7. Communication Takes Time

We left the house at 4:45pm to DFW and arrived at 5:30pm. Our flight was not even until 8:50, so thank goodness because we rode the sky rail around a few times. The sky rail goes to each of the four terminals, and gives a great view of the airport from all sides. I highly recommend arriving earlier than usual for a flight at DFW so this adventure can be at least once (it is only 12 minutes total). We figured out that our terminal had changed, and we rushed up to the sky rail to take us to our new terminal so we could figure out our seats because the flight was booked.

 I sat in 15B, and a lady in my row, as I was trying to stuff my duffel bag into the already full overhead compartments, started yelling to me in Spanish. I was surprised at first because it was not just the Spanish like what I am used to being from Texas, but it was a deep Argentinean Spanish, as I later learned. She physically got from her seat, handed me her cup of coffee, took my bag from my shoulder, and somehow crammed it into the compartment. (I can’t help wondering whether this scenario demonstrates the awareness of humanity and its drive to genuinely help others or the more condescending approach of pity and aggravation.) “Gracias, Gracias, lo siento, millgracias,” I replied. She looked down at me above her glasses, although she was only about 5’1, and gave me the “happy to help a needy person, yeah yeah, don’t mention it even if you could in my language” type of look. I smiled, proceeded to ask her where she was from and such, and I learned that she was with the Argentinian futbol team that was on the plane! No wonder she gave me the “yeah yeah” look.  She fell asleep shortly after which took a lot of pressure off of me to keep up appearances – 3.5 hours of a conversation in a different language with a temperamental tired and probably famous lady would have been extremely stressful, so Io pulled out my pocketbook Aristotle, turned up my “Foster the People” playlist, and wondered how the situation would have turned out differently had I not squeezed my Salvation Army boots into my carry-on bag. The series of odd events did not stop there. Mum had also made two friends who proceeded to stalk us all the way to Sydney. Both were very nice gentlemen, and I hope the rest of their travels are going well. Our LAX to SYD flight on Qantas did not even take off until 2:53am Fort Worth time. 

 The Toowoolong 747 plane sure is beautiful.... from the outside.

6. Humanity's Test: Do You Pass?

Distance is merely a test of humanity – its patience, the self-will and the willingness to eliminate the physical borders and barriers it creates.

People think that I am lucky to be going all the way to Australia, and I am. This is true, but it is not for the same reasons they believe. I am very blessed to be able to visit my family, my Nana and my Dan Dan, and it is amazing that I can just come here and belong. It seems like I have been here all along… having tea, seeing neighbors, listening to her talk – it is just so natural. Even though we have been separated for ages, it feels as though I have had afternoon tea every day after school with her. 

Neither time nor distance can separate us.

5. Just A Moment, Please

Everything was where it needed to be. The lineup of suitcases bursting with overcoats, Texas souvenir presents and long socks followed the same paralleled path of thinking in my mind: patience, also another term for long suffering. Packing a month in advance allowed plenty of time for long suffering. All I could do was eat or sleep, and I had already covered both well before it was morning tea time. I sat there suffocated by my own thoughts as the sweltering Texan summer heat smothered every last drop of sweat and energy right out of me. The saying goes, “work while you wait;” however, the reality was that I literally had nothing to work on. Every task, every eating pleasure had been fulfilled, and anything else that could be done would be a repeat of a repeat. Thankfully, before I had lost all hope about being self-righteously extremely organized and prepared, I was summoned to begin my new actual reality. You see, almost every moment up until now, 6 years worth of moments, I had been imagining this exact moment. I use “moment” frequently but not frivolously because that is what this is: a portion of my time I know that I will be spending in the future, but only I can dream about that, and I as I begin this moment that had become my reality, I am thrilled, absolutely thrilled. THIS IS my moment. The space is Australia, the time is now, and my reality is family.

4. A (New) Beginning

The story basically ends with your imagination or personal experiences. The upcoming posts will be about my personal experiences... in life. Just passing through...

4. Human Beings Sure Are Selfless in Times of Crisis

Good for you, you have not even begun to think about yourself, like most human beings, thinking of others first. Of course you let the feeble old lady behind you in line have the next turn at the ticket counter, of course you did not let the other feeble old lady behind the feeble lady's friend behind you have yet again the next turn at the ticket counter. Upon denying your right of "the next person in line, please," the feeble lady's friend took her Mary Poppins carpet bag, somehow hoisted it above her head, and let it "accidentally fall" onto your hand holding that steaming hot caramel macchiato. Yes, the insides of your thumb and index fingers would now forever be a slightly different shade, and yes, your duty free right foot Sperry shoe would now forever be, no longer. This is only your first encounter with your fellow passengers. Jolly.

Punch Line…. If anything in your whole airport experience would be right, it would be your injured hand and destroyed shoe. 

3. Simply Put, Collateral Damage

Collateral damage, a term I stole from Vince Flynn's book titled Act of Treason basically means the fallout that you have no control over. That announcement not only changed your personal freedoms, but it also changed your relationships with the people you are closest to. Let us begin with your sweet mother who was going to pick you up from the airport after you landed. She now has to wait three hours before you even take off. You will forever be known as the irresponsible college student who did not grow up. Because you are a college student who is used to staying up late, the time difference does not have the same influence on the body as it would your mother's. Your mother planned for a garden brunch the next morning at your house, and she will forever look at you as the unfortunate child that has no respect for her acts of kindness. You, however, are lucky because your mother will forgive you. Thank goodness your neighbor, colleague, fiancée, or father-in-law did not pick you up..... but wait a minute, you haven't even left the tarmac. You do not even have to worry about these issues yet because you still have the whole 1995 "Pride and Prejudice" movie series worth of time to spend in that same airport. Jolly. Just know that you will be brooding over these underlying issues for the next couple of months to come. 

Punch line… I’m still brooding over how I could ever equate Colin Firth with unhappiness. 

2. Life As We Know It

To your dismay, whatever occasion is waiting for you at the other end is going to be missed, and whoever is waiting for you has lost your trust forever. The airline will reimburse you for your changed flight, upgrade your seat from economy to "special economy," and perhaps an extra bag of salted peanuts will get thrown into the deal you were forced into, but your best friend will never forgive you for missing her wedding and being her maid of honor; your boss will never again ask you to "seal the deal" over a golf game ruining your career of opportunities; and you will never again be able to see Enrique Iglesias live on his Euphoria tour. Life experiences are going to be missed, and perhaps your whole life just changed because of the slight delay in the times you were scheduled in for. The consequences are indeed grave: you could have caught the bouquet and remained the best friend, become partner of that nameless large corporation, or even better, married Enrique Iglesias, but alas, you are left to deal with what is called "collateral damage." 

Punch line…. Who would have thought, not marrying Enrique Iglesias as collateral damage?