Trying to Get to Ecuador

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So here I am, stuck in Miami, on my way to Ecuador. The flight from Anchorage to Seattle was fine. Then the problems started. We were delayed for almost an hour because there was fog. Seattle is having a lot of weather problems recently! It used to almost never have any! So we left almost an hour late. I had 35 minuted inbetween flights in Chicago. Problem. So while we were waiting to take off I got myself rebooked on a later flight from Chicago and then a flight from Miami to Quito the next day. I ended up getting to Chicago at 1:10. My flight was supposed to have left at 12:55. Luckily it was delayed until 1:12. Good, 2 minutes until it was supposed to be taken off. And I was in the wrong concourse. So I ran. And managed to get on the flight! Barely! So I was on my way to Miami! However, since that flight was delayed leaving, we got in late to Miami. At about 5:15. My flight left at 5:50. Plenty of time. And my gate was only about 12 gates away. It would've been fine except for one thing. We couldn't get to our gate to unload. There was a plane there with maintenaince problems. We sat on the airplane in the holding area for 25 minutes until we were allowed to go to the gate. The flight attendant said they would hold close connections for us. 5:39. I ran to my gate and got there at 5:40. They had just pulled away the walkway. If I had gotten there 2 minuted earlier I would've been fine! I was already rebooked for a flight on Saturday but I wanted to see it I could get hotel and food vouchers since it was the airline's fault and not due to weather so I stood in the rebooking line for 1.5 hours. It was worth it though. They put me up at the Crowne Plaza hotel and gave me $25 for food. And guess what? The hotel is the same one that I stayed at with AFS 2.5 years ago before we went to Panama! Woah, weird...

Last night I went to Coconut Grove area to wander around and eat dinner. I had a ceviche sampler with 6 spoonfuls of different kinds of ceviche and black bean soup. I also listened to some electric violin players for a while that were pretty good. Then I had a nice long sleep in my big very comfortable king bed! Nice brunch breakfast this morning with my airport money and now I'm using the free internet! Then to the airport. I lost my day in Quito for sightseeing and acclimatizing to the altitude before I got up even higher to Otavalo, but it wasn't a bad experience all told. At least I'm sort of used to the time zone now!

I get to Quito tonight at 7:40. Tomorrow we have an orientation, then a stop at the equator and a musuem with the 4 other volunteers before we go to Otavalo (2 hours north of Quito, up in the Andes) to meet our families. I'm excited to be going to a Spanish-speaking country where I can actually sort of understand the language and I've heard good things about Ecuador so I'm looking forward to this whole experience! Kind of nervous, though, at the same time, because I'm not sure about this whole teaching thing. I'm sure they'll help us out and I'm sure it will end up being fine.

Anyway, I'm off on my way to another adventure! Probably more soon...

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Comments

[kirsten]

you left??! (hahaha...oh)
"Anyway, I'm off on my way to another adventure!" eryn, that quote represents on of the many reasons i love you.

[Kelly]

Happy Trails
Have a great trip Eryn.

[Marie]

!! <3 !!
I had flight delays too that night! Airplanes these days, I tell ya. But more importantly, have a wonderfully fantastic time in Ecuador!

[doug eby]

next chapter
I has been so great to have you home...but I am looking forward to having an interesting blog to read again....should be quite different with staying one place for many months...slower, longer term relationships (good and bad sides to that), possible boredom to deal with, but better sense of connecting to a place that will possibly connect more deeply with you....a different adventure...