Wednesday, December 17, 2003
I have a new blog titled "Getting On With Life." If for some reason you would like to hear what I am up to and maybe my opinion on random issues, check out hoyaswinger.blogspot.com.
Friday, December 05, 2003
PHOTOS ARE ONLINE! Check out all 68, http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b3597d4bc465
Saturday, November 29, 2003
I will be posting a set of 25-40 pictures from my time in Kenya within the next week (aka when I figure out how my parent's scanner works). After that, I won't be adding anything to this online journal although I may start a new one for anyone who wants to read my thoughts and daily experiences (which will be much less exciting than my experience in Kenya). Thank you for reading about a different country and its culture, I hope you enjoyed this journal.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
So this is a story all about how my life got turned upside down. Just take a minute and sit right there... you got the picture. So I left Nairobi at 10:30 PM (2:30 PM DC time) on Friday. I get to Amsterdam at 4:30 AM local time and my flight leaves at 8 AM, so I check the monitors for a gate. I don't see a flight for Detriot until 10:30 AM, and for DC until 11:30 AM. So I decide to sleep on those cushy chairs until 8ish and then try to change my flight to DC. I wake up at 6:30 AM and go to a counter. They politely tell me that I should go to another counter, but my boarding starts in 20 minutes... whoa. There is an 8 o'clock flight and I'm on it and it starts boarding at 7. Craziness. So I go to the second counter and they tell me that they can switch me for $100 (awesome!) but my bag can't be on a different plane or the world ends (and by that I mean the US government gets worried about what is in it). So I need to go to the gate and see if they can get my bag off before they will book me to DC. I go to the gate and wait in the security line (which is the only way to the desk) for 15 minutes. I get to the desk and ask them if they can get my bag.
The nice man... wait no, the very not nice man behind the desk tells me in a wonderfully condescending European accent that every day someone tries to change flights at the last minute and makes the flight late. And no he will not look for my bag because it is on the plane with 500 other bags. I explain that it is bright green and I would understand if he can't find it in time, but could he please try. He responds by pointing at the large cargo bins out the window and telling me that there are dozens of bins and it could be in any one of them. Would I like to go through each one? I pointed out that at least the bag wasn't on the plane so it would be easier to find and that of course if he'd let me I could go look for it and find it quickly... it being large and bright GREEN. He informed me of the security measures that forbade me from going out on the tarmac, so I reminded him that if I didn't get on the plane he would have to find my bag anyway since he can't leave with a bag and without its owner. He threatened that in that case he would know my name (while snatching my passport and ticket to make the point). The nice lady on the computer next to him then gave me a printout of Detriot to Washington flights that I could try to catch in country. So I relented and boarded with the hope of Detriot.
I got into Detriot at 10:30 AM EST (6:30 PM Nairobi). After customs boarded the plane and escorted two people off (kinda exciting, espeically after watching Bad Boys II on the plane), I went through customs myself. Then I asked if I could change destinations. The lady made a call or two and told me I would have to buy a new ticket for $512. I said, no way Jose. So I checked my bags back through to Tulsa and sat on my bum for an hour watching Saturday game day college football... ah college football. Update below (No UGA comment). I called my parents to pick me up at 4:30 PM CST (5:30 Detriot, 1:30 AM Nairobi). Then I ate lunch, watched more football, and called Jen around Noon thirty. She informed me that the alumni president and her were both willing to pay for part of the ticket to make it on time. So I said, give me a few minutes, I'll call you back. I had missed the Noon fifteen and Noon fourty-six flights, but I got a ticket on the 3:30 PM flight for $512. I called Jen back and asked her to tell my parents I wasn't coming back to T-town yet. The 3:30 got bumped back to 4:10, then 4:30, then 5:30... each time with a gate change. We finally took off and landed at 7:00 PM EST (3:00 AM Nairobi). I was tired as all heck, but the party started at 7 PM also. My bag actually made it to Tulsa so I had no wardrobe (i.e. nice pants and shirt) for the black tie event. So I went to Jen's to shower and then got to the ceremony at 7:30 PM in my G-town sweatshirt, cargo pants and a beard. Fortunately, my little sister's little brother (my great little in frat-speak) had a spare suit. I ran back to his place (lost my breath and dried myself out badly) and changed and then returned for the end of the ceremony and the party. It was great. I was really upset that I had to leave Kenya at first, but Saturday night gave me something positive to look forward to. Best wishes to all.
The nice man... wait no, the very not nice man behind the desk tells me in a wonderfully condescending European accent that every day someone tries to change flights at the last minute and makes the flight late. And no he will not look for my bag because it is on the plane with 500 other bags. I explain that it is bright green and I would understand if he can't find it in time, but could he please try. He responds by pointing at the large cargo bins out the window and telling me that there are dozens of bins and it could be in any one of them. Would I like to go through each one? I pointed out that at least the bag wasn't on the plane so it would be easier to find and that of course if he'd let me I could go look for it and find it quickly... it being large and bright GREEN. He informed me of the security measures that forbade me from going out on the tarmac, so I reminded him that if I didn't get on the plane he would have to find my bag anyway since he can't leave with a bag and without its owner. He threatened that in that case he would know my name (while snatching my passport and ticket to make the point). The nice lady on the computer next to him then gave me a printout of Detriot to Washington flights that I could try to catch in country. So I relented and boarded with the hope of Detriot.
I got into Detriot at 10:30 AM EST (6:30 PM Nairobi). After customs boarded the plane and escorted two people off (kinda exciting, espeically after watching Bad Boys II on the plane), I went through customs myself. Then I asked if I could change destinations. The lady made a call or two and told me I would have to buy a new ticket for $512. I said, no way Jose. So I checked my bags back through to Tulsa and sat on my bum for an hour watching Saturday game day college football... ah college football. Update below (No UGA comment). I called my parents to pick me up at 4:30 PM CST (5:30 Detriot, 1:30 AM Nairobi). Then I ate lunch, watched more football, and called Jen around Noon thirty. She informed me that the alumni president and her were both willing to pay for part of the ticket to make it on time. So I said, give me a few minutes, I'll call you back. I had missed the Noon fifteen and Noon fourty-six flights, but I got a ticket on the 3:30 PM flight for $512. I called Jen back and asked her to tell my parents I wasn't coming back to T-town yet. The 3:30 got bumped back to 4:10, then 4:30, then 5:30... each time with a gate change. We finally took off and landed at 7:00 PM EST (3:00 AM Nairobi). I was tired as all heck, but the party started at 7 PM also. My bag actually made it to Tulsa so I had no wardrobe (i.e. nice pants and shirt) for the black tie event. So I went to Jen's to shower and then got to the ceremony at 7:30 PM in my G-town sweatshirt, cargo pants and a beard. Fortunately, my little sister's little brother (my great little in frat-speak) had a spare suit. I ran back to his place (lost my breath and dried myself out badly) and changed and then returned for the end of the ceremony and the party. It was great. I was really upset that I had to leave Kenya at first, but Saturday night gave me something positive to look forward to. Best wishes to all.
Friday, November 07, 2003
10 minutes ago I got my last paper signed and my plane ticket home. I am no longer a Peace Corps trainee; I'm just a random American in Kenya. I leave at 10:30 PM Kenya Time and arrive in Tulsa at 4:00 PM Saturday CDT. I am hoping to re-route to go to Washington, DC for the APO New Brother ceremony on Saturday night, but it would take quite a bit of luck for that to happen. I expect to be looking for a job and maybe applying for grad schools and scholarships when I get back. I'd love to hear from everyone, email me at doverspa@georgetown.edu
10 minutes ago I got my last paper signed and my plane ticket home. I am no longer a Peace Corps trainee; I'm just a random American in Kenya. I leave at 10:30 PM Kenya Time and arrive in Tulsa at 4:00 PM Saturday CDT. I am hoping to re-route to go to Washington, DC for the APO New Brother ceremony on Saturday night, but it would take quite a bit of luck for that to happen. I expect to be looking for a job and maybe applying for grad schools and scholarships when I get back. I'd love to hear from everyone, email me at doverspa@georgetown.edu
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Hello all. So I have made the transition from volunteer to tourists quite well. I went to the kiosks this morning and bought a decent amount of crafts. I am at HQ doing paperwork for a while. I hope to go to the big Nairobi weekly market today if I have time.
I'm taking advice on what I should do upon my return stateside. I'm looking into applying for grad school for next fall and trying to find a job in the interim. If you know of anyone looking for an economic research assistant or other similar profile, please let me know! And I'd love to hear what you are up to in life, so feel free to email me at doverspa@georgetown.edu as I should have more email access soon. Best wishes to all.
I'm taking advice on what I should do upon my return stateside. I'm looking into applying for grad school for next fall and trying to find a job in the interim. If you know of anyone looking for an economic research assistant or other similar profile, please let me know! And I'd love to hear what you are up to in life, so feel free to email me at doverspa@georgetown.edu as I should have more email access soon. Best wishes to all.
