Over the course of the semester, there have been some fun things said by my professors (and fellow students. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
Business Strategies and Institutions in Europe
"There is a certain kind of champagne that is used especially in gay discos"
"That's ok, soon in Japan, robots will take over anyway"
Energy & Finance
"It's like comparing apples and rabbits"
"So there's a shoebox and a sponge..."
Country Risk Management
"Gabon" "Oh, that's where Survivor was last season"
"What's that in English?"
"Is demography even a word"
"What is a country that has a lot of inequality" "U.S." "Can you really lump the U.S. with countries such as Angola, Equador, or Brazil?"
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Norway, day 3
GOING OUT
Beer is about $15 here in Voss. The Norwegians claim it's not usually that expensive, usually it's only about $12. Right
FOOD
Lunch today - onion soup, just onion soup. Needless to say, I ate some bread.
Dinner - yumminess.
TEAMBUILDING
We went to the Voss Rafting Center for some team building activities which were actually super fun. And of course, my team kicked ass ;) And there was this super adorable black kitten that kept running around by us and he reminded me of Tini :( Pictures to come soon.
PEOPLE
Observation: being back at school is returning some interesting memories of types of people, some of whom I have already encountered. Examples:
*The Show Off: regardless of the relevance, this person will always have to contribute to the conversation or the professor's remarks just to show that she knows something
*The Talk Backer: feels like the professor is there just for them and will feel the need to occassionally respond to the professor's comments outloud (without raising there hands); i.e. Professor - "there is a shift in the world economy"; Talk Backer - "you're right, there is".
*The Pretender: pretends that s/he doesn't care about class or doing well but is copiously taking notes and always studying.
*The Laid Back, Really Doesn't Care Person: really doesn't care about anything and is just along for the ride.
*The Not Sure I'm In The Right School Guy: forgets that s/he is a business major and starts talking about helping people without making money; i.e. "if a company comes up with a great innovation to reduce emissions, they should give it to more people cheaply so they will all use it and it will reduce the negative effects of global warming." Um, hi... you're in a seminar about creating innovations so that businesses can PROFIT off the climate crisis (while helping the world, of course)
*The Not Clear Guy: is he or isn't he? Sometimes you think he is and other times you're convinced he's not. Makes it difficult, le sigh.
Beer is about $15 here in Voss. The Norwegians claim it's not usually that expensive, usually it's only about $12. Right
FOOD
Lunch today - onion soup, just onion soup. Needless to say, I ate some bread.
Dinner - yumminess.
TEAMBUILDING
We went to the Voss Rafting Center for some team building activities which were actually super fun. And of course, my team kicked ass ;) And there was this super adorable black kitten that kept running around by us and he reminded me of Tini :( Pictures to come soon.
PEOPLE
Observation: being back at school is returning some interesting memories of types of people, some of whom I have already encountered. Examples:
*The Show Off: regardless of the relevance, this person will always have to contribute to the conversation or the professor's remarks just to show that she knows something
*The Talk Backer: feels like the professor is there just for them and will feel the need to occassionally respond to the professor's comments outloud (without raising there hands); i.e. Professor - "there is a shift in the world economy"; Talk Backer - "you're right, there is".
*The Pretender: pretends that s/he doesn't care about class or doing well but is copiously taking notes and always studying.
*The Laid Back, Really Doesn't Care Person: really doesn't care about anything and is just along for the ride.
*The Not Sure I'm In The Right School Guy: forgets that s/he is a business major and starts talking about helping people without making money; i.e. "if a company comes up with a great innovation to reduce emissions, they should give it to more people cheaply so they will all use it and it will reduce the negative effects of global warming." Um, hi... you're in a seminar about creating innovations so that businesses can PROFIT off the climate crisis (while helping the world, of course)
*The Not Clear Guy: is he or isn't he? Sometimes you think he is and other times you're convinced he's not. Makes it difficult, le sigh.
Norway, day 2
OBSERVATIONS
-Yep, the only American in a room of 40 Europeans.
-Norwegian is a weird language.
-Cute boys abound.
FOOD
Dinner was actually super yummy. Grilled pork chops, roasted baby potatoes, and salad featuring all my favorite things (mixed greens, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, vinagrette).
-Yep, the only American in a room of 40 Europeans.
-Norwegian is a weird language.
-Cute boys abound.
FOOD
Dinner was actually super yummy. Grilled pork chops, roasted baby potatoes, and salad featuring all my favorite things (mixed greens, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, vinagrette).
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Norway, day 1
Norway was a complete opposite of my first impression of Iceland. Seeing Bergen (Norway) through the clouds as we were landing was simply breath-taking. Miles and miles (or should I say kilometers?) of water and land. You couldn't tell if the land was surrounding the water or the water was surrounding the land. The fjords are amazing surronded by mountains with little islands cropping up here and there.
After landing, my first impression of Bergen was that it was like many old European cities. However, central Bergen is quite lovely with views of the wharf everywhere you turn.
It is sooooo expensive though. I stopped by a 7-11 (yep, there are 2 here, both sitting in the middle of quaint streets surrounded by quaint shops, quite the juxtaposition) to see how much prices were for things, wow. A small coke is about $4. Fish and chips selling on the wharf, $27. I decided to stop by a cafe and bought a hot dog and soda for about $9. It was funny, everyone speaks English but when I went to the cafe and asked for a hot dog which they had a picture of, the guy looked at me as if I was from another planet. Apparently they don't call it that here. Oh well.
After landing, my first impression of Bergen was that it was like many old European cities. However, central Bergen is quite lovely with views of the wharf everywhere you turn.
It is sooooo expensive though. I stopped by a 7-11 (yep, there are 2 here, both sitting in the middle of quaint streets surrounded by quaint shops, quite the juxtaposition) to see how much prices were for things, wow. A small coke is about $4. Fish and chips selling on the wharf, $27. I decided to stop by a cafe and bought a hot dog and soda for about $9. It was funny, everyone speaks English but when I went to the cafe and asked for a hot dog which they had a picture of, the guy looked at me as if I was from another planet. Apparently they don't call it that here. Oh well.
Iceland
ICELANDAIR
What can I say except don't. Friendly: yes. Cheap: yes. Comfortable: NO.
The seats are the same size as domestic coach seats. They do not recline. The lights were never dimmed even though it was an overnight flight. And oh yeah, you had to pay if you wanted ANY food.
ICELAND
First impression: very drab, wet, depressing. Second impression: fracking cold, as in really really cold. I was apparently the only person not to get the memo that it will be cold even IN THE AIRPORT, like really cold. As in just wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops is a really bad idea and everyone else was wearing thick sweaters or coats. Yeah.
ICELAND REJKIAVIK AIRPORT COSTS
Not bad. Bottle of water and an orange juice was about $4.50.
What can I say except don't. Friendly: yes. Cheap: yes. Comfortable: NO.
The seats are the same size as domestic coach seats. They do not recline. The lights were never dimmed even though it was an overnight flight. And oh yeah, you had to pay if you wanted ANY food.
ICELAND
First impression: very drab, wet, depressing. Second impression: fracking cold, as in really really cold. I was apparently the only person not to get the memo that it will be cold even IN THE AIRPORT, like really cold. As in just wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops is a really bad idea and everyone else was wearing thick sweaters or coats. Yeah.
ICELAND REJKIAVIK AIRPORT COSTS
Not bad. Bottle of water and an orange juice was about $4.50.
Friday, August 14, 2009
End of an era (really)
I cannot belive I'm leaving DC, I think it finally hit me Wednesday evening as I was saying goodbye to Gina. DC has been my home for the last 6 years; it has been the only city in the U.S. that I would actually consider living in permanently.
While this is absolutely the best thing for my life right now, I am still incredibly sad about some of the things I'm going to miss out on in DC. No more:
-driving across Key Bridge and seeing Georgetown rise above the river
-playing with my kitties, Tapa and Tini
-living with Gina (how am I ever going to deal with all my paranoid moments?!)
-helping plan Darya's wedding (except via phone and internet)
-chilling out with Mike and having interesting conversations (some of which make zero sense)
-having fun parties with all the ballroom (and non-ballroom) people
-etc...
While this is absolutely the best thing for my life right now, I am still incredibly sad about some of the things I'm going to miss out on in DC. No more:
-driving across Key Bridge and seeing Georgetown rise above the river
-playing with my kitties, Tapa and Tini
-living with Gina (how am I ever going to deal with all my paranoid moments?!)
-helping plan Darya's wedding (except via phone and internet)
-chilling out with Mike and having interesting conversations (some of which make zero sense)
-having fun parties with all the ballroom (and non-ballroom) people
-etc...
Monday, August 10, 2009
11 days and counting...
So, less than 2 weeks until I'm off to Norway. I don't think it's actually hit me yet. It still feels like I'm going about my day-to-day life instead of getting ready to change my life forever.
I am living out of a suitcase (literally) and sleeping on a futon at a friend's place. Leaving DC in 4 days. Home to Atlanta to see the family and pack (and by pack I mean trying to fit my entire life into 2.5 suitcases - people tell me it can be done so we'll see).
Things still left to do: confirm everything, exchange money, register for classes, write cover letters, pack. As you can see, my mind is an ADD jumble.
Ultimately, I feel like there's not enough time for everything but yet too much time. While I'm ready for the next phase of my life to start, I'm definitely not ready for my DC life to end. I can't imagine how weird it will be to not have some of these people in my life everyday. And I'm going to miss my kitties :(
So everyone, come visit!!!
I am living out of a suitcase (literally) and sleeping on a futon at a friend's place. Leaving DC in 4 days. Home to Atlanta to see the family and pack (and by pack I mean trying to fit my entire life into 2.5 suitcases - people tell me it can be done so we'll see).
Things still left to do: confirm everything, exchange money, register for classes, write cover letters, pack. As you can see, my mind is an ADD jumble.
Ultimately, I feel like there's not enough time for everything but yet too much time. While I'm ready for the next phase of my life to start, I'm definitely not ready for my DC life to end. I can't imagine how weird it will be to not have some of these people in my life everyday. And I'm going to miss my kitties :(
So everyone, come visit!!!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Travel for the next year
Scheduled:
Aug 24-Sep 2: Bergen, Norway
Sep 2-Sep 9: Rome, Italy
Sep 10-Dec 18: Paris, France
Nov 13-Nov 15: Budapest, Hungary
Dec 4-Dec 6: Cologne, Germany
Jan 18-Jun 18: Brussles, Belgium
Planned:
Dec 18-Jan 18: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Jun 18-Aug 31: Switzerland, Dubai, or Hong Kong
Aug 24-Sep 2: Bergen, Norway
Sep 2-Sep 9: Rome, Italy
Sep 10-Dec 18: Paris, France
Nov 13-Nov 15: Budapest, Hungary
Dec 4-Dec 6: Cologne, Germany
Jan 18-Jun 18: Brussles, Belgium
Planned:
Dec 18-Jan 18: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Jun 18-Aug 31: Switzerland, Dubai, or Hong Kong
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
I like lists, sue me :)
Top 10 things I will miss about DC and the life I had here:
1. Tapa and Tini
2. My friends
3. Not having to drive anywhere
4. Clean (relatively) metro
5. Great food
6. Deloitte Consulting LLP and all the cool people there
7. All the fun (and random) stuff you can do here
8. Georgetown
9. Ballroom
10. The prettiness (generally) of the city... and squirrels
Top 10 things I will not miss about DC:
1. Tourists on the metro (or in Pentagon City)
2. My clients (except the first one, he was cool)
3. Thunderstorms all through May/June and ice all winter
4. Politics
5. Mold in the metro cars
6. Homeless people who yell at you and call you names
7. Hypocritical, self-delusional people
8. Annoying people that I see in social/work situations
9. Hill staffers who think they are cool
10. Expensive flights anywhere worth going
Not to say that I won't experience any of the good or bad items anywhere else, but these are the things I associate with the last 6 years of living in DC. And of course, there are tons of other things that can go on either of these lists.
To sum it up though, it has been a memorable experience living here and if I was staying in the U.S., I wouldn't live anywhere else!
1. Tapa and Tini
2. My friends
3. Not having to drive anywhere
4. Clean (relatively) metro
5. Great food
6. Deloitte Consulting LLP and all the cool people there
7. All the fun (and random) stuff you can do here
8. Georgetown
9. Ballroom
10. The prettiness (generally) of the city... and squirrels
Top 10 things I will not miss about DC:
1. Tourists on the metro (or in Pentagon City)
2. My clients (except the first one, he was cool)
3. Thunderstorms all through May/June and ice all winter
4. Politics
5. Mold in the metro cars
6. Homeless people who yell at you and call you names
7. Hypocritical, self-delusional people
8. Annoying people that I see in social/work situations
9. Hill staffers who think they are cool
10. Expensive flights anywhere worth going
Not to say that I won't experience any of the good or bad items anywhere else, but these are the things I associate with the last 6 years of living in DC. And of course, there are tons of other things that can go on either of these lists.
To sum it up though, it has been a memorable experience living here and if I was staying in the U.S., I wouldn't live anywhere else!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Welcome to the rest of my life... finally!
Guess what?! I got in :) To HEC... i.e. the best business school in Europe (according to The Financial Times).Anyway, this means that I am moving to Paris - yayness. Well, close enough to Paris.
Hopefully, this will allow me to travel a lot more because, as we all know, Europe is the center of the world :)
Friday, February 27, 2009
Welcome to Miami (Rio Day 8)
February 26, 2009
The flight from Rio to Miami was amazing in three main ways: 1) it was completely uneventful, 2) it was half empty so that I had two seats to myself, and 3) I slept the entire way!
The flight from Rio to Miami was amazing in three main ways: 1) it was completely uneventful, 2) it was half empty so that I had two seats to myself, and 3) I slept the entire way!My flight from Miami also took off on time and once again I managed to have 2 seats to myself. However, the people from our group flying to L.A. were delayed, therefore it was determined that they were the unlucky ones that had caused our initial Miami to Rio delays.
The Slums (Rio Day 7)
February 25, 2009
Our first stop was a "favella" or a slum. About 80% of Rio's inhabitants live in these and most of these areas are controlled by drug lords. The one we visited sells 700 kilos of cocaine a year, kind of impressive. They do have amazing views though.
Afterwards, we went to lunch at a restaurant on the beach. Here I am with a caipirnha, my drink of choice all week.
Finally, it was time to head back to Miami, but I did stop by the duty free shop in the Rio airport.
Our first stop was a "favella" or a slum. About 80% of Rio's inhabitants live in these and most of these areas are controlled by drug lords. The one we visited sells 700 kilos of cocaine a year, kind of impressive. They do have amazing views though.Afterwards, we went to lunch at a restaurant on the beach. Here I am with a caipirnha, my drink of choice all week.Finally, it was time to head back to Miami, but I did stop by the duty free shop in the Rio airport.
Party in the Streets, Check (Rio Day 6)
February 24, 2009
In the morning, we went to the Botanical Gardens, home of the world's largest water lillies.
Afterwards, we hung out in Ipanema Beach and had some cocunuts.
That evening, we hit up a "bloco" or block party. Then went to the "Girl from Ipanema" cafe. After taking a walk on the beach, we ended up at a street rave. It was super amazing. Hot latin music, hot latin men, yum yum. We went across the street to an Irish Pub for a bit for some cold drinks and clean bathrooms. Lucky for us, we were there when the fights broke out at the rave. We saw a guy get on a car and jump off to kick a guy in the head. All in all, a good night ;)
In the morning, we went to the Botanical Gardens, home of the world's largest water lillies.
Afterwards, we hung out in Ipanema Beach and had some cocunuts.
That evening, we hit up a "bloco" or block party. Then went to the "Girl from Ipanema" cafe. After taking a walk on the beach, we ended up at a street rave. It was super amazing. Hot latin music, hot latin men, yum yum. We went across the street to an Irish Pub for a bit for some cold drinks and clean bathrooms. Lucky for us, we were there when the fights broke out at the rave. We saw a guy get on a car and jump off to kick a guy in the head. All in all, a good night ;)
Let's Get Wild (Rio Day 5)
February 23, 2009
In the morning, we took a Jeep tour of the Tijuca Forest, the largest urban forest in the world. There were supposed to be monkeys in the forest but sadly I didn't see any.
This is me with our tour guide on the Jeep tour. She was really cool and taught us some fun things to say in Portuguese.
Tijuca had a lot of really cool waterfalls like this one. Here I am with Chad and Mike.
Monday night, we went to the Sambadrome to see the Carnaval parade. It was absolutely amazing - lots of vivid colors, lights, and sounds.
In the morning, we took a Jeep tour of the Tijuca Forest, the largest urban forest in the world. There were supposed to be monkeys in the forest but sadly I didn't see any.
This is me with our tour guide on the Jeep tour. She was really cool and taught us some fun things to say in Portuguese.
Tijuca had a lot of really cool waterfalls like this one. Here I am with Chad and Mike.
Monday night, we went to the Sambadrome to see the Carnaval parade. It was absolutely amazing - lots of vivid colors, lights, and sounds.
The Sights (Rio Day 4)
February 22, 2009
On Sunday, we viewed the main sights of Rio. We first visited the mountain Corcovada and saw the iconic statue of Cristo Redentor. The statue is huge and the sights were absolutely amazing. To get up to the top, we took a ride on the funicular railway. A random fact: the statue was voted into the "New Seven Wonders of the World."
After lunch, we went up to Sugar Loaf Mountain in a cable car. And I actually kept my eyes open! Random fact: the Sugar Loaf is the highest point above sea level in Rio. On the way down, we saw rock climbers climbing up the mountain, something that I would never do :)
That night, we walked along Copacabana beach browsing the street vendor's wares. We were all looking for costumes to wear to the Sambadrome Carnaval parade on Monday. I found a really cool feather headband. We ended up at a cafe in the red light district. All the women there (and some of the "women" - i.e. men dressed as women) were hookers. Yep. And when we sat down, half the people thought we (the girls in the group) were hookers and the other half thought we were just dumb tourists who didn't realize where we were. It was awkward, uncomfortable, sketchy, and potentially dangerous. But when in Rio...
On Sunday, we viewed the main sights of Rio. We first visited the mountain Corcovada and saw the iconic statue of Cristo Redentor. The statue is huge and the sights were absolutely amazing. To get up to the top, we took a ride on the funicular railway. A random fact: the statue was voted into the "New Seven Wonders of the World."
After lunch, we went up to Sugar Loaf Mountain in a cable car. And I actually kept my eyes open! Random fact: the Sugar Loaf is the highest point above sea level in Rio. On the way down, we saw rock climbers climbing up the mountain, something that I would never do :)That night, we walked along Copacabana beach browsing the street vendor's wares. We were all looking for costumes to wear to the Sambadrome Carnaval parade on Monday. I found a really cool feather headband. We ended up at a cafe in the red light district. All the women there (and some of the "women" - i.e. men dressed as women) were hookers. Yep. And when we sat down, half the people thought we (the girls in the group) were hookers and the other half thought we were just dumb tourists who didn't realize where we were. It was awkward, uncomfortable, sketchy, and potentially dangerous. But when in Rio...
A Really Bad Burn (Rio Day 3 continued)
February 21, 2009
Getting into the Hotel Atlantico Copacabana, I met my roommate Carla. After breakfast, we headed the few blocks to Copacabana Beach. Needless to say, 15 SPF sunblock + 1 hour in the Rio sun = really bad sunburn. Ouch!
We went dancing at Rio Scenarium, a cool samba club that used to be a museum.
Getting into the Hotel Atlantico Copacabana, I met my roommate Carla. After breakfast, we headed the few blocks to Copacabana Beach. Needless to say, 15 SPF sunblock + 1 hour in the Rio sun = really bad sunburn. Ouch!
We grabbed lunch at this hole in the wall café that was very yummy.
We went dancing at Rio Scenarium, a cool samba club that used to be a museum.
Almost a Hostage (Rio Day 3)
February 21, 2009
No amount of books, movies, or newspapers articles on the topic can ever really prepare you for the real life scenario of participating in a shootout. It’s definitely surreal, and I don’t think anyone can understand what it feels like unless they experience it themselves. Anyway, the story:
After arriving in Rio, getting our bags, and passing customs, our group met up with our tour guide and got on our bus. The trip from the airport to the hotel was supposed to take about 20 minutes. However, it was Carnaval and there was bad traffic.
We get to the highway and soon we just stop driving. The police had blocked off traffic in our direction – it looked like there were some people with guns walking around. Being the tourists that we were, we started to take pictures. Initially, it didn’t seem that bad. It looked like someone got shot and the police were just looking into it. People in neighboring cars had gotten out of their cars and were walking around looking at what was going on. Then, we heard the first set of machine gun shots. The noise was quieter than I thought it would be, and not as startling. Nothing at all like you see on TV. At this point, we were still far enough away from the action that it was only mildly scary but still pretty interesting and exciting. Another part of the adventure our group was having, like the delays in Miami.
A bit in front of us, there was a bus that was full of kids and I guess their teachers. That was when we saw them get off and all start running in the other direction. Which is when the people in the other cars starting running away in the other direction. And when the cops with their Kevlar vests and their own machines guns started to run away. I think this is the point where it became a little too real. Our bus was on the far right side of the highway, near the edge of it. Next to the highway was a building. We saw two guys with masks step out from the side of the building holding machine guns. They were joined by a third guy and they started shooting at the highway.
We asked our bus driver if it might be a good idea for us to exit the bus and maybe run in the other direction like everyone else was doing. He said that we were too close to the guys with the guns and we were better off inside the bus but we should all get down on the floor away from the windows. And then the guys with the guns noticed our bus and started pointing to it. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they were thinking. Their best bet to get away was to hop on a bus, and a bus full of tourists was probably even better. Hostages always help with escape plans.
After another round of shots, they started to advance toward us. Luckily, the police noticed this and figured out what they were thinking. Seeing that an international hostage situation would not be the best idea, they lifted the roadblock and waved the cars and our bus forward. However, this meant that we needed to drive right by the gunmen. We did so quickly, all the while kneeling on the ground, hoping we didn’t get shot at. A few people did hold up their cameras to the window so I will post pictures and video soon.
No amount of books, movies, or newspapers articles on the topic can ever really prepare you for the real life scenario of participating in a shootout. It’s definitely surreal, and I don’t think anyone can understand what it feels like unless they experience it themselves. Anyway, the story:
After arriving in Rio, getting our bags, and passing customs, our group met up with our tour guide and got on our bus. The trip from the airport to the hotel was supposed to take about 20 minutes. However, it was Carnaval and there was bad traffic.
We get to the highway and soon we just stop driving. The police had blocked off traffic in our direction – it looked like there were some people with guns walking around. Being the tourists that we were, we started to take pictures. Initially, it didn’t seem that bad. It looked like someone got shot and the police were just looking into it. People in neighboring cars had gotten out of their cars and were walking around looking at what was going on. Then, we heard the first set of machine gun shots. The noise was quieter than I thought it would be, and not as startling. Nothing at all like you see on TV. At this point, we were still far enough away from the action that it was only mildly scary but still pretty interesting and exciting. Another part of the adventure our group was having, like the delays in Miami.A bit in front of us, there was a bus that was full of kids and I guess their teachers. That was when we saw them get off and all start running in the other direction. Which is when the people in the other cars starting running away in the other direction. And when the cops with their Kevlar vests and their own machines guns started to run away. I think this is the point where it became a little too real. Our bus was on the far right side of the highway, near the edge of it. Next to the highway was a building. We saw two guys with masks step out from the side of the building holding machine guns. They were joined by a third guy and they started shooting at the highway.
We asked our bus driver if it might be a good idea for us to exit the bus and maybe run in the other direction like everyone else was doing. He said that we were too close to the guys with the guns and we were better off inside the bus but we should all get down on the floor away from the windows. And then the guys with the guns noticed our bus and started pointing to it. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they were thinking. Their best bet to get away was to hop on a bus, and a bus full of tourists was probably even better. Hostages always help with escape plans.
After another round of shots, they started to advance toward us. Luckily, the police noticed this and figured out what they were thinking. Seeing that an international hostage situation would not be the best idea, they lifted the roadblock and waved the cars and our bus forward. However, this meant that we needed to drive right by the gunmen. We did so quickly, all the while kneeling on the ground, hoping we didn’t get shot at. A few people did hold up their cameras to the window so I will post pictures and video soon.
Emergency Landing (Rio Day 2)
February 20, 2009
After about 4 hours of sleep at the Airport Regency Hotel, I arrived at the Miami airport yet again. With nothing to do but wait for my 2p flight, I made friends with some of the other people on the ill-fated plane to Rio, including a very cute and helpful Brazilian guy. We finally boarded our plane and took off, amidst much clapping of the excited passengers.
(At this point, I would like to mention that although we never actually boarded the first two, this was the third, yes third, plane that was assigned by American Airlines for the flight from Miami to Rio.)
About an hour into our flight, the captain made an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen…” You see how annoying this becomes? It turns out that we had yet another mechanical failure and we would be turning around to make an emergency landing in Miami. The equipment used to monitor the other plane traffic in the air was not working an all. The captain informed us that this was an important safety feature needed for all planes flying into South America. Um, hello?! Isn’t this an important safety feature ALL the time? But I digress.
After landing (safely) in Miami, we all rushed over to the customer service desk to complain. This was indeed getting ridiculous. We were promised another plane that would be boarding as soon as they transferred our luggage but were slightly delayed by the passengers that decided to cancel their flights and go home. One passenger was heard to state, “this is a sign that I wasn’t meant to go to Rio!” I however had not just spent thousands of dollars and months planning to just go home – I was going to make it to Rio.
We took off around 6p and after a few hours of no announcements, I was able to relax enough to sleep. I woke up as we were landing in Rio, around 3:45a, almost 24 hours after our original scheduled arrival in Brazil.
After about 4 hours of sleep at the Airport Regency Hotel, I arrived at the Miami airport yet again. With nothing to do but wait for my 2p flight, I made friends with some of the other people on the ill-fated plane to Rio, including a very cute and helpful Brazilian guy. We finally boarded our plane and took off, amidst much clapping of the excited passengers.(At this point, I would like to mention that although we never actually boarded the first two, this was the third, yes third, plane that was assigned by American Airlines for the flight from Miami to Rio.)
About an hour into our flight, the captain made an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen…” You see how annoying this becomes? It turns out that we had yet another mechanical failure and we would be turning around to make an emergency landing in Miami. The equipment used to monitor the other plane traffic in the air was not working an all. The captain informed us that this was an important safety feature needed for all planes flying into South America. Um, hello?! Isn’t this an important safety feature ALL the time? But I digress.
After landing (safely) in Miami, we all rushed over to the customer service desk to complain. This was indeed getting ridiculous. We were promised another plane that would be boarding as soon as they transferred our luggage but were slightly delayed by the passengers that decided to cancel their flights and go home. One passenger was heard to state, “this is a sign that I wasn’t meant to go to Rio!” I however had not just spent thousands of dollars and months planning to just go home – I was going to make it to Rio.
We took off around 6p and after a few hours of no announcements, I was able to relax enough to sleep. I woke up as we were landing in Rio, around 3:45a, almost 24 hours after our original scheduled arrival in Brazil.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may we please have your attention" (Rio Day 1 continued)
February 19, 2009
Shortly before our flight from Miami to Rio was due to take off, American Airlines made an announcement. That would be the first of many times that the words "Ladies and Gentlemen, may we please have your attention" made my insides clench in anticipation of bad news. Turns out that our plane had some "mechanical difficulties" and we would be moving to a new gate. And yes, this would be on the other side of the airport.
Our original flight was due to take off at 9:50p. We were informed that our new flight would only have a "short" delay. Right. Our new posted time would be 11p. At 11p, when we were no closer to boarding than before, another announcement was made. Apparently, our new plane also had "mechanical difficulties,” one of the doors was not working and they would need to fix it - it would be another hour. 40 minutes later, we were told that we have a confirmed take off time at 2:20a. You could imagine the reaction of us all. I started on the 3rd of the 4 books I brought with me.
Around 1:30a, we hear "Ladies and Gentlemen, may we please have your attention.” A small part of me actually believed that this would be good news, maybe we would actually be boarding early. Not so much. We were told that the plane would take longer to fix than expected and that they couldn't keep the flight attendants that late so they were rescheduling us to a new flight for the next day... at 2p. This would mean that we would be arriving in Rio around midnight, missing a whole day of our trip. As we all settled into line to wait for our hotel and meal vouchers, I first realized that this trip was not about to go as smoothly as planned.
Shortly before our flight from Miami to Rio was due to take off, American Airlines made an announcement. That would be the first of many times that the words "Ladies and Gentlemen, may we please have your attention" made my insides clench in anticipation of bad news. Turns out that our plane had some "mechanical difficulties" and we would be moving to a new gate. And yes, this would be on the other side of the airport.
Our original flight was due to take off at 9:50p. We were informed that our new flight would only have a "short" delay. Right. Our new posted time would be 11p. At 11p, when we were no closer to boarding than before, another announcement was made. Apparently, our new plane also had "mechanical difficulties,” one of the doors was not working and they would need to fix it - it would be another hour. 40 minutes later, we were told that we have a confirmed take off time at 2:20a. You could imagine the reaction of us all. I started on the 3rd of the 4 books I brought with me.
Around 1:30a, we hear "Ladies and Gentlemen, may we please have your attention.” A small part of me actually believed that this would be good news, maybe we would actually be boarding early. Not so much. We were told that the plane would take longer to fix than expected and that they couldn't keep the flight attendants that late so they were rescheduling us to a new flight for the next day... at 2p. This would mean that we would be arriving in Rio around midnight, missing a whole day of our trip. As we all settled into line to wait for our hotel and meal vouchers, I first realized that this trip was not about to go as smoothly as planned.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Admiral's Lounge (Rio Day 1)
February 19, 2009I sit here in the Admiral's Lounge of the Miami airport waiting for my connecting flight to Rio. I'm sure many of you are wondering the same thing I would be: why in the world did you just shell out lots of $ for 2 hours in an executive lounge. Good question and it has a good answer.
About an hour before landing in Miami, I was talking to a fellow traveler. As we waxed poetic about the inane sort of topics one speaks of to traveling companions, I stop with a muttered curse. This was the moment that I realized that I had forgotten to send in my foreign travel notification. Some of you know what that means and understand the dire consequences. Everyone else, I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you ;)
Anyway, I had no alternative but to find a computer, with internet, immediately... and then pray that I could find the appropriate form on my company's website, which is filled with a myriad of random information. Like an oasis to a thirsty desert traveler, the Admiral's Lounge comes to view, albeit with a hefty $50 entrance fee. However, since the alternative was far worse, I paid.
Accomplishing my task, I took to exploring and was quite impressed. There was quite a variety of complimentary hot and cold beverages, snacks, internet, a music lounge, showers, bathrooms that smell like spas, etc. I must say that I do not feel like I am at an airport, instead, I am in a four star hotel. If I could afford the membership, I would definitely be returning in the future.
Now, I'm off to my flight. If luck holds, I will be able to sleep. Otherwise, I still have 3 books, a logic magazine, 2 travel guides, and my iPod to keep me company on the 8 hour and 39 minute flight. And as a last resort, I could deign to talk to my seatmates :)
About an hour before landing in Miami, I was talking to a fellow traveler. As we waxed poetic about the inane sort of topics one speaks of to traveling companions, I stop with a muttered curse. This was the moment that I realized that I had forgotten to send in my foreign travel notification. Some of you know what that means and understand the dire consequences. Everyone else, I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you ;)
Anyway, I had no alternative but to find a computer, with internet, immediately... and then pray that I could find the appropriate form on my company's website, which is filled with a myriad of random information. Like an oasis to a thirsty desert traveler, the Admiral's Lounge comes to view, albeit with a hefty $50 entrance fee. However, since the alternative was far worse, I paid.
Accomplishing my task, I took to exploring and was quite impressed. There was quite a variety of complimentary hot and cold beverages, snacks, internet, a music lounge, showers, bathrooms that smell like spas, etc. I must say that I do not feel like I am at an airport, instead, I am in a four star hotel. If I could afford the membership, I would definitely be returning in the future.
Now, I'm off to my flight. If luck holds, I will be able to sleep. Otherwise, I still have 3 books, a logic magazine, 2 travel guides, and my iPod to keep me company on the 8 hour and 39 minute flight. And as a last resort, I could deign to talk to my seatmates :)
WARNING
This blog will have a mix of random, funny, insightful, witty, and intellectual stream of consciousness stories about my travels around the world, starting with my trip to Rio for Carnaval. On occasion though, it will just be musings from whenever I am bored on my trip, usually stuck at some airport or hotel (see first entry). Read if you like, but please don't complain about it if it's not interesting. Also, please let me know if there's anything that you want more detail about, or any spelling mistakes. Unless it's an egregious grammatical mistake, I don't care. And yes, I will try to post pictures if I can.
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