A Terminal Kind of Day
- Natalie Penry
- Oct 3, 2024
- 6 min read
Somehow, someway, I've spent a week in Menorca.
I know everybody says that "time flies" and traveling is a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of endeavor, but in this case I truly struggle to account for where the days have gone...
Since I've only completed three days of work, I'll hold off on sharing the details of being an Auxiliar in the Balearics; to whet your appetites on Mahón, though, I'll take you through some of the more memorable moments from the Getting There of it all.
In Which We Wave Goodbye to the End of Beginning
Embarking on an adventure out of Chicago always feels like a Main Character Moment. Since my mom grew up minutes from O'Hare (where my grandfather worked!), the Penrys are far from strangers to the area. Both in previous study abroad departures and the NALCAP goodbye, it felt particularly special to visit with friends and family from Illinois -from a whole other 'what if' - before beginning a new chapter.
It was hardly lost on me that this program is a new start on several levels, though, . As I mentioned in my last post, this is my first "real" job post-college, let alone my first time living with strangers in a foreign country 4,000+ miles from home for an extended period of time. We're talking all the misadventures of baby adulthood (contracts & opening bank accounts & scary legal things) with the added obstacle of time and distance from your usual advice sources. Really, the phone-a-friend hours fall in a slim window of when Indiana is awake and Spain is still open for business. Already since I've been here, my FaceTime check-ins have been keeping odd hours...And unlike Semester at Sea or backpacking, there is a sense of permanence with this particular outing. I've committed myself to this city and this school and these people for the better part of a year. For someone who hasn't lived in the same house for more than four months consecutively in over four years, that's a bit daunting. I'm really going to make this place 'home'.
Similarly, this particular adventure comes without a guide map. In the past, I had my mom's voyage/backpacking trip or Paige's IUHPFL experience to draw from; this time, I'm really making my own way in the world. The previous programs help, don't get me wrong - I can draw a direct line from Viña del Mar to Mahón, with the lessons and confidence I've gained from each international undertaking gradually building me up to today.
IUHPFL: The Magic & Passion of Language & Culture that brought me to...
Honors Away & Summer in Spain: Brief Stints in Europe that Rekindled the Travel Bug so that...
Semester at Sea: The Ultimate International Experience Combining Cultural Citizenship with Joyful Education that prepared me for...
Backpacking: Those Redefining Months that Caused Me to Reconsider "What's Next" Post Graduation so now...
I'm in position to start another adventure of a lifetime. If 17-year-old Natalie could see me now...just trust me, you'll be fine ;)
In Which We Play Connections (Not the NYT Version)
Onto a lighter note! Since Menorca is, you know, an island, it's fairly impossible to fly their directly from the US. As a freshly post-grad, young-and-hungry twenty-something, I was all too happy to book a flight path that included a longer layover in exchange for a cheaper fare. In my head, this made more sense, because who would want to risk missing their connection? No, it's better to spend seven hours in the Zurich airport than potentially become stranded in Madrid or Barcelona, duh.
In hindsight, I'm reminded why Planning Natalie is not a friend of Mid-Travels Natalie; that layover, while not the seventh level of hell, was absolutely not worth the "mental security" of making a connection. To start, I'm just one of those people who can't sleep on planes. The initial adrenaline rush of finding myself back in Europe wore off just after I got my passport stamped, and the countdown clock had barely budged. But, as an *experienced traveler*, I had several strategies to keep myself awake:
Stretch. Necessary after performing airplane contortion for 8.5 hours
Walk Around. Not as plausible with an overstuffed carry-on backpack
Yap. Wait for everyone in the Eastern Time Zone to wake up and annoy them with texts and calls.
Eat. Discover that a Burger King Kid's Meal (Veggie Nugs & Fries) costs ~$12
Despair. Because, after all that, you still have 2 hours left before boarding.
Whenever I end up flying back to the US, I'll be rethinking my approach.
In Which We Place Our Faith in Edelweiss Air (And it Backfires Spectacularly)
This, Dear Reader, is the Crown Jewel of today's entry.
As a brief reminder, I:
Left Indianapolis at 10:40 a.m. EST
Arrived in Chicago (thank you to Alyce Penry Chauffeur Services) at 2:00 p.m. CST
Arrived at ORD at 4:45 p.m. CST
Took off from ORD at 7:15 p.m. CST
Landed in ZRH at 10:50 a.m. CET
Took off from ZRH at 7:20 p.m. CET
Landed in Menorca at 8:30 p.m. CET
My lovely school liaison, Joan, had offered to pick me up and take me into the city after my flight; I cannot describe how ready I was to crash into a bed and sleep.
Unfortunately, Edelweiss Air had one last plot twist: one of my checked bags was missing-in-action. I recognize that I have a limited understanding of the inner workings of baggage transport, but I am genuinely confused how, of the two suitcases I checked, the one left behind was not the standard black hard shell, but the standout, vibrant purple suitcase. It doesn't really blend in with the background...
Again, I cannot emphasize enough how overtired and exhausted I was when the customer service attendant informed myself and a few others that our luggage had not arrived. While most of them were told that their suitcases would arrive the next day, the attendant updated me that they actually could not find my bag...and in a true "I'm just a girl" moment, I cried cinematic, silent tears in front of the baggage services desk. My only saving grace was that the Mahón Airport is fairly deserted at 9:30 p.m. and almost no one saw me having a *moment* with my crumpled up airplane napkins. Shoutout to Marta, who walked me through the necessary forms and assured me that almost all lost luggage would be found within 36 hours.
Joan, who had so graciously kept waiting through my various speed bumps, dropped me off at my hotel; I texted many, many friends to ask for manifestations of found baggage, and climbed into bed. That's a literal climb, by the way. I was staying in a top bunk of a shared room with no ladder.
Have you ever had that awful combination of being so simultaneously tired and wired that you simply cannot fathom falling asleep? Welcome to the club. Apparently, my sleep was so restless, I kept my bottom bunk neighbor awake for much of the night too, which she did not hesitate to let me know the next morning.
For the record: Girly Pop, I am genuinely sorry you didn't sleep well. Trust me, I wish I'd slept better too.
There is a happy ending to this misadventure! The next morning, I got an email that my bag had been found, and that it would be placed on the next ZRH to MAH flight, scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The wave of pure relief when I got the call that my luggage had been verified was heavenly. I did opt to pick up the suitcase myself instead of entrusting it to a courier system...can't imagine why...
At the end of the day, everything got where it was supposed to be, and I got a funny story out of it. I'd like to say a huge, genuine thank you to the workers who helped to keep this mishap from spiraling into an international incident...you are truly heroes 😘
I think that's sufficient for now, right? It's always the Getting There and the Getting Back that bring the real drama, I think.
With much of the past few days being dedicated to acclimation and post-lost suitcase emotional recovery, it is truly unreal that NALCAP has officially gotten underway this week. Expect updates soon on life in Menorca and the Auxiliar Experience :)
Adios from Mahón!
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