First day flight frustrations

So today is the beginning of my adventure that is a semester abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico. The date is January 3rd, 2008 on a sunny and beautiful day here at BWI airport where I am camped out for several hours until my flight. So why am I camped out in the airport for several hours on a sunny day in which there is no possibility of weather delay? It's because there were "mechanical problems" with the plane so they had to cancel. What I heard through the grapevine is that these mechanical problems were caused by the baggage loading dream team that broke some part of the plane while loading the plane with great care. After they canceled my filght, I had to go and book another flight that took about 2 hours in total. Finally after having to go back and forth through security, making sure that my bags make it to Guadalajara with me, and dealing with flamboyant and very fresh clerk at the Delta desk, I'm sitting at my gate trying to take some deep breaths and relax after a stressful morning. I've come to the realization that I'm going to be in Guadalajara before day's end (at least I hope) and the adventure will not be greatly impacted by the delay. After all, my semester is 5-6 months long and this is only 1 day out of that time. So for the time being, I'm sitting at my gate and playing chess, free cell, listening to music, and chatting it up with my very small but important list of buddies on my msn messenger list.

Last night I began my frantic packing process fairly late, which is very typical for me. I had most of my clothes laid out to pack, but then you realize you have to charge your batteries for your camera, and then you realize that you don't know where your memory cards are for your camera, and then you realize that you need to back up the music on your music library just in case, and then you realize that you haven't checked your email or facebook or talked with any of your friends recently and it turns into a several hour process of searching for marginally significant items and just not doing anything important at all until you realize how late it is and you begin to finally start to place items in your bag. That was my experience last night. Once I actually started putting my clothes and other items in my bag, I was done in about 15 minutes. That's just my style I suppose.

But getting away from the past, let's talk more about Mexico which is the purpose for writing this blog. Once I get to Guadalajara, I'm not really sure what to expect. My friend from Guadalajara's parents agreed to allow me to stay at their place until I can find a place of my own in the city which I anticipate being quite the production. I don't really know anyone who will be there, so it will be hard to make contacts at first. And ideally, I would like to live with at least one other person. I like to think "the more the merrier." That's they way things worked out in my last experience abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As much as I hate it, I feel like it's almost impossible to not make this semester abroad in Mexico a running comparison to the semester I had in Argentina. In order to have the best experience possible and not take things for granted, I think I have to try avoid comparisons and just live it as a unique experience from any other.

I suppose that I don't really have anything more to say of importance. I'm sure I'll have some more things to post. I hope that this blog doesn't become overlooked as I have several other writing obligations or agreements with either myself or my university that may tie me down. Anyways, until next time!