocean.
My seat neighbor's name was Dina and she made the experience on the plane a lot less lonely.
I was lucky to have met her. She loved to talk and I preferred to listen.
I learned that being on a plane at night was a lot like being on a bus, except you
re thousands of feet up in the air. It was a long and uncomfortable trip. I kept waking up in the night, looking at the icon of the plane, now completely surrounded by the blue of the ocean.
I think I finally fell asleep around 1:30 but around 2:30, Dina woke me, saying that they were serving breakfast. "What? Now?" I was very confused.
I saw the sky changing color as the sun rose. It was really wonderful to see the mountains and rivers below me. I never saw anything like it.
It was time to descend into Geneva. The view became covered in thick clouds, with only the blue sky and sun visible. As we descended, I got excited to see the plane going closer to the sea of clouds and seeing the snowy, grey landscape below.
 |
| first this.. |
 |
| then this!...so cool. |
It was 10:30am Swiss time, I didn't have any clue what it meant in New York time, except I was out of it. I said good bye to Dina
My next flight was at 6:00pm...which meant..a lot of time to wait. I thought I would visit the "rest place" that came with the plane ticket. I was told it was free but..I found that it was actually 48 SF to stay. I wasn't quite sure how much that was in American money, but I thought I would rough it up and just sleep on the millions of seats around the airport.
It was...not a pleasant experience.I had tried three different locations.
First, I thought it would be nice to sleep in front of the huge windows
but then I felt too self conscious.
The second place was too uncomfortable.
So I decided to go to a more isolated part of the airport and sleep there.
 |
| actual photo. slept right there. |
It was not the most glamorous experience of my life. I covered myself with my scarf and coat, tightly clutching onto my bag. I woke up every now and then because I was afraid someone was near me...and also because my back was in a lot of pain. I couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to just wander around the airport for another 3 hours.
I found an internet booth that cost about 5 sf for 30 minutes of internet. I didn't know how to use the keyboard, but to the best of my ability, I was able to type up an email that would make any respecting English Major cry. I felt weird emailing my parents for the first time. I just told them that I safely arrived in Geneva.
 |
| It must have been kind of pathetic..seeing me sit there, furiously digging through my pockets for swiss money so that I could finish typing up my email...that was so difficult to do because of that keyboard.. Looking back...I think its just another way for them to make money.. |
When I saw that my flight wasn't on the intercom, I went to the information desk.
The attendant looked puzzled at first and without saying a word...(we didn't understand eachother in the first place..)
he ripped up my ticket
...I was shocked for a moment, but then he gave me another one with a cheery smile. I saw that the time had changed, I was going to leave an hour earlier than expected. This was great, but it meant that I only had 10 mins to find my gate.
I ran over to the gate in time and saw that I had the window seat again.
(I double checked) and felt excited that I was about to fly into a new city.
Closer and closer to my destination.
(This is end of that day's entry
more to come later ;) )
i saved our correspondence from you writing to me :)
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