Homeless

I wish I had picture for this post, but sadly I don't.  Here is a story about a woman on her way back home this past weekend.

Wonjee spent the past several days in Orlando, Florida for a national conference for graduate admissions counselors.  Everything was great.  She got to meet many great professionals in her field, enjoyed the abundant sunshine, and even spent some time by the pool.  The whole experience was quite fabulous.  On her way back home on a seemingly normal Saturday afternoon, something crazy was about to happen.  Her flight departed on time and she was eager to see her husband and their 1.5 year old dog.  All of a sudden the captain announced through the intercom that there is a bad weather in Houston and that he had been instructed to reroute to New Orleans until further instructions.

Once she arrived in New Orleans, she spent the next 1.5 hours on the plane not knowing what was going on in Houston.  Several passengers started getting on their phone and checking the weather radar, thus finding about the severe thunderstorm causing flash flood.  The airport was indefinitely shut down.  They were finally allowed to leave the plane for a little bit to get some food at the New Orleans airport.  Bad sign #1: everything shuts down at 8pm.  She barely got some dinner from Subway.  Bad sign #2: Her phone died unexpectedly and the charger was in her suitcase, which was checked-in.  Bad sign #3: For the next 2 hours she and the others were stuck in the same airport not knowing what their next move was. 

Around 10pm, Southwest Airlines decided to take only the passengers headed to Oklahoma City.  The others were asked to permanently deplane and reschedule their flights.  Bad sign #4: it was too late for her to secure the spot leaving later that night.  That meant she was staying overnight in New Orleans with a boarding pass that indicates leaving the next day at 8:50am.  Her heart was crushed and felt terribly alone.  It was near midnight and she felt it was too scary to find a cab, search for a hotel in middle of the city she had been here for the first time.  She decided to spend the night at the airport along with 15 other passengers who couldn't make it out that night.

The airport was freezing and few layers of clothes she had on her wasn't all that helpful.  Seats were uncomfortable and it just felt surreal that she wasn't home by now.  She was supposed to have a wonderful renion with her husband and dog Lilly.  She was supposed to have dinner and watch a movie in their livingroom.  None of these were happening.  She talked to her dad and husband, who both comforted her and provided moral support. 

Around 1am, the airport security man shows up and yells at us that we don't have permission to stay in the concourse.  That concourse closes until 4am, and we are not authorized to stay.  It's always that darn authorization and not a single sympathy.  Thanks, airport security guy.  There was a woman and her 2 year old baby struggling to pack up everything and move out of the concourse.  The security guy kept yelling at them, so I intervened to grab her baby's stroller and their big luggage.  She carried the baby and they made their way out of the concourse. 

Until 4am, they all stayed outside of the security check-point.  Cold, lonely, tired, and restless.  There were some couches that people claimed; some were more comfortable than the others.  Wonjee spent the next 3 hours talking to another passenger who was supposed to fly to Dallas.  They talked everything - marriage, kids, higher education, the lack of common sense in this world, etc.  Maybe we got a little bitter towards the end of the conversation.  Nevertheless, it was a great conversation.

4am, Wonjee and the others passed through the security check-point (again) and got yelled by the TSA people.  Why are people so rude??  She then passed out until 6pm at her designated gate, grabbed some breakfast, and continue to fall asleep in a sitting position.  The rescheduled flight successfully departed at 8:50am and she was reunited with her husband AND their dog.  Her husband took them to a nice brunch restaurant (where dogs are allowed), while she tried to comprehend the interesting, surreal experience that had happened to her at the airport.  She never thought she would spend a whole night there.  Don't ever do it.  Find a hotel.  You deserve to relax better than that.