A Slight Change of Plans...

Hello, folks!

I figured since it had been about two weeks since I posted last, and stuff had happened, but I hadn't written about it...well, I'll just tell you.

I changed my flight from Wednesday, Sept. 26 to Monday, Oct. 1. That means I have one more weekend with you guys. I'm probably not going to have everyone over that Saturday as I'd planned. Maybe I'll just hang out with everyone individually since I'll have so much time off before I leave anyway (three whole weeks!). I changed my flight to avoid flying at 10pm... I'd get to Germany at 1:30pm their time, 7:30am our time... I'd rather fly on the 1st at 4:30pm and get to Germany feeling like its 1:00am our time instead... since I'll have things to do once I get there, obviously.

That's the worst part of travel, though... getting there. Then comes getting settled, I suppose, if you're going to be there for a while. My friend Kathrin is picking me up in Frankfurt, which I am sooo sooo soooooo thrilled about, because Frankfurt is (so I've heard) gigantic, and there are TWO train stations... not that I couldn't figure it out, but I'd rather not carry all that stuff around, frankly... I'm bringing two large rolly-suitcases and my little blue Samsonite from last time. One suitcase is gonna have just clothing in it, and the other will hold everything else.

I did end up buying an upgrade for this flight, too... which now I am relieved that I just did it instead of continuing to wonder whether or not I should do it... I am actually looking forward to the flight now! I was a little mad that my credit card charged me 2% for a foreign country fee because the transaction was processed outside of the US...even though I dialed a US number, they transfer you to Germany with the airline I'm flying. Whatever, you live and learn. I just knew if I didn't upgrade, I would be dreading the flight and then regret not upgrading the entire time I was sitting in economy! I did find out that you can pay $75 extra each way for long-haul flights to get economy in the exit rows and first rows, which have more leg room...I might do that on the way back to the States, but I think each time I go from here to Germany I will try to fly first class. Time always goes faster on the way home for some reason...

Mom and Pop added me to their credit card account with Capital One, which is the only credit card company with NO fees whatsoever, not even the 1% Mastercard and Visa fee. So if I need to use a Visa for anything, I'll use that card and pay them somehow... I think I'm going to make out and sign a bunch of checks before I leave and leave them with my mom so she can write the amounts in. I also renewed my health insurance for another year and so I'm all covered, even overseas.

Well I'm just thinking out loud here, folks, but thanks for listening and I will continue to post as interesting (or not) stuff happens!

Caitlin