Ducks @ Oregon - University of Oregon

The Break that Should Have Been Peaceful

Korrin B.

August 2, 2009 - 9:00 PM

In my initial contract with the Fresh Air Fund, I was secured the days of July 31 through August 2 off from work. During these days, I was going to fly home to California for my father's wedding. I guess you could say that it kind of happened like that, but not really.

I really began to look forward to this break. Third session has been hard for me, so it was nice to know that I had an excuse to have some time off to relax, rejuvenate. On July 31, I packed my bags early in the morning and my journey began back to the Golden State. First I got on the camp shuttle that took me to the Beacon train station, then I took an hour train ride into NYC that dropped me off at Grand Central Station. From Grand Central, I had to get on the 6 Subway for one stop and then get on the E Train for another hour ride to the Jamaica Station in Queens. From Queens, I got on the AirTrain for about twenty minutes. This finally dropped me off at the JFK International Airport. It was a lot of travel, but I was ok with it because I love travel and I was excited for my journey and my arrival home.

This is the point at which it all began to fall apart. I knew everything was going too well. I mean, for the first time, I had made it through airport security with absolutely no problems. That doesn't happen with me. Therefore, something was off from the beginning. As I sat waiting for my plane to board, I heard over the intercom, "Final call for flight 146, non-stop service to Athens." A part of me thought about running for it, going on the adventure of my life, hop a plane to Athens, spur of the moment. But I didn't. I had a destination and I was ready for it.

After boarding our plane, we were delayed for an hour and a half because of lightning. When we finally took off, a couple hours later, there was a medical emergency on the plane. We had to land in Denver so the paramedics could come on board and take one of the passengers off. When we finally left Denver for Salt Lake City, we arrived over two hours late. I had missed my connection flight home. I talked with the flight agents trying to find out another flight that could get me there in time for the afternoon wedding the next day, but there was honestly nothing. I walked away from the help desk, tears streaming down my face. After all I had been through this year, all of my travel thus far, I was going to miss the wedding. I took my complimentary Delta Airlines overnight bag with me and headed to the hotel they were paying for me to stay in for the night. Once at the hotel, I continued to sob. I was so exhausted. I took a hot bath and then when to bed.

The next day, I did some serious retail therapy in the Salt Lake City airport and then left at 3:00pm to Arcata, CA. I was dressed in my XL, white Delta Airlines t-shirt that had been in my free overnight bag. I tied a scarf around my waist like a belt and wore a big, black, beaded necklace and black earrings to make it look cute. I had black leggings on too. I have to admit that everything was pretty awful at that point, but I was able to make a pretty cute outfit out of my big white tee.

I then arrived in California with no one there waiting for me. My brother soon showed up, however, and we went to the wedding. The ceremony was over and everyone had already eaten. An event that was already hard for me had turned into something that I couldn't handle. A day of rough emotion ended at my mom's house.

I went over there to sleep and she worked on my camp affected feet and fed me her homemade potato salad. Moms are truly incredible. I didn't have to say anything, she just took care of me the way she knew I needed to be. My flight left the next morning at 5:30am. I was home for a grand total of fourteen hours before I had to fly back out to New York.

Tomorrow, I have to wake up at 7:00am to eleven intense nine-year-olds and work for the whole day. I have never been so tired. After everything that happened, I was almost relieved to see camp again. Tomorrow is a new day. I just need to breathe.