After procrastinating for a week in
Bahrain it has finally come time for me to sit down and catch everyone up with
what I’m up to. Although I have promised
many that I would try to do something like this I actually have my own selfish
reasons as well. Although I am sure it
will shock most of you, I have a terrible memory and do not have any desire to
scrapbook so I am hoping this will be able to perhaps play as my digital
version. I will try to break things down
in sections for easier scanning and just organizing my own random thoughts.
Flight and First Night
Things
on this journey, as with many I am sure, did not get off to an ideal
start. I had driven up to Prior Lake to
spend some time with mom and dad and then get dropped off at the airport. We had packed everything up, weighed the
suitcases, and gotten to the airport without much trouble, but for some reason
when I tried to check in I could not be found.
Finally they found with X’s by my name and only the second portion of my
trip paid for. Now there was room on the
plane and normally this wouldn’t be but a phone call away from being fixed, not
so easy with an eight hour time difference.
So instead of risking paying for the flight out of pocket we went home
to wait. The wait lasted till three o’clock
in the morning when I got a phone call apologizing and telling me to try it
again the next day, back on track. Now,
the second attempt went much better. I
promised everyone I would check in once I reached Amsterdam with the free Wi-Fi
(Not Free), and headed off. Now when I
thought back to the flight to Italy, the portion from MSP to Amsterdam was very
uncomfortable and cramped. When we
boarded I was happy I got a window seat!
I was happy for about two minutes when the biggest man (that wasn’t me)
plopped down next to me and ask with more than a hint of alcohol on his breathe
if we could “get drunk.” That scene in
the movie is way funnier than in real life!
He proceeded to talk the rest of the eight hours only stopping to order
and drink drinks or use the restroom (Which sadly only happened twice, but
who’s counting). However little sleep I
managed we did get to Amsterdam safely at what my body told me was 3am. After a short layover and a comfortable
layover in Abu Dabi was in Bahrain Airport, at this point with no idea what
time my body thought it was but 11PM here.
Stepping off the plane was my first moment of Oh S***, what
now? So I just followed the rest of my
herd and got in a line where I found we were getting our visas. To apply for a visa you need five dinar which
the school provided me stapled to a piece of paper with my name on it. I came to find though that I must have been
the only person going to the country for the first time as I was told to sit
down and wait. The wait was long enough
for everyone else from my flight to be gone and make me worry about where my
luggage was going to end up. Everything,
however, went smooth, got my visa, my passport punched and my luggage was off
to the side waiting for me. Another
gentleman with a sign was waiting for me, which was great because I did not
know where I was going or if there was going to be anyone take me there.
If you remember it was 11pm when I arrived, by time I throw
my luggage into the dusty old van it was midnight and 96 degrees! Even so by the time I got to the apartment,
met my roommate and climbed into bed, the A/C here is so strong that I has
freezing! Although, they did a nice job
settling us in I was short a sheet and spent my first night in Bahrain’s 96
degree heat with a hoody and a towel.
Even though our apartment building is really nice my bags spent the
night packed while I tried to sleep on what my initial feelings were.
I believe I have rambled off pretty well
for my first post and will try to have my second post up soon. In that one I will cover my first week about
the town, in the school, and with my new coworkers. Please feel free to leave comments as I miss
you all and look forward to using this as a means of communication.**Also I have not proof read or spell checked so please take it easy on me.
