After 12+ hours of travel by plane, train, and van (more on that later), I am finally safe and sound at school, dazed and exhausted from traveling and doing my best to absorb all relevant information. Ha. Tomorrow I'll wake up wondering where I am and probably won't remember anything that happened between now and when I go to bed tonight. I still can't believe that I'm in Germany, and that I'm going to be here for six months.
My layover in Philadelphia was mostly uneventful. I reached the gate for my plane to Zurich just in time to check in (required for international flights), handed the lady my boarding pass and passport (both of which were buried in my over-packed messenger bag), and waited for her to stamp my boarding pass so I could be on my way.
"When is your return ticket?" she asked, an I replied, "six months from now."
"Where is your visa?" Not yet worried, I explained that I was entering on a guest visa and applying for a student visa within the week.
"You cannot enter with a guest visa, because your return ticket is not within 3 months." The reality of what was happening started to sink in. Holding back tears of frustration I explained that the school said that I could enter on a student visa and apply for student visa during the first week.
"But you can't do that, you need it before you can enter the country." Again, still on the verge of tears (what is it about being a woman that causes us to cry over such things? surely some strange twist of fate), I explained my situation. Eventually, probably because she was getting frustrated with me, she stamped my boarding pass, but stated that they would probably deport me once I reached Switzerland.
Deport. What an ugly word. With that lovely thought hanging over me I boarded the plane, made one last call home to ask everyone to pray that I'd get in the country alright, and tried to enjoy the fact that the flight was rather empty and the seat next to me was empty. At one point I realized that I had two choices: either be worried about what was going to happen once I reached Zurich or take God at His word and believe what He says: that He is faithful, and in control (if you've known me long enough, you know that the whole "God is in control, not me" thing is a recurring theme), and since He told me that I would be in Germany this fall, doesn't that mean that I'd have to get through Zurich without being deported? It was a hard choice, initially, but I chose the latter.
The flight went well, besides the constant knot in my stomach. I took sleeping aid, and actually slept for almost 4 hours (unheard of for me), and debarked, I managed to navigate one of the busiest airports in the world without too much trouble. Lugging my 110 lbs of baggage, I found the shuttle to the hotel where Jen (whom I had not met yet) was staying, and withing minutes I was in her room and we talked as I freshened up a little. After a breakfast of eggs and extraordinary coffee we took the shuttle back to the airport where we were to meet Leah and Hilary at the train station.
If you ever need something funny, frustrating, and ridiculous to think about, picture four young women with two large pieces of luggage each, plus one or two carry on items each, trying to get from point A to point B to point C, with all the signs in German and not really having any idea of how the whole "public transportation" thing works, unsure of ourselves but determined to make it to Bodenseehof or bust. We accidentally boarded a first class car on the train and had to quickly maneuver to a second class at the next stop. Getting from the train station to the ferry was a little complicated, but we found one of those luggage carts, which helped immensely.
Our one last concern was the bus. How were we going to fit? there was no way. Not only were we perfectly unfamiliar with the bus system and routes, we had far more luggage than would fit on the bus. But - lo and behold, God sent angels of mercy, two staff from the school were waiting for us at the ferry with a van and we very gratefully let them hoist our bags into the back and we were soon driving to the school.
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Such were my words a week ago on the night I arrived. All I would add as a first update since I left is this: there is no where else I would rather be right now.
(Friedrichshafen, the town near Bodenseehof)
Our one last concern was the bus. How were we going to fit? there was no way. Not only were we perfectly unfamiliar with the bus system and routes, we had far more luggage than would fit on the bus. But - lo and behold, God sent angels of mercy, two staff from the school were waiting for us at the ferry with a van and we very gratefully let them hoist our bags into the back and we were soon driving to the school.
_________________________________________________________________
Such were my words a week ago on the night I arrived. All I would add as a first update since I left is this: there is no where else I would rather be right now.
(Friedrichshafen, the town near Bodenseehof)
"there is no where else I would rather be right now."
ReplyDeleteThis makes my heart smile.