Matt – LGA – Stranded

Once again, I got completely screwed over trying to leave New York City – the city must love me too much. I was in first class sitting next to a guy name Matt when Delta told us the plane had mechanical problems. Since we were in first class, we both got free meal vouchers ($20) and had dinner together. Matt is a very experienced engineer doing work for U.S. embassies around the world. However, he is currently working in new york city and travels there weekly for work. We talked about his daughter that he had while he was in High School. Having her had pushed him to get married earlier than he would have normally, but he has no regrets and loves his wife and daughter dearly. His daughter sounds like an amazing individual. She is in her senior year in high-school and wants to go to school on the east coast to study pharmacy. She has scored very well on all of her National Exams. We talked about how proud of her he was and about her college admissions journey. They had visited many schools together and talked about the costs – he is not looking forward to living like a poor man for the next four years and still having to take loans.

LIRR – Long Island Rail Road – June 12th

I was meeting up a good friend for dinner and had to take a 45 minute train (the LIRR) from New York City to Long Island. The train was quite full by the time I got on so I sat next to a hairy man. He sort of smelled funny, but I said hi anyways. His name was Patrick. He cuts down trees for a living (hence the funny smell) with his father 2 hours (by train) from New York City. He goes to NYC every week to see a doctor for a special medical condition. I told him about my upcoming trip to Paris and he told me how much he loved the city. We exchanged all the French words we could think of and talked about the activities he liked to do outdoors. Although I don’t remember the details, he loves swimming in super cold water. He has swum in the Hudson and in the ocean for many miles. He starts by first ‘freezing’ certain veins in his face to get his body use to the 30-40 degree (F) water and then gets his feet and hands cold – then he started swimming. Craziness – I didn’t even know this was possible. My stop came up and I had got it – he quickly took off his cell phone and asked for my number so we could connect later – I said no thank you and left. An awkward ending – good bye stranger.

The MSP Airport: Stranded Strangers – June 2nd

Arriving in MSP this week, I needed my exercise and decided I would walk the concourse instead of taking the train. While walking I had two guys approach me asking how get a cab. I told them I could walk them to the taxi line and did. On the way, I learned that they were stranded in ‘this random city’ on a business trip to Canada. They work for a glass manufacturer – the example they gave me was the type of glass outside of buildings.  I walked them to the MSP taxi line and then walked back to get my luggage. They both asked for my number (in a cute sort of way) – I said no thank you and departed. 

The Plane Ride: EWR to MSP

Getting out of Newark, NJ (NYC area airport) is always a pain. A big one. It usually involves waiting at the airport for an hour longer than planned, sitting on the tar with my plane the back of some 10 plane line, and an annoying regional jet (2 X 2) seat that is uncomfortable. 

BUT since I’m not allowed to use any electronics after the door closes, I get to know the people sitting next to me. This week, I set next to Kay (name changed), a VP of a small engineering firm out of Denver. She has one of those interesting life stories – grew up in central Minnesota surrounded by a huge German family. Her mother and grandmother are completely fluent in German, sad thing is that she doesn’t know any. We chatted about her job and her travels abroad. Her work relocated her to London for a year and she told me a story of her colleagues there. “When I arrived, everyone made fun my Minnesota accent. They told me that I needed to learn proper English – queens English. When I left, they presented me with a plaque announcing that I was fluent in queens English and now I can fake an English accent.” Funniest thing is that her husband took a year long sabbatical and just traveled everywhere with her - so he had a 12 month vacation in Europe while she worked. 

Reminiscing

I’m writing this from the CDG airport and thinking about one of the most fun weekends I’ve had in my life. I travel quite often (weekly) and have the opportunity to meet many interesting people and have decided that I need to write about these experiences to share, and if nothing else, just remember the lessons and stories that have been shared with me. 

I think about the man that I met on a flight to ABQ (New Mexico) that was a lawyer appointed as the chief operating officer of Native American relations for the United States government and our many conversations we had on that 3+ hour flight – talked politics, relationships, children, religion and learned A LOT about the relations that the country has had with Native Americans. I never would have known these things had I decided to just sleep/work on the flight like I usually do.

I think about the Austrian/Swiss couple I met through security at the MSP (Minnesota) airport that had been married over 50 years and told me that the best thing in life after God was their marriage. The husband said the best thing about being old is that he is able to get old with the love of his life.

I think about the fashion executive that works in New York and lives Minneapolis and how she hardly sees her kids and instead just sends them clothing so that they remember her.

I think about the pharmacist turned manager working for a drug manufacturer that gave me the career advice to always do great work and then be able to speak to it.

I think about the Frenchman I met on my way to San Francisco that worked for a chocolate company that said he was so exhausted he couldn’t stay awake while eating snacks.

On this trip from New York to Paris and back, I met a great couple in Great Britain on the way to Paris that had been married many years and hadn’t been to Paris in over 20 years. They were quite excited for their weekend trip together.   On my flight from CDG to LHR, I sat next to a woman with five kids originally from South Carolina but now living in the U.K. since her husband was called to help with training for the church there. She has a calling for those in the middleeast and speaks some Arabic. We talked about my family and her children.  When I arrived in LHR, I met a great guy working for the same client (although with a different firm out of the UK) that was on my cancelled flight. He was very helpful in guiding me on where to go through LHR and even attempted to get me on his flight into New York. I then sat down and chatted with a man from Denmark who is a flight controller, but has decided that he wants to open up a flower shop in Copenhagen. We talked for over an hour and if I am ever in Copenhagen, I will definitely check up on him to see if he actually opens his flower shop.

Bon Voyage!