Hello!
As you have probably guessed, my mom and I did not go to New York. I got up at 2:30am the morning I was leaving Ireland. My mom talked to me that morning and said I needed to come home as quickly as possible. So I did my last minute packing, didn't eat breakfast (my stomach was in knots), and called a taxi for 3:30am.
Luckily all my travels went pretty smoothly from there. I took the airporter at 4:00am to Belfast International Airport. I flew out of Belfast into London Heathrow airport. It is worth mentioning that I had to take TWO buses within the London airport just to get to my terminal. From there I flew to Newark, New Jersey. When I landed (after going through security/customs), I took a taxi to the hotel my mom and I were supposed to stay at in New York. The plan was for me to stay there one night then catch a flight the next morning.
Good thing I was so tired and disoriented from all the traveling because the taxi to the hotel would have normal terrified me (and being on the opposite side of the road!). I got to the hotel (it was nearly dinner time in New York), but they wouldn't let me into the room. Since my mom made the reservations, she had to be there. Long story short, I ended up being able to stay in the room for the night (thank goodness). Needless to say, I had been up for over 24 hours, exhausted, disoriented, and still hadn't realized that I was back in America.
The next morning I departed at 6:30am (I think) and took a taxi to the JFK Airport. My taxi driver was amazing!!!! Very courteous and calm driver. My plane goes from New York to Phoenix, Arizona where I have a lay over. This plane trip wasn't ideal since we had to fly through a terrible storm. Once again, good thing I was too exhausted and disoriented to care.
It is the airport in Arizona where I finally started to see some odd cultural differences... For example, the clothing the people were wearing, the speed at which they walked, and the precise "swagger" they walked with. Very funny indeed!
Departing out of Phoenix, I was on my last plane to San Diego, California. Thank Goodness!!!
Seeing my mom was completely bizarre, but I also felt like I had never left her. From there she drove me straight to the hospital (not for me of course!!). In the car drive, it took me just a moment to realize that I was sitting (and we were driving) on the opposite side. Then it really freaked me out!! I started laughing so hard that I was crying! I felt like I had to do something because I was sitting on the driver's side, but my mom was driving! Haha I think I was also just extremely tired from the traveling and jet lag.
It still hasn't sunk in that I'm back in America and will not be going back to Northern Ireland. I've had to just throw myself back into this life here and haven't had the opportunity to ease back into things. I think that first day of traveling was one of the hardest days I've had. Not having time to say goodbye, the culture shock, the reality of where I'm going, the sadness and responsibility I'm about to face at home, being completely alone. I just kept telling myself, "Remember you're in the Amazing Race and this is just the toughest leg of the race." I know that sounds completely ridiculous, but it I wouldn't have been able to have gotten through without thinking that.
I wish I had the opportunity to not so abruptly leave my life in Ireland; perhaps it's better that way. However, I'm still worried about the moment when I realize that I won't be going back...
My family and I will be having our Christmas dinner at the hospital today. We've agreed to postpone our real Christmas celebration to a later time. Perhaps spring break?? haha Christmas in the spring, I like it!
And with this final blog entry, I want to give you all a huge thank you and wish you the best holiday it can be. May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.
As always,
Cheers.
No comments:
Post a Comment