A bright array of lights dotted the dark landscape beneath the plane where I sat It was late, around midnight, and the day had stretched beyond measure beginning with customs in the Atlanta airport. About 1:30 a.m. we landed in the airport at San Jose International Airport. I was exhausted but the beauty of the landscape would be only a shimmer of what was to come. The second I stepped off of the plane I felt anxious and hot, very hot. This being my first time outside of the United States was a completely new experience and everything was foreign to me. After we retrieved our bags from the baggage claim we headed out and were promptly picked up by a bus which carried us out of the city of San Jose, Costa Rica through mountains and jungle and delivered us to our cabins where we would be staying for the week. After a combined sixteen hours of travel we were here. As we stood on top of what seemed to me to be a mountain overlooking the city I was taken aback I have never seen anything like it. It was amazing. The next morning we woke up as early as 5:00 a.m. to get ready for what was to be a long day. Each morning we would travel to a church where we would hold a worship service and eat breakfast, after each breakfast and worship service we would go off to our respective places where we would work with a construction team building a basecamp for the ministry we were helping or we would go out and minister at the schools in the local area. We spent most of the first day
After all of that we we’re getting on the plane. We found our sets and sat in them and buckled up we were ready for our flight. Were on a plane I was really excited about the trip, when we took off it was going down the runway faster and faster then all of a the sudden the plane was going up off the ground then we were in the sky floating forward. Then the plane was going fast whenever I looked out the window everything on land and not in the air looked tiny it was an amazing site from up above. It felt like we were flying with the birds.
Next we got to our hotel the sky was as blue as the water and the breezes felt so nice on my tired cramped up neck from being on the plane for 4 hours. I met people from japan, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico
I felt the heat as soon as the door opened. We went to baggage claim and off to hotel we went. In a bus we drove to our resort along with a tour guide. We had arrived and our real adventure began. We were all very excited.
It was a dark and stormy night- except it wasn’t. It was actually a crisp, clear January morning. January 14, 2011 to be exact. It was the first time I had ever been outside the United States, and I was on a 13 hour nonstop flight to Israel. Even though I had been in an airplane before, this was a totally different experience. We were not allowed to get up, unless we were on the way to the bathroom, we were served dinner which was… interesting to say the least and thankfully, I didn’t get food poisoning (until the flight back to the U.S.). We also had in-flight TV, which was awesome because it had a plethora of new movies that I had never seen before! After the long flight I was extremely happy to be able to walk around, however we didn’t do
I was so excited to go to the airport. I could see our bright red luggage sitting in my room by the couch. It was 4 A.M. and we had to leave in an hour. I was ready to go with my backpack but no one had woken up yet.
The more we advanced they were seeing more lights. These turned into a big city, "Miami". At that time I did not know whether it was fantasy or reality. Seeing Miami for the first time from the sky gave me the idea of a toy city. A city where the night is full of life, lights and movement. Suddenly again the same pleasant voice that greeted us on the plane ride. This time to inform us that we were about to land. When we flew over the airport and see that big building made me feel that many surprises were to come. During the landing there was a bit of turbulence, it was funny because it felt like when you go in a car and there are bumps in the road.
As I got on the plane I was not able to handle all of my excitement. I would be having a new adventure in Italy. It would take about 12 hours to arrive. During that time I would be sleeping, looking for fun tourist attractions, and sleeping some more. The plane finally landed just a few minutes ago on Central Italy and now I await my taxi. Once the taxi arrived and took me to my hotel I decided to go sightseeing. As I was driving to the Orvieto Cathedral I got lost. Without reception for my phone I decided to ask a woman near by. As I approached her she looked very well built and strong. As I neared her I noticed that she was also holding a child. I then asked,
So, there I sat, seat G4 on the train headed to nowhere. I didn’t have a destination; I never really did. I guess that’s just the type of person I was, someone who just hopped on a train for the ride. I always liked trains. I don’t know what it was about them, but for some reason or another, I always found myself lounging in the same spot drinking hot cocoa. People always said that hot chocolate “was only for kids” but I never got that; I had a pretty strong distaste for coffee. Honestly, I hate it, the way it makes your teeth gritty to the point where you need something else to drink. I can’t even enjoy a cup unless it’s lighter than my own skin tone, which, by the way, is pretty pale. I mean I wouldn’t call myself pasty but… Anyhow, it
Ever since I knew how to open my mouth and speak, I would ask my mother what was down that dark, woven path because I always found that it might be important or that it might lead to something more. We would drive the dusty, dirt road and go around the sharp, dangerous bend heading towards my beloved aunt’s house instead of just taking the safer route which was going straight down the mysterious path. The entrance that I would later enter frequently, was always lined with multiple trees, making it impossible to see any further down the path. When I grew into my teen years and was able to put things together, I finally saw a car turning to go down the driveway. It was heading away from us so therefore I could not see who was inside of the vehicle, but I finally knew that there was life down the unknown path.
“Get up, you are going to be late!” my mom said as I continued to stir in bed. Then it hit me, I was going to be late for my friend’s birthday party! Once I had gotten ready, I got in the car and we took off. I was very nervous because I knew that all my friends wanted to go on the roller coasters with the loops. Little did I know that my gargantuan fear of going upside down on a roller coaster would become an amazing experience I would never forget.
My family and I had planned a trip to Denver, Colorado to visit my brother and his girlfriend. It took months and months to finally have it all planned out, but we finally figured everything out. We left for the cities on a Wednesday night. We stayed in a sketchy hotel in the cities by the airport and flew out of Minneapolis around 5:30 a.m. I was so nervous, as it was my very first plane ride. The plane was quite small. Our plane was delayed due to them having to deice the plane due to all the cold. I suddenly started to feel sick, all my nerves had gotten to me so I reached for the puke bag and puked everywhere! I was so embarrassed, my family and people around me were laughing so hard at me because I had gotten myself so worked up. But once the plane started up I felt much better.
I was scared, no I was terrified. This was all one big new experience. First plane ride, first time out of the country, first time being away from my family for longer than 3 days, first time without any access to the internet; it was a trip full of firsts. I was so nervous I’ve never done anything like this before and couldn’t believe it was happening now. On the car ride to the airport I couldn’t breathe I finally cracked. I acted cool, calm, and collected, but then it all hit me at once. Everything was hot, it was hard to breathe, and my stomach was turning. I have never felt so unprepared for anything in my life. Serving in Guatemala for two weeks with people I didn’t know and no access to the ones I loved back in the United States. I don’t know why I signed up for this as the trip kept going I was regretting my decision more and more. The airport was HUGE and complicated. The other adventurers were intimidating, they’ve all done this before; I was the newbie. Guatemala scared me. I was sleep deprived and couldn’t stay awake on the bus ride to the hotel. I hated not knowing exactly where I was and which way was north as I could tell so easily back in Blanding by looking at our extravagant mountain. Everything was different, and I didn’t know what to think of it. We arrived at the hotel, everyone seemed excited and seemed to fit right at home. Me, I was screaming internally. There was a monkey watching a yelling at us wherever we went. Everyone said
The sun sparkled in like a kaleidoscope of light, spinning, hazy. The grass was warm underneath my bare feet, tickling up between my toes. The breeze tossed my bleach blonde curls around, keeping the temperature at a perfect degree. It had to had been mid-seventies with a slight humidity, the kind of weather that draws a person outside to bask in the sun, to frolic in the breeze, to enjoy the nature in front of them. The sun hid behind a perfectly cloud scattered sky. The plump objects transformed into the creatures of my imagination. The lake reflected the worlds psychedelic colors, mystic and free. Just there, across the lane from my palace, dwelled a magnificent floating spiral island. A place only known to my father, little sister and I. Although I was only four, I understood its secrets. The island was magical, including everything that surrounded it. We lived in a hidden area that only the chosen could find.
My friend Wilson and I were at the airport, we had our suitcases in hand and were ready to board the plane. I was kissing my wife goodbye and said, “I’ll be back soon Hun.”
Filled with excitement and joy I began to fill my suitcase, overloading with clothing that I most likely will not wear. A I finish my exaggerated packing I heard a thumping sound of knocks at the front door. I hurriedly squish everything and make my way to the door only to be greeted by Ely’s joyful expression. Once we manage to pack our things in the trunk we head off to the airport. Once at the airport were greeted with our growling tummies ready to devour. We have fifteen minutes before our flight leaves, we quickly rush and get in line to the subway station. When ordering I could see all the available sets of nutritional vegetables. The scent of sweet coffee filled my nostrils from the Starbucks station next to the subway. Once are meals our set we quickly stuff our hungry faces and hear a loud announcement that our flight was to depart in 10 minutes. When seated I tried to manage my tangles hair and off we were to our vacation in Honduras. Once, we reached the end of our flight we were met with the difficulty of finding our bags, once we did we excitedly made our way to the exit. As soon as we stepped outside the scent of good cooked meted melted in our minds. Immediately our attention zoomed into the busy streets overcrowding with people.