We need to have a discussion...

Currently in College Station, PA – home to Penn State University. I spent the last 6 days in Sherbrooke, Canada (actually, Lennoxville, just outside Sherbrooke). Getting there was a trek! But thankfully it was uneventful...on the way there.

The West Connecticut State Chapter President drove me back to LaGuardia airport in New York. I flew directly to Montreal, Canada without experiencing any delays. Once I landed in Montreal, however, I had to take the shuttle bus to the downtown Terminus Centrale (bus station) – that took about an hour. Then purchased a bus ticket (in French) to Sherbrooke – that took over 2 hours.

The first two nights I was in Lennoxville (visiting Bishop’s University) I stayed with the Chapter President. The third night I moved apartments to stay with the Finance VP and Recruitment VP in their four bedroom apartment they shared with two guy friends. The fourth night I moved yet again to a senior member’s house. Take into consideration that I travel with two 50 lbs bags, my laptop case that weighs at least 30lbs and my purse...of course. And also consider that the town of Lennoxville is about, well, there’s one stop light and the town centers around it. No one drives a car. Seriously, the town is a block on either side of the 4-way stop light. That’s it. No. I’m serious. Really.

The Friday I caught a cab back to the bus station, back to Montreal and then another cab to the Best Western near the airport. I had an early morning flight to Pennsylvania today – so I had to get a room last night to make my flight in time. Well, upon arrival at the Best Western yesterday, I handed the nice desk lady my reservation print out and she couldn’t find it. She asked if it could be under a different name. Well, no. Then she looked closer and asked, in a cold, dry voice, “um, do you realize this reservation is for October 12?”

"....excuse me?"

“It says it right here!” As the French-Canadian attitude started to emerge she thrust the reservation page back into my hands. “...I believe you, I just don’t know how that happened.”

And she continued to stare at me like I was a creature from the deep...

THEN, after a few seconds that felt like an hour, she decides to say, “Well, I have a room.”

...

“Can I book it?”

[Pause]. I think she was considering whether I deserved to stay in her discount hotel due to booking the wrong date. “Yes, just one moment.”

Sigh – at least I got a room! Didn’t sleep much, but caught up on work so I’m happy.

And although my flight from Philadelphia to College Station was delayed – I made it. Without one of my bags. Yep. My garment bad decided to stay back for a little vacation time. Apparently it caught wind that there were three other flights landing in College Station today. We’re going to have to have a little discussion when it gets here (I’m hoping it’s not lost) so I can remind it that we only get two days off every thirty days we work. Goodness gracious!

After dinner I called the airport to check on the status of things. Here’s how the conversation went:

Me: “Hi, I’m calling about a missing bag.”

Bag man: “Last name?”

Me: “Lamb, L-A-M-B.” No, I didn’t add, “like the animal”

Bag man: “Just one moment…….[after several moments]…..um, no ma’am, it’s not in yet. But the last flight doesn’t come in until 10PM”

Me: “Okay, so it’s been located? It’s not just out there lost or anything?”

Bag man: “Well, no, it’s not...I mean, it’s not been located but…that doesn’t really mean anything.”

Me: “Okay. So. I should call back after 10 if I don’t hear anything sooner?”

Bag man: “Yeah, that’s fine.”

Me: “Just out of curiosity, any idea how one bag made it and the other didn’t? That’s just never happened to me before, it’s usually all or nothing…”

Bag man: “Oh! Really? Well, um, then in that case. It could be that one bag just got mistaken, and was sent to another city.”

Mistaken? Sent to another city? Okay. Great.

Meanwhile...a very dear friend of mine asks, very sincere, “Was it your important bag?” Very calmly I replied, “Well, let’s go over this. Um. I LIVE out of my suitcases...so...pretty much my LIFE sits in those bags. Together. Yep.” [chuckle]

But to give him credit – I suppose it is my most important bag, because it has my nice clothes, shower stuff, face stuff, and makeup. Sigh...

Hopefully I’ll be able to report later that all is well and my bag came in on the last flight. Till then...fingers crossed.

Travel tribulations....

The morning I left Gettysburg College, I had a meeting with the Chapter Advisor in a coffee shop about 20 minutes away. It was raining. But not one of those torrential downpours - and not a light sprinkle. One of those rains where no matter what you're using for protection; the water is going to find a way to your head, to ruin your hair, so you end up looking like a wet dog the rest of the day, no matter what. I won't mention the blisters that developed in my most comfy shoes due to a perfect mix of mist and leather rubbing my heel...sigh.

September 11th? You're flying TODAY? Asked the chapter member who drove me to the Harrisburg International Airport in PA that morning. The thought hadn’t crossed my mind – let alone the fact that I was flying into New York.

My flight was scheduled to depart around 12:50. When I checked in at the desk I learned it was delayed 2 hours. Not a big deal, I had plenty of paperwork to catch up on. The gate I was scheduled to depart from was crazy with people trying to get to Pittsburgh. I asked the desk agents a few times about my flight - I seemed to be the only one interested in going somewhere besides Pittsburgh. Apparently no other city in the world existed that morning between the hours of 10 and 2. So I never got an answer to any of my questions, but my flight was still on the screen so I thought that had to be good. Although, the delay did get pushed back to 3 hours, instead of the original 2.

Well, finally after they boarded the flight to Pittsburgh, the only city in the world - which was a consolidation of two flights from what I understood, I asked about mine. He looked at me with a blank stare. “Where are you going?” he asked. It was like the guy never thought that a flight besides the one he had been working on all morning to Pittsburgh existed! He asked, "Want to go to Pittsburg?" (Because apparently, that is the ONLY city to fly to from Harrisburg).....Well, "Sure", I said, "if that gets me to LaGuardia in the end" (NY). He looked like he was doing something magical on the computer, and then handed me two boarding passes..."Okay? Thanks, what about my luggage?" and he assured me not to worry.

Well of course I worried - this little man didn't look like he had all his screws in place. So I kindly asked the lady on the ground before stepping on to the plane about my bags. She asked the baggage guy and he nodded to me that he would check on them. That delayed us a few minutes longer but no one knew it was my fault. Thank goodness! The baggage man came on board and made eye contact with me and nodded again with thumbs up. I felt like a secret agent. The flight was pretty turbulent, but other than that it went well and I snoozed the whole way.

I arrived in Pittsburgh (the only city in the world), and my next flight to LaGuardia, NY was scheduled to leave at 5:45. Um, no, I take that back. That was the ORIGINAL time - we were delayed until 8:20, weather permitting. The poor President had already been waiting for me at the LGA airport for hours – I had to call her to go home because I was going to arrive too late (10PM) and instead I would just get a hotel room. She was fine with that, and I think got ahead on her reading for school, she didn’t sound too perturbed.

I had called ahead to the airport Airtran hotel to make sure they had vacancies that night, they assured me they had plenty of space. LGA airport is not the cleanest, or the safest-feeling at night. But thankfully my luggage made it! In one piece! It’s my worst nightmare for my luggage to burst mid-flight and come out on the belt all over the place.

I called the Airtran Airport Hotel again to verify that they did have a shuttle, they said yes, they did, to wait outside the lower level. I waited. And waited. And called again, “I’m sorry, I don’t know who told you we had any vacancies, we are booked for tonight”.

GREAT! Thanks.

I didn’t freak out, but it did occur to me that I have navigated some of the largest cities in the world (Paris, specifically) without difficulty, and suddenly, in my own country – I had no idea what to do with myself in NYC. ‘I wonder if cabs take credit cards….’ Was my only thought. Luckily the airport had a little booth with hotel names and numbers and a courtesy phone – I made some calls. At this point it was close to 11PM. I was exhausted.

Everywhere was over $200. I didn’t think ADPi would be too cool with that going on the credit card. Finally I got someone at the Wingate Inn and Suites. “May I ask your nightly rate?” I asked, “Of course. Let’s see. Because you’re calling now and it’s so late, I can give you our last room at $179”. “I’ll take it, where’s your shuttle?”

The shuttle driver – Mr. Alex (no, I’m not kidding, for you Madagascar fans) had a little bitty crush on little ole’ me I think…I don’t know. It could have been his eagerness to help me with my bags getting into the shuttle. Or maybe it was the way he lingered around even after I had been to the hotel ATM to get cash to tip him. Or maybe it was his insisting to carry my bags to my room for me. “Okay, I got it from here, thank you very much, goodnight”. “Oh, you got it?” (As we’re standing RIGHT outside my door). “Yes, thank you Mr. Alex, goodnight.” This is after he asked what room we were going to in the elevator (1414) and then replied, “must be lucky room”. Excuse me? Sigh...Lock and bolt door – head for shower then bed.

My first days off!

Julie Mackaman and Rick Dovey are probably about the coolest people I know. I was lucky enough to meet them while I worked at the Abbey last semester, they lived there and took classes with the students - Julie is Doug Mackaman's cousin, and Doug is the director of the Abbey Program. That's your introduction...

I was an hour late arriving at Albany Airport in NY, but Julie was there waiting for me, all smiles - she's the happiest person on earth. We caught up on life and Abbey stories during the hour and a half car ride to their house in the Green Mountains (Vermont = Vert Mont = Green Mountain in French).

We entered Vermont finally, but then entered Mass. for a short while, before we re-entered Vermont where Rick and Julie live as border ruffians - they are residents of Vermont however "their town" is actually in Mass. So I traveled from TX to NY to VT to Mass. back into VT in one short day! I can see your jaw dropping....

We enjoyed a late supper, accompanied by a delightful bottle of red wine straight from Pontlevoy (where the Abbey is located) - it was Julie's last bottle. Sigh...so delightful. Their house is back in the woods, and could not have been more peaceful and relaxing. Booboo and Kozmo (their cats) took to me immediately, but wouldn't sleep with me...sigh....I got over it eventually.

My first day there we went to a birthday party for Rick and Julie's dear friend Viola - it was held at an independent movie theatre in town. After bagels, fruit and cake, and merry-making with all of their delightful friends, we watched "Alice Neel", a documentary about a portrait artist - Viola's favorite. The film is not on the market yet, but Vi's daughters were able to meet the film maker and after sharing their story of why they wanted to show his film, he willingly gave them a copy!

That afternoon I enjoyed a short nap - and then we headed to Jack and Carla's house for a BBQ. More friend's of Rick and Julie's who actually made it over to France where I met them first. I helped pick vegetables out of Carla's garden and cut some flowers with Julie to take home that night. It was a delightful evening.

I did have my first "run in" with a "rude" Northerner...one friend who joined us for dinner, was introduced to me and after a while it came up that I am from Mississippi...

"Oh god I'm sorry - I just hate the south," she said, "never have taken to anyone from there, haven't ever liked anyone from there or any parts of it."

Julie kind of jumped in and questioned why she felt so strongly about "the South" and I was intrigued. You know me, I'm all for expressing opinions, but I want to know why you feel the way you do....

"What about the South do you not like?" I inquired.

"I just hate the way they treat their animals"

"Their animals?"

Without addressing me, she vented on - "They are just so uneducated and it is so disturbing the way they handle animals down there - just don't like it at all, never will, have no desire to try...."

"Wait, like, pets? The way Southerners treat their pets?"

"Yeah!"

"What do you mean?" desperately trying to understand where this is coming from I explained, "we've always had lots of pets and treat them....well, like anyone else does - they've always been spoiled..."

Cutting me off - "yeah well that's because you're educated. It's the uneducated that beat them, or take a shotgun to them! It's just disgusting." This whole time she looks so appalled and is shaking her head, not even trying to let others jump in to question or comment.

"Oh, I see what you're saying. Animal brutality - but that happens all over this country, not just in the South...." I wasn't allowed a chance to even finish my sentence before she cut me off shaking her head, "no, not up here. It's just in the South, yeah...no...."

It was SO BIZARRE. How do you respond to that? Aside from that introduction, the rest of the evening was comfortable, very enjoyable. I avoided conversing with her again.


Monday, Labor Day, we visited two museums - spending some time with "the unknown Monet". The Clark, a museum and restoration facility where Julie works, was hosting some of his earlier work, from before he was famous. It was AM-azing. We hiked up the small mountain outside the Clark as well - because it was a beautiful day, but we didn't see the cows that lived in the pasture - and deduced they must have been hiding in the woods beyond our path. I kind of wanted to take a picture with them. Oh well.

It was a fabulous weekend - even if I did have to travel far to get there - and then spent 6 hours traveling to my next chapter in Burlington, VT by plane when it would have only taken 3 hours to drive up Route 7. Hopefully I will be back in VT in the spring and will be able to see Rick and Julie again.