Rhymes and Reasons

My love of Air_Bulgaria continues. As it turns out, I did not realize that putting my name on a waiting list for leaving on December 12th would mean that if a seat opened up, my tickets on the 15th would be canceled. So, imagine my surprise when I went to the office to say to take my name off the waiting list, I'll just leave the 15th and they tell me "oh those tickets on the 15th are canceled, you're leaving on the 12th". In all fairness, it was actually United who did the canceling, according to the agent here. Whatever. It is 2 days difference and now I can fly to Sofia as opposed to bus riding it. No more Balkan bus rides, for the time being. No woman sitting next to me, taking her teeth out and smoking! How I will miss these experiences...And in other bonus news, since the Air_Bulgaria guy here knows me, he said he'll check my bags through to Philly, even if they are over the 23 kilogram limit, within reason of course. That relieves me. Unfortunately, I don't have the last weekend here to buy souvenirs, wrap things up and just chill. I am now in a mad dash. Thankfully, everyone is very understanding of my situation is supportive. So, I will spend my 30th birthday in Philly, not Skopje. I won't be packing, I won't be crying because I am leaving...somehow I have to just get to 3:30 AM Friday morning when my car service picks me up to take me to Alexander the Great Airport in Skopje. Yes folks, 3:30 AM. I will take a grand total of 4 airplanes to get back to Philly! I didn't take that many to get to Africa! I don't have time to reflect on my time right now as I am in the process of preparing the materials for our CEDAW meeting on Thursday. Stapling, stuffing folders...let the joy commence!!