It’s hard to believe that I’ve been in the US for almost 10 months! That’s about 9 more than I had planned or wanted but things don’t always work out as anticipated. The last months have been full of friends and family and I got to spend significant time with people I rarely see which was wonderful but I’ve been more than ready for the day I could start traveling again. Today is that day!
As I type this I am winging my way from Chicago to Guatemala City via Fort Lauderdale. It’s been a challenging summer full of personal and financial losses that have been frustrating and today’s trip started by following that pattern as the ticketing agent demanded proof of ongoing travel before they’d let me board the plane.
This is the first time this has ever happened to me and was immensely frustrating. After much heated debate and clock watching I finally ended up purchasing a short segment on a Mexican bus line to “prove” that I’d be leaving Guatemala within 90 days. Thankfully I’m familiar with the bus system in Mexico otherwise I would have been in trouble. As it was, I made it onto my plane with 5 minutes to spare. I can only hope that this was the final hurdle and there will be smooth sailing going forward.