ECUADOR!!!
I left Salt Lake at 8:15 a.m. and flew to Dallas, Texas. The flight seemed really short, but I was also reading my book the whole time so I kind of lost track of time. When I landed in Dallas I had to take a train to the next terminal, which was a bit stressful because I didn't have any idea where I was going. BUT, nonetheless, I made myself stay calm and not freak out because I do fine with directions and finding things when I am calm, but as soon as I start stressing out, I lose all sense of direction and common sense and suddenly have absolutely no idea how to get anywhere (my mother would %100 agree with this). So I kept calm and was able to find the terminal.
The flight from Dallas to Miami was a bit longer but again, I read my book the whole time so I lost track of time and when the announcement was made that we would be landing soon I was surprised at how fast we made it there. When I looked at the time it was 5:30 pm. I didn't know what time my next flight left so I decided to check my ticket. That's when I started to panic, on my ticket it said that my flight from Miami to Guayaquil left at 5:55 pm. I was toward the back of the plane and we had just barely landed. No one had even started getting out of their seats yet. I was freaking out because I thought I was going to miss my plane and I had heard stories of people missing planes then having to stay the night in the airport or in a hotel or something and I was terrified of having to do that by myself. I said a quick prayer that by some miracle I would be able to get off the plane in time so that I didn't miss my flight. At 5:50 pm I was finally able to stand up and grab my carry-on bag. I practically ran to train and then to the next terminal so I wouldn't miss it. It was obvious that I was at the right terminal. It went like this, I passed a ton of terminals and every single one was mostly occupied by Americans (white - not being racist) when I reached where I was supposed to be I was the only American there. All the rest of the people were Ecuadorian, I stood out like a sore thumb! I was confused though, it was past 5:55 pm and everyone was still sitting there. So I went and asked if I was at the right terminal and they told me I was. So then I asked what time the plane was supposed to leave and they told me 6:55 pm!! I about died right there in the airport! I was very grateful, but at the same time I was a bit upset because I was so stressed thinking I was going to miss the flight all because it had Salt Lake time instead of Florida time. OH WELL, I had an hour to "de-stess" :) I talked to a very man who told me I had really pretty blue eyes and that I was going to stand out in Ecuador because everyone has brown eyes.
Finally, I got on the plane and took a big sigh of relief because I wasn't going to have to do any more flight changes and in just a few hours I was going to be in Ecuador.
**A little background information - My dad served in Ecuador (the exact place I am living) on his mission. My parents came to Ecuador in 2001. My dad, Corinne, and I wanted to plan a trip when we were younger and come visit. It never actually happened. Years later (a.k.a. this February) I had just recently decided that I wasn't going on a mission, at least right now. I prayed about it and for me, it just didn't feel right. Whether it was that it wasn't the right time or that the Lord has a different plan for me, I don't know, all I know is that I decided not to go. So I went back to school at Snow College. So in February, all my friends had been opening their mission calls and it was really exciting and I was feeling a little left out. I was also feeling a lot of pressure to go on a mission even though I had already decided against it. I knew a lot of it had to do with that I thought it would be really cool to go to a different country and have a really cool experience. I knew that wasn't the right reason to go on a mission. That's when I got thinking, "It would be really cool to go to Ecuador." I thought it would be a great learning experience, I'll become fluent in Spanish again, and I'll have a great time and I'll learn a lot. That was on a Wednesday. So I went home that weekend and talked to my mom about it and she told me "GO FOR IT!" So in just 4 days, I made the decision to come to Ecuador. About 3 weeks later, in the beginning of March, I made it official and bought the plane ticket. I was so excited to come. It was something I had always wanted to do. I really wished that I could talk to my dad about it and have him tell me everything I needed to know, and be excited for me. Although I wasn't able to do that, I knew that he was excited for me and I knew that he was proud of me and that he'd be with me the entire time.
After a 5 hour flight, a gross plane "dinner", half a book, and an episode of Friends later, the captain announced that we would soon be landing!!! I looked out the window to see Ecuador. That was when it hit me. I WAS IN ECUADOR! It couldn't be real. I had been wanting this for so long and suddenly it was happening. I honestly couldn't believe it. It was a lot easier than I thought and it came so fast! Karen (My dad baptized her family when he was on his mission. Her family has lived with my family in the past) and Rolando, her husband, were there waiting for me after I got my bags and we drove to the Temple and took a few pictures then drove to their home. I didn't feel tired at all even though I had been in a plane all day, it was 12:00 am, and I had been awake since 5:00 am. I was too excited and overwhelmed to be tired. I went to bed anyway knowing that I had to get on their time schedule (only an hour ahead of Utah.) Plus, Karen and Rolando were both very tired, the kids were already in bed. I would have just sat up all by myself anyway, and that is always awkward in someone's house that you don't know well.
A lot more has happened. I mean, I have been here 5 days already (it feels like a month), but I'm going to save that for another day.
Chau!
-McKaye
My puppy was very nervous when I brought my suit cases upstairs. He climbed right into it.
He wanted to come with me I guess.
I know this is a bit hard to see, but this man was all dressed in colorful clothes and stilt shoes. It was very odd so I snapped a picture. Then when I got onto the plane in Dallas he was sitting right behind me. His wife (??) was dressed somewhat normally, but was breast feeding her baby on the plane with nothing covering her and she didn't say a word or make a sound the whole time. I don't know where they were from, what language they were speaking or what religion they were, but he was painting on the napkins, singing, and crying the whole trip. It was really odd.
The airplane "dinner". Chicken and rice, salad, a roll, and a weird oatmeal cookie thing...
Me and Karen at the Guayaquil Temple!!
No comments:
Post a Comment