Departure Day and Flight

In writing this post now, I am at my gate in Frankfurt, Germany after a long flight from Dulles.  Today I briefly woke up to say goodbye to my mom before she left for work (I can't exactly remember it all, I was probably still half asleep) and then did some quick repacking before heading to the airport.  Waiting at the gate already was one of three lovely girls who will be studying abroad in Sweden just like me.  Being afternoon, we went to get lunch and I almost cried when I saw a Chipotle.  It was a bittersweet meal that left me both satisfied and incredibly bloated but it was probably the perfect last American meal.

Following a couple hours of waiting, the other two girls arrived and we boarded our plane and were delighted to find that it was barely half full.  One of my friends came to sit beside me and we shared a four person row together.  Sitting diagonally from us was a creepy old European man who kept staring at us.  Towards the end of the flight we came to the conclusion that he was at least a little senile - there gets to be a point when you simply have to excuse constant belching, staring and random comments.  The flight was about 7 hours.  When we landed, three of us got off the plane and were met by a friendly French man who took us to our gate.  We were puzzled to find one of our numbers missing, but she had gone ahead to our gate without us.  On our way to customs we were greeted by the smell of a bakery - it was so perfect.

Going through customs was probably my first substantial encounter with Europeans.  The man checking my passport was an unsmiling, stern man who asked me where I was going.  "Stockholm."  "Why?"  "Studying abroad... education?"  "Why not Germany?" "Uhhhh... I don't know?"  I think I might have seen a tiny smile on the serious man's face but I have no idea, it still made my heart stop.  Is this a sense of humor.... what?

It's currently 6:22 in the morning and after a few more hours on a plane we will arrive in Stockholm at about 9 a.m. and then immediately begin our first day of orientation.  It should be a long day.

Goodnight or good morning or whatever!

Misha

Me with Rebecca, who later came to sit with me

My beauty <3

At Dulles