As I finished up packing, I knew it was time to take all of my luggage up. I slowly go up the stairs anxiously because I knew Bengal (yes my little man, Bengal who is a boxer, who I've had for 3 years, will be 4 in September) would react somehow to all of my luggage. Once I made it up top he saw it all, started to sulk the whole entire morning; refused to eat his dog food.
As I was getting ready, it was slowly starting to hit me. My parents were like, "you ready?" I responded, "yeah hold on." I went into one of the bedrooms upstairs to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything, Bengal followed me and was sulking as well. I called him to get up on the bed, and tried to give him a kiss, he was still sulking and turned away. At that exact moment I started bawling, I am hugging and kissing him, probably was pretty loud because he started licking me; I started sobbing even more.
Once I walked out, my mom started crying and said "you know he is in good hands, we will take such good care of him" I said I know that is not the point I can skype with you, Dad and Leslie (sister) but it's not the same being able to squeeze Bengal's squishy, permanently sad face, being greeted so graciously by him or getting his best kisses ever. Yes, I've been blessed with the perfect dog.
As we got to the airport, the guy who checked in my baggage was as nice as he could be. Surprisingly, my two suitcases hit 45 lbs, the limit is 50. I thought there was no way because I packed so much. The paper I had printed out prior to traveling said only one travel bag per traveler. He did not charge me for the 2nd bag, thankfully.
My parents and I ate at Damon's and I ordered a chicken ceasar salad, anyone who knows me knows that is one of my favorite dishes (boring I know, yet so good). As soon as they gave it to me, I looked at it and looked up at my parents. My dad was in the bathroom and my mom was sitting there like what the hell is that? I responded...."are you fucking kidding me, a PERFECT example why fucking Americans are so fat and lazy," The romaine lettuce was NOT cut up at all there were 2 sticks of them with chicken on top. So much for a great last meal. Here is a picture of it-
Oh yeah I was very pissed although I was laughing my ass off with my mom and dad at the same time. So I guess the laughing was worth the $12.00.
Time for me to go, as I said my goodbyes to my parents they both started crying so of course I started crying and got out of there as fast as I could so I didn't have to spend the next 5-10 minutes listening to their lectures and bawling some more :) (love you Mom and Dad).
Anyone who knows me...will say "yeah only Felicia" once they hear/read about my time/luck before actually arriving to my destination.
The plan was to go from Cincinnati, Ohio to Newark, NJ/New York then to Stockholm, Sweden and the chairperson of the club was going to pick me up. We were going to take a ferry to the Island. There are about 3,600 Aland Islands but 80%-90% of people live in Mariehamn (where I am living now). Aland Islands are owned by Finland, but is much closer to Sweden. People here speak Swedish. People in Finland speak Finnish.
Nope, because of the awesome thunderstorms we had the very early morning I left, delayed my flight from 1:50pm to 5:30pm which caused me to miss my flight in Newark. Once I arrived I told them where I was going the guy in Newark was like "ok you are going to London, then Stockholm." I said wait what?!?! I want to go straight to Stockholm. He said "well then you'll have to stay overnight here." I was like eh okay never mind no thanks. London is the #1 place in the world I want to visit, and of course I am going to be teased by being in the actual city and not able to go anywhere. So I am going to my gate, got online, and ate some sushi, YUMMY, then got on the plane. Finally at 11:30pm I am boarding. The girl next to me was like "you're from Cincinnati?" I said "yeah are you??" She was like "yeah I lived there for two years, but my visa expired so I am being sent back to Germany." So she was on the same flight from Cincinnati, to Newark, to London. I was so glad to meet someone so we had a good conversation on the way to London (6 hour flight) except for when were asleep!! What a nice woman (she was 30, although she looked like 25ish).
Finally I landed in London. I had about two hours before departure for Stockholm. I went to a lady because I was not sure which airline to use. My itinerary said to fly with British Airlines but it was operated by Scandinavian Airlines. British Airlines was at terminal 1 and SAS was at terminal 3. She told me to go to terminal 1. So I got there and in London the gate for your flight does not show until 30-50 minutes before departure and I had about an hour and half to an hour. My flight wasn't even on the board at all so I was slightly confused but decided to go to the money exchange and exchange my money from US dollars to Euros. Then went on the computer to get online to keep my coach and everyone else updated.
Once I was about an hour before departure my flight still wasn't on the board and I ran into Isabella (the German I sat on the flight from the US to London) I told her about how my flight wasn't on the board. She was like oh shit let's go talk to someone. So we went and talked to someone they were like you're at the wrong terminal I was like oh shit three people told me to go to terminal 1, they were like HURRY up you need to go to terminal 3 or you'll miss it because of the security (there are a different security for each terminal) so I am sprinting and once I got to terminal 3 there were no lines, thank god. So I got in and looked at the board there it was, what a good feeling knowing what was going on.
I sat down and looked over and saw a woman holding a starbucks, I was like oh lord I need some of that so I went and got a white chocolate mocha (so yummy). Sat and literally stared at the board along with hundreds of people waiting for my gate number to pop up. It finally popped up and I went to the gate. Wow, I must say, everyone at my gate was pretty much super blonde and blue eyes so it was very OBVIOUS I was somewhat, entering a new territory.
As I am sitting there I started to get a little bit nervous. We got on the plane, the two beautiful swedish flight attendants must have been informed that I was deaf so they both came up to me and started talking real fast in English with their accents. I was like waaaaait I am sorry but I'm deaf slow down. They both smiled and were AS NICE as you just could possibly be. They explained beforehand what they were going to do, the usual boarding procedure. I just said oh no worries I fly all the time. They were like ok great, do you need anything, beer or wine?? I just looked at them for a couple seconds and thought about it then I said oh no thank you I'll just take a water.
I couldn't believe how well they understood me and how nice they all were. I knew at that moment I was nowhere near America with rude ass people.
I slept for majority of the 2.5 hour flight from London to Stockholm. I arrived in Stockholm. Yes, everyone is mainly blonde and beauiful, so I definitely felt like a tourist. I was waiting for my luggage and got them. I went out and my chairperson was nowhere to be found so I went to the information desk and asked where I could find the internet. They pointed the way, so I went to the computer and it said you had to pay, I didn't have my credit card with me and I took all of my money out of my account so I could exchange my USD to Euros. So, I was basically screwed. I went back to the information desk and told them what was going on and the man turned his computer and was just check your email really quick. Now answer this how many information desks in America would have done that, YEAH PROBABLY NONE!!!
After checking my email my coach is like "since it is so late, the ferry is closed...." I am sitting there like oh mother#$#$#....and then it continues "we booked you a flight from Stockholm to Mariehamn (the Island) and no worries it is much faster than the ferry and you will beat the last ferry anyway. So I was thinking oh shit I have to check in my baggages again. So I ran upstairs and saw this information desk for Switzerland, I decided to take a shot. I told her what was going on she was like let me call someone. As I was sitting there waiting, she was like okay go to this gate and pay for your flight. I was like oh no, my flight is already booked, the club I am playing for took care of it for me. She was like oh oh okay can I see your passport so I handed it to her and she gave me all of the information. Again, so nice and helpful.
I am sitting in the check in line (I was in the front) and once the lady came to it she typed in my name, it wasn't found. I was like oh I swear so I wrote down the name of my club and etc. She made a call and then said oh no problem we will take care of you. I felt like I was getting the special treatment so finally went to the gate. After I gave her the ticket at the gate, I walked out there is a freaking bus.
I sat there thinking "how is this bus going to fly us to the island?" I was slightly confused. It was obvious I wasn't the only one. Three older men were sitting in front of me and as soon as we started moving they all 3 took their hands and starting flying as if our bus was gonna start flying. I started laughing my ass off because I knew exactly what they were referring to. They all looked at me and realized I was laughing at them so they laughed with me. It was a nice connection HAHA. Once the bus took us where we were flying out of. I was sitting there like good lord, that is the smallest plane I have ever seen, it was almost like a private jet, it had to be anyway.
I hopped on the plane and I was too anxious to fall asleep so I am sitting there for about 15-20 minutes and the seat belt light popped right on, I'm thinking no way. Before I knew it we landed. It had to be the SMALLEST airport I had ever seen, there was only one plane on the island and only one place to get your luggage. I turned around and saw a soccer looking coach and I smiled and waved. He waved back but I couldn't go out there until I got my luggage, my luggage came in last. I picked up the last of it, and realized my 2nd luggage wasn't there. So I went out there and told coach Steve he went up to the front desk and we filled out papers. Then we formally introduced ourselves. We went out to his car and we put my stuff in the trunk. Then I went to the side where in America the normal passenger seats are he is like oh no no the other side. I responded "oh shiiiit they drive like that here" He started laughing and was like no no I shipped my car from England (he is from England). I was thinking in the back of my head, oh wow, he must be a big deal, haha.
I arrived at my hotel which was literally about a mile from the airport so it is pitch black out and I'm thinking oh god this is the smallest place I have ever been to, this is crazy. So I took my stuff to my room the room was pretty small but I wasn't going to complain I had a bed right there! I went back downstairs to the lobby to get on the internet to let everyone know I made it.
As I was getting ready, it was slowly starting to hit me. My parents were like, "you ready?" I responded, "yeah hold on." I went into one of the bedrooms upstairs to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything, Bengal followed me and was sulking as well. I called him to get up on the bed, and tried to give him a kiss, he was still sulking and turned away. At that exact moment I started bawling, I am hugging and kissing him, probably was pretty loud because he started licking me; I started sobbing even more.
Once I walked out, my mom started crying and said "you know he is in good hands, we will take such good care of him" I said I know that is not the point I can skype with you, Dad and Leslie (sister) but it's not the same being able to squeeze Bengal's squishy, permanently sad face, being greeted so graciously by him or getting his best kisses ever. Yes, I've been blessed with the perfect dog.
As we got to the airport, the guy who checked in my baggage was as nice as he could be. Surprisingly, my two suitcases hit 45 lbs, the limit is 50. I thought there was no way because I packed so much. The paper I had printed out prior to traveling said only one travel bag per traveler. He did not charge me for the 2nd bag, thankfully.
My parents and I ate at Damon's and I ordered a chicken ceasar salad, anyone who knows me knows that is one of my favorite dishes (boring I know, yet so good). As soon as they gave it to me, I looked at it and looked up at my parents. My dad was in the bathroom and my mom was sitting there like what the hell is that? I responded...."are you fucking kidding me, a PERFECT example why fucking Americans are so fat and lazy," The romaine lettuce was NOT cut up at all there were 2 sticks of them with chicken on top. So much for a great last meal. Here is a picture of it-
Oh yeah I was very pissed although I was laughing my ass off with my mom and dad at the same time. So I guess the laughing was worth the $12.00.
Time for me to go, as I said my goodbyes to my parents they both started crying so of course I started crying and got out of there as fast as I could so I didn't have to spend the next 5-10 minutes listening to their lectures and bawling some more :) (love you Mom and Dad).
Anyone who knows me...will say "yeah only Felicia" once they hear/read about my time/luck before actually arriving to my destination.
The plan was to go from Cincinnati, Ohio to Newark, NJ/New York then to Stockholm, Sweden and the chairperson of the club was going to pick me up. We were going to take a ferry to the Island. There are about 3,600 Aland Islands but 80%-90% of people live in Mariehamn (where I am living now). Aland Islands are owned by Finland, but is much closer to Sweden. People here speak Swedish. People in Finland speak Finnish.
Nope, because of the awesome thunderstorms we had the very early morning I left, delayed my flight from 1:50pm to 5:30pm which caused me to miss my flight in Newark. Once I arrived I told them where I was going the guy in Newark was like "ok you are going to London, then Stockholm." I said wait what?!?! I want to go straight to Stockholm. He said "well then you'll have to stay overnight here." I was like eh okay never mind no thanks. London is the #1 place in the world I want to visit, and of course I am going to be teased by being in the actual city and not able to go anywhere. So I am going to my gate, got online, and ate some sushi, YUMMY, then got on the plane. Finally at 11:30pm I am boarding. The girl next to me was like "you're from Cincinnati?" I said "yeah are you??" She was like "yeah I lived there for two years, but my visa expired so I am being sent back to Germany." So she was on the same flight from Cincinnati, to Newark, to London. I was so glad to meet someone so we had a good conversation on the way to London (6 hour flight) except for when were asleep!! What a nice woman (she was 30, although she looked like 25ish).
Finally I landed in London. I had about two hours before departure for Stockholm. I went to a lady because I was not sure which airline to use. My itinerary said to fly with British Airlines but it was operated by Scandinavian Airlines. British Airlines was at terminal 1 and SAS was at terminal 3. She told me to go to terminal 1. So I got there and in London the gate for your flight does not show until 30-50 minutes before departure and I had about an hour and half to an hour. My flight wasn't even on the board at all so I was slightly confused but decided to go to the money exchange and exchange my money from US dollars to Euros. Then went on the computer to get online to keep my coach and everyone else updated.
Once I was about an hour before departure my flight still wasn't on the board and I ran into Isabella (the German I sat on the flight from the US to London) I told her about how my flight wasn't on the board. She was like oh shit let's go talk to someone. So we went and talked to someone they were like you're at the wrong terminal I was like oh shit three people told me to go to terminal 1, they were like HURRY up you need to go to terminal 3 or you'll miss it because of the security (there are a different security for each terminal) so I am sprinting and once I got to terminal 3 there were no lines, thank god. So I got in and looked at the board there it was, what a good feeling knowing what was going on.
I sat down and looked over and saw a woman holding a starbucks, I was like oh lord I need some of that so I went and got a white chocolate mocha (so yummy). Sat and literally stared at the board along with hundreds of people waiting for my gate number to pop up. It finally popped up and I went to the gate. Wow, I must say, everyone at my gate was pretty much super blonde and blue eyes so it was very OBVIOUS I was somewhat, entering a new territory.
As I am sitting there I started to get a little bit nervous. We got on the plane, the two beautiful swedish flight attendants must have been informed that I was deaf so they both came up to me and started talking real fast in English with their accents. I was like waaaaait I am sorry but I'm deaf slow down. They both smiled and were AS NICE as you just could possibly be. They explained beforehand what they were going to do, the usual boarding procedure. I just said oh no worries I fly all the time. They were like ok great, do you need anything, beer or wine?? I just looked at them for a couple seconds and thought about it then I said oh no thank you I'll just take a water.
I couldn't believe how well they understood me and how nice they all were. I knew at that moment I was nowhere near America with rude ass people.
I slept for majority of the 2.5 hour flight from London to Stockholm. I arrived in Stockholm. Yes, everyone is mainly blonde and beauiful, so I definitely felt like a tourist. I was waiting for my luggage and got them. I went out and my chairperson was nowhere to be found so I went to the information desk and asked where I could find the internet. They pointed the way, so I went to the computer and it said you had to pay, I didn't have my credit card with me and I took all of my money out of my account so I could exchange my USD to Euros. So, I was basically screwed. I went back to the information desk and told them what was going on and the man turned his computer and was just check your email really quick. Now answer this how many information desks in America would have done that, YEAH PROBABLY NONE!!!
After checking my email my coach is like "since it is so late, the ferry is closed...." I am sitting there like oh mother#$#$#....and then it continues "we booked you a flight from Stockholm to Mariehamn (the Island) and no worries it is much faster than the ferry and you will beat the last ferry anyway. So I was thinking oh shit I have to check in my baggages again. So I ran upstairs and saw this information desk for Switzerland, I decided to take a shot. I told her what was going on she was like let me call someone. As I was sitting there waiting, she was like okay go to this gate and pay for your flight. I was like oh no, my flight is already booked, the club I am playing for took care of it for me. She was like oh oh okay can I see your passport so I handed it to her and she gave me all of the information. Again, so nice and helpful.
I am sitting in the check in line (I was in the front) and once the lady came to it she typed in my name, it wasn't found. I was like oh I swear so I wrote down the name of my club and etc. She made a call and then said oh no problem we will take care of you. I felt like I was getting the special treatment so finally went to the gate. After I gave her the ticket at the gate, I walked out there is a freaking bus.
I sat there thinking "how is this bus going to fly us to the island?" I was slightly confused. It was obvious I wasn't the only one. Three older men were sitting in front of me and as soon as we started moving they all 3 took their hands and starting flying as if our bus was gonna start flying. I started laughing my ass off because I knew exactly what they were referring to. They all looked at me and realized I was laughing at them so they laughed with me. It was a nice connection HAHA. Once the bus took us where we were flying out of. I was sitting there like good lord, that is the smallest plane I have ever seen, it was almost like a private jet, it had to be anyway.
I hopped on the plane and I was too anxious to fall asleep so I am sitting there for about 15-20 minutes and the seat belt light popped right on, I'm thinking no way. Before I knew it we landed. It had to be the SMALLEST airport I had ever seen, there was only one plane on the island and only one place to get your luggage. I turned around and saw a soccer looking coach and I smiled and waved. He waved back but I couldn't go out there until I got my luggage, my luggage came in last. I picked up the last of it, and realized my 2nd luggage wasn't there. So I went out there and told coach Steve he went up to the front desk and we filled out papers. Then we formally introduced ourselves. We went out to his car and we put my stuff in the trunk. Then I went to the side where in America the normal passenger seats are he is like oh no no the other side. I responded "oh shiiiit they drive like that here" He started laughing and was like no no I shipped my car from England (he is from England). I was thinking in the back of my head, oh wow, he must be a big deal, haha.
I arrived at my hotel which was literally about a mile from the airport so it is pitch black out and I'm thinking oh god this is the smallest place I have ever been to, this is crazy. So I took my stuff to my room the room was pretty small but I wasn't going to complain I had a bed right there! I went back downstairs to the lobby to get on the internet to let everyone know I made it.
Once I felt exhausted and it was time for bed I went to the front desk to get coins for the vending machine, I pressed sprite, of course it was sold out. So I pressed water so I am opening it and I drink it....I thought I got water, so as Im walking up the stairs I spit it out because it tasted like SHIT!!!! .....oh my god....the nastiest shit EVER, I am thinking to myself there is NO way. It tastes like carbonated water where you go to freaking mcdonalds and you try to get coke or sprite and the clear shit comes out! That is exactly what it tasted like, so I am sticking to tap water for the whole stay unless a miracle happen and I find a normal bottled water!! (I ended up finding it when I went grocery shopping). I went to bed.
I woke up and went to the restaurant for breakfast, I hardly recognized anything I grabbed two hard boiled eggs and a couple pieces of bread. I looked around and realized everyone had their eggs in an egg holder. I am sitting there like oh shit just hurry up and eat before everyone looks at you like an idiot. After I ate I went to go buy some shampoo and conditioner. Came back and got online for a little bit then I went in the room. I came down and the front desk was like "here is your 2nd luggage and lunch is free for you as well." I said "oh thank goodness I thought they lost it, thank you."
I went in the restaurant and saw a salad bar, and said to myself "thank god everything looks familiar you are going to have a normal lunch." I sat next to a couple (either a couple or a son with his mother I didn't want to look and stare, we were way too close to do so). One had spaghetti and meatsauce (it had orange/yellowish sauce) I was thinking to myself and the swedish menu...hmm you might as well take a wild guess or get the spaghetti just to be safe, so I saw "spahetti" so I knew that had to be it. They brought it out, and I dug into it. Wow, had to be the BEST spaghetti and meat sauce I have ever eaten. So delicious.
After lunch, I got picked up by one of the girls who was Finnish, she was really good at English we had no problems conversing. We went to the gym and got a work out in. She took me back to the hotel and she left. I got my things together and took a shower then packed she was back an hour later to help me move into my apartment. The chairperson gave me the key for my apartment then took me to the internet company and got a cable cord and then took me to the grocery store and paid for my whole bill then took me back to my apartment. The pictures are up on face book, but I am not going to lie, I LOVE my apartment and it is much better than I had expected.
As soon as I got back it was 7:30pm I put all of my groceries away, put my sheets on the bed, and passed the hell out.
My first 48 hours were finally over.
To be continued.....
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