However, since this also serves as my journal, I'll write about my last day in Peru.
I spent most of the morning packing. It was a longer process than I thought. I had accumulated a lot of stuff in Peru. All my gifts for people, all the stuff for myself, all my papers and books from school. I threw some of my old clothes out and gave a trashbag full of stuff to Raquel (leftover hair products, toothpaste, medicine, etc) but I still had more stuff than I had expected. I got it all stuffed in my bags, though.
At one point during my packing, mom came in and gave me a goodbye gift. It was a beautiful set of earrings and an Andean cross necklace. That was the first time I started bawling that day. Then I gave her the jewelry box that I had painted for her as her goodbye gift.
Rosa prepared a nice lunch for us. It was also Raquel's last day at the house, since her program was over, and ISA doesn't allow students to stay in their houses after the program. So she's moving into an apartment. So it was our goodbye lunch. Mom got out all the nice dishes and glasses, made us a delicious meal with her famous Asian salad that we've been wanting to try, made us all pisco sours, and we had Olga's delicious lemon pie for dessert. It was really nice, and after dinner Raquel and I had a nice long chat with mom.
In the afternoon I just kind of sat around being depressed while I watched Raquel pack. Then my friend Mary came over to say goodbye. She would be leaving the next night. I was doing pretty well at staying in a mental state of denial for most of the day. And then I went into my room to grab my bags and take them downstairs. I realized it was the last time I was going to be in my room, and when Raquel came in to help me, I was bawling, and it was pretty much off and on waterworks saying goodbye to Raquel, Manuel, and the family until Joel came and got me. (Of course, like a true Peruvian he was about 20 minutes late, so the goodbyes that I hate so much got extended.)
I got into the giant kidnapper van that was taking us to the airport and waved goodbye to everyone. We headed off to Kristen's house to pick her up. I got to say goodbye to Carlin, the other girl staying there, and then we drove to Connor's house to pick him up. Then it was off to the airport.
We got in line for the ticket counter where I saw a couple of kids that had been in my Quechua class that were on the same flight as me, and a few other exchange students I recognized from PUCP.
My first little roadbump was at the ticket counter. I was flying from Lima to Houston to Newark to Omaha. But only the flight to Houston was showing up in the computer. After about half an hour she finally figured it out. (I think the only problem was that I was at the Continental counter, and my first flight was Continental, but my next 2 were United. You would think since they merged, they would have worked out those kinks by now, but apparently not.)
Then my bag was overweight. I took a few things out and put them in my other bag, and then she still let a couple of kilos slide, so I didn't have to toss anything.
And then we waited. We still had some time before we had to go through security so we sat in the food court and Joel and I got some supper. I figured I would get a true Peruvian meal, so I went to Pardo's and got some anticuchos (skewered beef heart - much more delicious than it sounds), papas doradas (fried potatoes) and choclo (the giant corn). Then Joel said goodbye, and we went through security.
Of course, since we were flying into America, we had to go through double security. Which meant that when we got to our gate, we had to have our carry-ons inspected, and then go into the tiny walled off waiting area. People outnumbered chairs about 3 to 1, so we were sitting on the floor, until we got to board. And, yay us, there was a 40 minute delay.
Since some thief in Ica is now playing angry birds on my iPod, I was looking forward to having the personal screen on the back of each seat, so I could catch up on the latest movies and watch a few episodes The Office. Because all international flights have those these days, right? Guess not. They did play Parks & Rec on the big screen, but my headset only worked out of one ear. My second headset distorted the sound. After that I gave up.
It never ceases to amaze me how something that costs so much can be so shitty. Every aspect of it. Airports are understaffed. The staff is rude. Everything is expensive. There's almost always problems with the computers or your tickets or your baggage. Your flight is almost always delayed. You finally get on the plane and you're uncomfortable. It smells. The flight attendants are rude. You carried on your bags? Good for you, way to save money. Oh, but wait. There is never enough room for everyone to stow their carry on bags. Shove it under your chair. Get yelled at by a stewardess because its sticking out and in an emergency you might trip on it. Plane is delayed more because they have to figure out what to do with everyone's carry-ons. The food tastes bad, if you get any. A can of coke probably costs 50 cents. Your flight was probably about $500. But can they give you the whole can? Oh no, they just give you a cupful. Still thirsty? Wait until you get off the plane, and you can buy your own can in the airport for $5. Maybe you can even get a $12 egg salad sandwich to go with it. Everything about flying sucks balls. And it shouldn't. If you're paying that much for something, it should be awesome.
I apologize for that rant, but I do feel a bit better now.
With the flight delay, I was worried about making it through customs and everything in time for my connecting flight. So I booked it out of that plane and passed everybody to be the first in line in customs. The first in line out of our plane, that is. I arrived to find a rather long line of other people waiting there. Finally I got through without any problems. Went downstairs, got my bags off the carousel, went through the next line, checked my bags again, went upstairs and stood in the super long security line. Finally made it through that with 15 minutes until my plane was supposed to take off. There was no gate on my ticket, and no screens, so I went to the desk where they walkie talkied to someone to find my gate. And then I ran, carrying my 2 heavy backpacks. It was at this moment, more than any other, that I wished I had stayed in better shape during my time in Peru. My run slowed to a jog, I was gasping for air, praying for a moving walkway, but none were in sight. Finally, when I thought I might collapse, I spotted my gate. Made it!
Just in time for the most beautiful flight ever. The plane was practically empty. Every person had 3 empty seats all to themselves, and almost every person, myself included, put the arm rests up, laid down, and slept like a baby.
The flight from Newark to Omaha was not so nice, but finally I made it, and Katie and Jessie took me back to Lincoln.
It's good to be home. Kind of. It's really cold here, and most of my friends are either working, or back home for the holidays. And after living in Rosa's house, where there was constant activity, I could just yell at Raquel from my room and she would yell back, and I could always hear mom shouting obscenities all around the house, my cold empty house is kind of depressing. But it will be better once school starts and I start having a reason to wake up before noon, and regular human contact.
Hope you've enjoyed reading about my adventures! See you next time I decide to move to a foreign country! Will it be Russia, South Korea, Spain? Stay tuned to find out!
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