Hey all!
I have now been here in Southeast India for near a week, and let me tell you, it has definitely been an interesting beginning! First and foremost, the trip here! I arrived to the PDX at promptly 6:15ish, and went directly to the Air Canada ticket counter. The line was pretty short, so within five minutes, I was up at the counter and talking to the lady about my trip. After handing her my itinerary, she realized it was definitely a big ordeal! "So your bags are getting checked through Frankfurt, correct?" Well, this was only partly correct. They were getting checked through Frankfurt, however, they had a whole flight more to go before they had completed their journey! By some computer anomaly, she could not see my bags all the way there (one of which being my guitar!). It was a mess to say the least. Well, after an hour (yes, an hour!) at the counter, two different airline workers, and several phone calls, it was finally settled that I was going to meet my bags in India! And that's when I find out that my bag weighs too much. Turns out, it was 15 lbs too much! Oops! To be fair, I was packing for a FIVE MONTH trip! That, however, turned out to be quite the financial setback. Do not, I repeat, do not let yourself have a bag that is overweight, whatever you do! It sucks to pay the overage fees! lol
The flights here were very good, albeit long! I first flew to Toronto, Canada, which I must say is a very nice airport. Going through customs was a breeze there. In fact, it went so fast, she had to tell me I could go, because I didn't realize it was over! haha I got an overpriced burger and some fries at a place called Cactus Jacks. However. The bacon that was on it. Oh dear. It was some of the BEST bacon I have ever had. I then walked over to my gate, and began to (re)read The Hobbit. (Disclaimer- I plan to read it three times before the first movie comes out!) The next plane, from Toronto to Frankfurt, Germany was definitely the best of the three flights. The two women I sat next to were great. One was an elderly woman on her 12th trip to Bangalore, where she would be doing two months of church work! So cool! And the other was a young woman, about my age, who was a traveling paramedic. Basically, she gets to travel to places, and then travel with an injured person on their flights home. Kind of awesome! We spent much of the flight talking, the three of us, as well as catching a couple of movies. Men In Black III was not a total disappointment! The last flight, Frankfurt to Chennai, India, was probably my least favorite. For being a large plane, the seats were really small, and not much leg room. Also, I was in the middle row, which was a row of four seats. And wouldn't you know it, the row in front of me, the front-most row, housed four babies. FOUR! There's got to be some law disallowing that many babies on flight. I'll look into it...
Upon arriving here, I was told that it is currently a period of resting for the staff, because they had been crazy busy for the two weeks prior. So, I would be spending the week doing very little. Which is exactly what happened. I spent the week doing very little. And that, my friends, was not easy for me. I spent much of my time reading, and playing guitar, which can only keep me occupied for so long. I realized the extent of loneliness that I was to face in the coming months, and it forced me to look unto God in a way I had never before. I felt homesick for literally the first time in my entire life, and more so, I missed the ability to be with people, people who I knew and who knew me. But in my loneliness I remembered my own prayers and the ways God was revealing to me to be ready for this trip. He took me to 1 Thess 5:16-18. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (ESV). Thank you, Spirit, for reminding me that You are always with me, always good, and that my faith and joy do not rest in circumstance, nor do they rely on situation. They only rest and rely on You, who never changes! This is what God has revealed, and is revealing to me about what I am to learn while here in India. That I would find rest in Him. Psalm 62, one of my favorites, begins with "My soul finds rest in God alone." I have made this my creed, my cry, and my hope. And He will supply this to me! Of this I am sure!
I have now been here in Southeast India for near a week, and let me tell you, it has definitely been an interesting beginning! First and foremost, the trip here! I arrived to the PDX at promptly 6:15ish, and went directly to the Air Canada ticket counter. The line was pretty short, so within five minutes, I was up at the counter and talking to the lady about my trip. After handing her my itinerary, she realized it was definitely a big ordeal! "So your bags are getting checked through Frankfurt, correct?" Well, this was only partly correct. They were getting checked through Frankfurt, however, they had a whole flight more to go before they had completed their journey! By some computer anomaly, she could not see my bags all the way there (one of which being my guitar!). It was a mess to say the least. Well, after an hour (yes, an hour!) at the counter, two different airline workers, and several phone calls, it was finally settled that I was going to meet my bags in India! And that's when I find out that my bag weighs too much. Turns out, it was 15 lbs too much! Oops! To be fair, I was packing for a FIVE MONTH trip! That, however, turned out to be quite the financial setback. Do not, I repeat, do not let yourself have a bag that is overweight, whatever you do! It sucks to pay the overage fees! lol
The flights here were very good, albeit long! I first flew to Toronto, Canada, which I must say is a very nice airport. Going through customs was a breeze there. In fact, it went so fast, she had to tell me I could go, because I didn't realize it was over! haha I got an overpriced burger and some fries at a place called Cactus Jacks. However. The bacon that was on it. Oh dear. It was some of the BEST bacon I have ever had. I then walked over to my gate, and began to (re)read The Hobbit. (Disclaimer- I plan to read it three times before the first movie comes out!) The next plane, from Toronto to Frankfurt, Germany was definitely the best of the three flights. The two women I sat next to were great. One was an elderly woman on her 12th trip to Bangalore, where she would be doing two months of church work! So cool! And the other was a young woman, about my age, who was a traveling paramedic. Basically, she gets to travel to places, and then travel with an injured person on their flights home. Kind of awesome! We spent much of the flight talking, the three of us, as well as catching a couple of movies. Men In Black III was not a total disappointment! The last flight, Frankfurt to Chennai, India, was probably my least favorite. For being a large plane, the seats were really small, and not much leg room. Also, I was in the middle row, which was a row of four seats. And wouldn't you know it, the row in front of me, the front-most row, housed four babies. FOUR! There's got to be some law disallowing that many babies on flight. I'll look into it...
Upon arriving here, I was told that it is currently a period of resting for the staff, because they had been crazy busy for the two weeks prior. So, I would be spending the week doing very little. Which is exactly what happened. I spent the week doing very little. And that, my friends, was not easy for me. I spent much of my time reading, and playing guitar, which can only keep me occupied for so long. I realized the extent of loneliness that I was to face in the coming months, and it forced me to look unto God in a way I had never before. I felt homesick for literally the first time in my entire life, and more so, I missed the ability to be with people, people who I knew and who knew me. But in my loneliness I remembered my own prayers and the ways God was revealing to me to be ready for this trip. He took me to 1 Thess 5:16-18. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (ESV). Thank you, Spirit, for reminding me that You are always with me, always good, and that my faith and joy do not rest in circumstance, nor do they rely on situation. They only rest and rely on You, who never changes! This is what God has revealed, and is revealing to me about what I am to learn while here in India. That I would find rest in Him. Psalm 62, one of my favorites, begins with "My soul finds rest in God alone." I have made this my creed, my cry, and my hope. And He will supply this to me! Of this I am sure!
No comments:
Post a Comment