FORTUNATELY... UNFORTUNATELY...

Hello all! I have been back in Ecuador now for almost a week, in Cuenca since Monday. I am glad to be done traveling and back at home. I haven't really got into the routine yet. I haven't been out in service or to a meeting yet, so I'm not sure what all is new here, but I don't think much. Well, I do know that one couple so far has left because of the visa changes. They are going to Panama instead, where requirements are less strict. As most of you know, my visa expires in December, and as I can't renew it, I will be going home at that time. In the meantime, Hannah will be here in a few weeks, and we plan on enjoying our last few months here. It wouldn't surprise me if we/I choose to come back after a while, if nothing else, on a 3-month visa to visit. But no steady plans as of yet. Will keep you posted.

People keep asking me about my trip back and I keep saying don't ask. But if you really want to know, then please continue reading as I recall the best and worst of the past week.

So, has anyone ever read the books "Fortunately, unfortunately"? We use to read those when I was young, and the last week of my life has been very much like those books. In them, the story line goes up and down. Something works out, just to get messed up again... and over and over again. But of course, the stories always ended on "fortunately". 

I left Portland last Monday and had a 2-day layover in Chicago. Aunt Barb hooked me up with a nice couple who I stayed with and who showed me around Chicago a bit. Nice city...

Unfortunately, wouldn't you know that as soon as I got to the Chicago airport, I found out my flight was delayed due to lightning, which would have made me late for my next connecting flight out of Atlanta, and because of so many other flights having been cancelled or delayed, I was possibly looking at a next-day flight. This was not good news to me because I really wanted to make it to Guayaquil for the convention a day early so I could find some friends to stay with and make arrangements in time. I was very anxious about being there without anywhere to stay, or transportation, and traveling alone with 3 suitcases. Anyway, fortunately for me, the Delta staff actually came through for once and found a flight to stick me on at the last second, which got me to Atlanta on time for my connecting flight.

Unfortunately, once I got onto my connecting flight, our plane had engine problems and we had to sit on the runway for 2 hours while it got worked out. I was really worried about getting into Guayquil late because a sister from the hosal that I wanted to stay at for that night was going to meet me there at 10:30 pm., but I was never able to confirm with her before leaving. If I showed up more than 2 hours late, I didn't think she'd still be waiting around for me and I would be stuck there alone.

During our flight, we had 2 medical "situations". The first one was a women who went into diabetic shock, but they got her feeling better after a few minutes and we didn't have to make an early landing somewere. After that, there was another "situation" that occurred that I won't detail because it's really really gross! Suffice it to say that this particular medical situation had everyone from the front of the plane literally running to the back fo the plane to get away from the smell. The flight attendants tried to convince everyone to go back to their seats while spraying mass amounts of cinnamon air freshener all over the place until people started gagging and hyperventilating over that! It was a mess.

Fortunately, we finally landed and got off the plane, 2 hours late. 12:00am Thursday. I ran to get to customs first and try to avoid a very long line. I was really concerned that no one would be there at the airport to get me and I really felt scared to be in that city by myself with tons of luggage and all my valuables in the middle of the night. Anyway, I did get in line and about 45 minutes later it was my turn to present my passport. Unfortunately on the plane they had ran out of the immigration forms and we were told to get them once we landed. However, to my horror, the women behind the glass said I had to go back to the kiosk in the other room, fill out the form, and get back into the line, which was now hours behind me. Fortunately, when I flatly refused to do such a stupid thing, she gave in and got me one herself so I could save my spot. Unfortunately, even though the immigration form got done, turns out that I forgot my Ecuadorian ID card at home, and it apparently was necessary to validate my visa. That was very unfortunate indeed I was told because there was absolutely no way she could let me in the country without it. We argued for a bit over what I would do, people were called over, I was shuffled around, and eventually they said sorry, there was nothing they could do.

One of the most fortunate things that happened that night was me finally convincing them to let me through. It was one of my best pursuasive speeches to date I think. :) Actually, I think they got so tired of dealing with me (cause I wasn't making it easy) that they took convenience over law. Thank you Ecuador!

Unfortunately, I was exhausted, still with a headache, it was late, and all I wanted to do was get my bags and get out there to see if the sister was still in the lobby holding a Watchtower like she said she would. I waited and waited and waited and no bags. Then I noticed a yelling match going on at the other side of the carasol. Everyone was yelling at this guy who had thrown all the big luggage off of the line and into a massive pile on the floor. No wonder no one was getting their bags! Fortunately this renewed my spirits because I now had hope that my bags were had arrived after all. So now, I had to wait until everyone took their bags off the pile, one by one, to see if mine were there at the bottom. Unfortunately, they weren't.

I ran to get in line at the lost luggage counter. It was about 1am now and I was about to just give up. I had to use my phone very carefully since I only had about $1 of minutes on it, and if I didn't use it wisely, I wouldn't be able to contact anyone. I used my first call to try the sister. No answer. Second call was to the hostal. A sleeping older lady answered and said she could not contact the sister either who was suppose to pick me up, and that I needed to go out to the lobby to look for her before taking care of the bags, see if she was still there and ask her to wait, then go back and deal with the bags. No way I was losing my spot in that long line just to wait in the baggage customs line, then come back and do it all again. So I took my chances and stayed in line.

After writing up my claim form and being told that the bags would arrive the same time tomorrow, I finally went to the lobby to find no sister with a Watchtower waiting for me. :( I sat down to think. Just then, fortunately, there was a tap on my shoulder. It was her!! She had waited all that time. Do you want to know why she didn't answer her phone?

Unfortunatley, on her way to pick me up, she was hijacked in her car a couple miles from the airport. 2 men held her and a brother hostage in their car while robbing them. Unfortunately, they didn't find the money they were hoping for. Here comes the interesting and... yes... fortunate part. The sister told them that they had no money on them because they are Jehovah's Witnesses and they just came from their meeting at the Kindom Hall. The man in the back seat got really really mad and started yelling. "NO! You are Witnesses? That can't be! NO! Now what am I suppose to do!?" He got really mad and told the guy in the front seat to give the sister her phone back (which he did not do) and get out of the car right away. Then he said that his own mother was a Witness and God would never forgive him if he robbed these people. They left without hurting anyone or taking anything except her phone. I couldnt believe that story when she told me.

Unfortunately, I asked her where this all happened, and she said "Here in this neighborhood where we are driving now!" Yikes! Get us out of here is all I could think.

So, fortunately we get to the hostal, which is where she lives as well. I was so happy to at least be somewhere. Unfortunately, I had nothing to take a shower, no clothes, no tooth brush, nothing. Not even drinking water, and man was I thirsty. I went to bed with a migraine that night, wondering what I would do about the missing luggage. I had decided that I had to go home, even though I had plans to stay in Guayaquil until convention. But without my bags, I had to get home and get at least some clothes and stuff. Good, at least I had a plan. Unfortunately, I realized at about 2:30 am that I had no keys to my apartment. How would I get in? The keys were with a couple in Cuenca that would be leaving the city early the next morning. I set my phone to call them early, hopefully before they left, so they could leave the keys somewhere for me.

I woke up in the morning with about 75 cents left on my phone and carefully dialed their number. Please, please let this be my break. Ring, ring, ring... No answer :( That's unfortunate...

Fortunately, my spirits were lifted at breakfast when I met a nice young couple serving in Loja who were visiting with their parents for he convention. It was nice to just sit and talk and be encouraged by them. And then I got an idea. I called another friend here in Cuenca to see if he knew about th couple who had my keys. Very fortunately, they were all staying with eachother in the same house so I made arrangements for them to leave the keys. Yay! Another something that went my way.

So all I needed now was to get to the van service that would take me home, but unfortunately they were all full until noon! wah... I just wanted to get home, so I asked the sister if she could just take me to the bus station and I would bus it home. At least I didn't have luggage to deal with. Unfortunately, after that, I got a call from a friend in Cuenca telling me that there was a shooting at the bus terminal and it was being closed down! What are the chances?... OK, so I waited around and took the noon van.

Fortunately, I got home 3 hours later where I found the keys. What a relief! I was home. I had clothes. I had an extra tooth brush waiting for me. I had a shower. Or so I thought... I get into the shower, give it a  a quick little test and fortunately feel hot water. Unfortunately, the minute I get lathered up, the gas runs out and the water goes cold. This might not seem like a big deal, but it was freezing in Cuenca, and even colder in the house that day. So I shiver my wet head down 4 flights of stairs, outside, to the gas tanks to change to a new one.

The next morning, I tried calling the number the guy at the airpot gave me to check on the luggage, which should have arrived early that morning. Unfortunately, it was the wrong number. I spent the rest of the day trying to track down the right one, which I finally did at about 4pm. They assured me that the bags were on their way to my house and would be there that night. Which means I missed Friday of convention, but I should be able to get the bags, and fly early Saturday to make the program in time. Unfortunately, all the flights were full for the next morning. Figures. The only other option would be to leave at 4am on the bus and get someone to pick me up in the morning in Guayaquil on their way to the Assembly Hall. Not a great option... Then again, it didn't end up making much difference because my bags never came that night. When I called to check, they said that the driver got tired from long trips tat day and didn't make it to Cuenca. I was again promised it would be there the following morning. So I lost Saturday of Convention as well since I had to be home to receive the bags, and with a fair amount of valuables in there, I needed to wait for them.

FORTUNATELY, my bags finally came the next day, 5 hours later than they said. At one point, I called the driver and he said he'd be here in 20 minutes, but didn't show up for 3 hours! haha. I will never understand that.

I used the time that morning to write a long blog, updating everyone on the news and other stuff. Unfortunately, instead of publishing it, the whole thing got deleted in one lovely key stroke. That is when I thought about the old books I used to read. It was just ironic enough to laugh at, which was quite... fortunate. :)

So I did finally get to go to the convention for Sunday at least, after another 3 hour terrifying bus ride. I had a good time, got to see lots of friends. Fortunately, I was able to stay with some friends from Quito Sunday night since I had no arrangements ahead of time, and got back on the bus Monday for Cuenca one last time. And now I am home, busy with school. It is crunch time for me and Hannah now. We are not sure if we will make the deadline for our course completion, but we're gonna try really hard. So every extra second, 7 days a week, that is what I will be working on.  It's going well, but if I have to transcribe one more hernia repair, I'm pretty sure I will actually be able to perform this surgery myself.

So that's it! Good times. I had fun these last 3 months back home. Thanks for the good times. Thanks Aunt Barb for your help with Chicago too. I am still hoping to be able to go through NY in December if at all possible. So hope to see you guys soon. Have fun in Florida!

Hannah, while I'm thinking about it... want to switch rooms for the next 4 months? I find your bed to be very comfy.

Ttfn