welcome to border control

just returned to the land of oprah late last night. not so many interesting airport stories this time around... though i had some fun with my 30 kg of books and the random old czech woman sitting behind me on the way to atlanta. we carried on a 28 minute conversation just fine in czech, thanks to pantomiming and my short answers... then she started babbling and carrying on and i was lost, i told her my czech was in fact not so great and that was the end of our conversing. so the rest of the trip was silent and a random nod and pat on the arm. customs was a bitch! met a ton of people who had just flown from montego bay... talked for an hour whilst waiting in the never ending line. checked the bags again, then ran into some trouble on the security to the plane when the guy scanned my 30kg backpack chocked fill with books. he thought i was carrying rods and something else, i had to assure him by opening and showing the contents, only to be scolded for trying to sneak in an overweight and oversized carry-on. i reassured him that czech airlines approved it, by showing the tag, and he grumbled saying it was too late and let me pass along. luckily my flight was late, so i made it in just enough time. landed in orlando 20 minutes late, to the sounds of anxious and nervous first time flyers of the age of 7 behind me, screaming we were all going to die... which set off all the small kids on the plane crying. landed, lugged my bags outside, and proceeded to wait almost 2 hours, without phone or money to even use a pay phone, thinking i would probably have to spend the night at the airport. luckily i heard my name overhead, struggled to lug everything back inside only to see my father chuckling away with some man and a small child. my sympathies to the small child. so we finally found each other, 2 hours later. made it home, scared the dog to shattered pieces just by walking in the door, gabbed with my prents, and then i hit the second wind. i was up till 3 or 4 trying to fall asleep, finally popped on the dr. house episode i had downloaded before leaving and fell fast asleep.

awoke this afternoon to a gazillion emails expressing joy and sadness of my recent change in location. yes, i miss everybody very much! it was a great summer, i think very much of all of you, i am lucky to have been in the right places at the right times, i learned quite a lot, and i feel that time was very necessary. my love to you all and i hope we meet again, soon. thanks to everyone for coming to my last night at u sudu... it meant a lot to me. i am naive in hoping people will come to visit in jamaica, but it is what is making me convinced still to go to unchartered, new lands where i know no familiar faces. i do hope some will come, but i know its not realistic. now, time for paperwork and the next 3 months of mental preparation.

looking forward to tomorrrow.