An eventful first day

Oh what a day! I've been on the move since 4:30 this morning and I'm completely exhausted. Currently, I'm flying from Miami to San Jose. This fact alone warrants a massive praise to God! It seems I am developing the unpleasant reputation of being bad luck when it comes to travel, and today has been one of the most challenging days of traveling I have ever experienced. I arrived at the Minneapolis airport at 6:30-exactly on time this morning. There I had some difficulty checking in because my flights are booked under separate reservations. The conclusion of that minor set back was having to pay to check my bag through to Miami. Not a big deal...I was planning on picking it up and re-checking it in Miami anyway. When I was checking in, they warned me that my flight would be delayed, but didn't give me any specifics, so we decided that I should just go through security as if the flight was on time to be safe.

Again, I arrived exactly on time. I was at my gate a few minutes before my boarding time and was dismayed to find a significant lack of action. No one was moving and no announcements were being made. Everyone on my 8:00 flight waited at our gate with no updates until 8:15 when they explained some troubles with de-icing planes. Eventually we got on the plane, got de-iced, and pulled out onto the runway just in time for Chicago O'Hare to close. An indefinite delay was announced and we were ever so helpfully informed that the flight crew was thinking about letting us off the plane. We sat there for about an hour before they allowed us to disembark with no information about our flights or our carry-on luggage that had been stored underneath the plane due to a lack of overhead compartment space. I would most definitely miss my flight from Chicago to Miami now and needed to make new arrangements.

I followed at least 20 other people from that flight to the re-booking station where I waited in line for about an hour. Just as I was getting to the front of the line, they re-boarded my previous plane. Unsure of what to do, I decided to stay and talk to the ticketing agent, thinking that I was next in line and the plane couldn't possibly be ready to take off more quickly than my questions could be answered. Unfortunately, I was wrong, and the gate closed just as I booked a new flight from Chicago to Miami. Much more fortunately, there was another flight going to Chicago at almost the exact same time that had not yet left. I got onto that flight with little trouble and in the process ran into another student, Rene, who is also enrolled in the Latin American Studies Program (LASP) and was trying to get from MSP to MIA.

The fabulous ticketing agent secured us seats together on both the flight to Chicago and the one from there to Miami and tried to help me re-tag my luggage so that it would go all the way to San Jose. While Rene and I enjoyed the remainder of our traveling together, my bag's destination is still unconfirmed. I'm praying that it will show up in San Jose, but it won't be the end of the world if I have to live without it for a few days while we try to find it.

Finally, Rene and I made our way from Minneapolis to Chicago- a pretty emotional trip for me. She was a great support and I feel really blessed that God crossed our paths before we left Minneapolis. It has been so difficult saying goodbye to friends and family knowing that I won't see any of them for such a long time, but I have to remind myself that this is all part of God's plan for my life. I'm looking forward to growing in my faith and as a person in general throughout this trip, and I know that He will bless me abundantly during my time away from home.

Upon arriving in Chicago, I talked with a ticketing agent about my carry-on that had been placed under my original airplane. I found out that I needed to track down the plane and wait there for everyone to disembark before I could get my bag. Concerned about the lack of time between my arrival and departure, I kept a close eye on the departure boards and was conflicted every time our flight from Chicago to Miami was delayed. I was relieved because I needed every minute I could get to find my bag and get some lunch (by this time it was about 2:30 and I hadn't eaten more than a granola bar all day). However, our flight from Miami was scheduled to leave at 7:55, so the longer we stayed in Chicago the more likely it became that we would miss the flight to San Jose.

Another praise to God filled my heart when the flight from Minneapolis arrived at the gate I was waiting at and I was able to quickly locate my bag. Not nearly so worried about not having any of my things anymore, I was able to quickly grab a bit of pizza before boarding my plane to Miami. On the flight to Miami, we heard that our flight to San Jose had been delayed and Rene and I let out a sigh of relief. We had been seriously concerned about missing that flight, but now it seemed as though we would make it. Upon landing, I called the person from LASP waiting for us at our gate and we were able to quickly locate the group and get my checked in.

What a relief to be on the final flight of this journey. I am so happy to be with a bigger group of people and to know that I'm finally on my way for sure. After a day of uncertainty, this is exactly what I needed. I know that much more uncertainty is ahead for me. I think we're meeting our host families tomorrow and I still need to figure out how to get my checked luggage, but our God is so good! He is so much bigger than my petty problems and I am so comforted to know that He is watching out for me and that I can simply rest in His arms, trusting that He knows what is best for my life.

I can barely keep my eyes open at this point and the thought of going to sleep in a bed could not be more welcomed. Who knows when we will finally arrive at our lodging place for the night, so I'm going to spend the rest of this flight taking a nap. Thank God that every day isn't a travel day! I can't wait to experience more of His wonderful creation in the morning!