Hemos llegado (We've Arrived): The Ride In

FLIGHT ITINERARY:

LAX (Los Angeles, CA)- MIA (Miami, FL)- MAD (Madrid, Spain)- VLC (Valencia, Spain)

LAX: CAn You Believe It?

My wonderful, loving, and supportive family. Without them,
I certainly would never be here. Thank you guys so much.
 For everything.

When I got to LAX, I wasn't sure what to feel. On one hand, I was beyond excited to finally begin my four year journey with Florida State; on the other hand, I was devastated to be leaving behind so many loved ones: my friends, my city, my country, and (especially) my family. The day started with many tears of joy and sadness, but we all knew that we'd see each other very, very soon.

With my traveling companions, Brittney and Parker, we boarded the plane and were off, starting our journey to College. 

MIA: Thank God for Delayed FLights

Our plane arrived to the Miami International Airport at 5:00 pm ET, which was, to our surprise, a half hour earlier than we were supposed to be there. Expecting to get to our 6:35 pm flight to Madrid with plenty of time, we sat back in our seats and awaited the planes arrival to our gate... Boy, were we in for a big surprise. 

So, despite our early arrival, Florida's fabulously stormy weather had managed to keep all other planes at bay, preventing our plane from getting to the gate. An hour had passed (6:00 pm, for those keeping score at home) before we could even get out. They say the bulls that chase daring Spaniards in Pamplona can run up to 20 mph; but I think participants of the bull run would have been running too had they seen three hungry, tired teenagers with oversized backpacks and two guitars galloping across the Miami Airport, not unlike the bulls, to make it in time for their flight. 

But don't worry (which is easier to say now than it was in the moment), because the damned weather that had delayed several flights did not spare our flight to Madrid. Our departure time was moved to 7:20 pm. A sigh of relief was released. We met up with FSU Sophomore, Nick, and another FYA (First Year Abroad) student Christian N. at the gate.

We had a long 8 hours ahead of us, but we were happy to just be on the plane. 

The one question that kept circulating among us, though, was this:

"Could you imagine if we had missed that flight?"

MAD: MAdre de Dios! Hemos Llegado a España! (Mother of God! We Have Arrived to Spain!)

I know it's a little hard to see. But you can kind of
make out the geometric shapes. It looked great
from the plane.

Flying over Spain was flying over a huge Cubism painting. The fields and land plots looked like random geometric shapes and figures that would astound Picasso. Needless to say, I was breathless at my first glimpse of Spain.

But I hadn't slept a wink on the plane, despite several feeble attempts to do so. Let's do the math: I had spent about 13 hours on a plane, a total of about 15 or 16 hours traveling in general, with perhaps a measly hour or so of sleep. At this point, I was more excited to see the sleeping arrangements at the study centers than the town of Valencia. The five of us explored the Madrid airport before our 12:30 pm (Spanish-time) flight to Valencia; the last leg of the trip. Customs was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be (they literally just stamped the thing and shooed me away). It was at the gate for our flight where we met up with about twenty other FSU students with the same final destination. 

As if we had all suddenly become family, it was here that we boarded the flight to the city that we would all soon call our homes.

VLC: VÁle (Okay) Valencia.

The Valencia Airport.

This plane ride I was most excited for for several reasons: a) it was the shortest flight on our itinerary (only thirty-five minutes) and b) it would take me to the place that I had been anxiously awaiting to go to since I made the decision to go to FSU. On the plane ride there, I met María, a former resident of New York who was on her way to live with her new husband in Valencia. As I was looking for an overhead compartment on this miniature aircraft to put my traveler guitar in, she gave me a look that was just as confused as I was. María and I talk for the majority of the flight. From nightlife to locals to sites to see and visit, I could not have been more excited to get there.

When we finally landed, I couldn't help but just. Smile. I smiled the biggest smile any face had ever smiled before.

This was it. The Beginning. I can't wait to enjoy the Middle, and I hope the end will come when it has to. Just not too soon, please.

'Til our roads meet,
Christian Camacho

The Traveling 'Nole