So, I am still in Israel as planned, just not leaving when planned. I wanted to come to the airport early in case security was um...thorough, and I am glad I did. My flight was supposed to leave at 11:45 AM, but when I made it to the departures display, mine was one of two that were delayed...majorly. My flight is now scheduled to leave at 1:55 PM. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
I spent the evening eating a second dinner next door with my friends. I had eaten a falafel previously, and when I went next door to hang out for a while, they decided to make pasta, and then salmon (which I don't like, but this was amazing...Amir throws together some amazing dishes). So, at 10:30 PM the 7 of us were sitting around the table, eating, talking, having a great time. Around 11:30 I was very tired, and I knew I needed to be getting to bed soon, as I had to be up around 4 AM. When I told Amir bye, he said "but I was going to make you bacon." My goodness. So he proceeded to take the bacon out of the refrigerator (I have not eaten bacon since....November?), sliced it up, and started to fry away. The apartment smelled amazing...well, not to the lone vegetarian in the room. When he brought me the plate, the smile on my face was evidence enough I was a happy camper. I got my picture taken as I gobbled it up, and after another 30 minutes, I finally had to say goodbye. My friend/roommate/OU classmate Sylvie said she did not mind turning in my keys for me later this morning, so I left them on her desk and I spent yet another night on the infamous midget bed as opposed to the squeaky blue couch. Three short hours later my alarm went off, I stripped the bed, packed my backpack, and then the driver of the sheirut called. I had just enough time to make it to the North Gate, as within one minute (right on time at 4:45) he pulled up to the curb. Within 20 minutes the sheirut was full, I was drowsy/hot/nauseous, and we were on our way to the airport.
I arrived to the airport around 6 AM, took a huge breath of fresh, cool air, and made a couple of phone calls from my toy Israeli phone (which I happily shipped back a couple of hours ago), and found a seat. It was after this that I saw my flight was delayed. I called my mom and let her know that if the departure time remained the same, I would not be making my flight to Atlanta tonight. At 8 AM I was allowed into the check-in area where an Israeli security lady held my passport as she asked me questions. Unlike for some of my other friends who left Israel several weeks ago, this was relatively painless. Then they scanned my checked luggage, and I got sent to the snooping area.
The security guy asked me to open my luggage, and after obeying, I took a picture of the departures display. Promptly a miniature Israeli security guard was at my side demanding I show him the pictures I had just taken; I had the urge to pat him on the head, but thankfully I refrained. As he perused through my photos, the other guy dug through my underwear and collection of rocks; after ten-fifteen minutes I was allowed to leave. However, since the United counter had not yet opened, they needed to keep my checked luggage there, and I was free to roam and come back later. Thirty five minutes later, I was back in line for another fifteen minutes just to pick up the luggage that had already been searched. When they brought me my bag, they took me straight to the "special" counter that had no line, and the security lady waited there with me. Perplexed, I practiced listening to Hebrew while I waited another twenty minutes for the lone customer in front of me to complete everything, wondering "why I am I standing here with a bodyguard?" (this question was never answered). Once I reached the counter, the agent informed me I would not be making my connection to Atlanta, and then she made a phone call. No, it was not a short phone call. (I failed to mention that before I walked into security I had to pee, and during my wandering I was not able to locate a bathroom). While on the phone, she got my attention and said United would pay to put me in a hotel for the night in Newark, including transportation to and from the hotel and meals, and I would fly out to Atlanta at 6:30 AM Tuesday morning. I agreed (as if I had another choice), and so as of now that is the plan. Thinking I was in the clear, I put my checked luggage on the scale, and the agent asked me if I had been accompanied by a security guard. I told her yes, and when she spotted my bodyguard she asked the her a question in Hebrew. A problem arose: the security guard who very thoroughly inspected my luggage did not tag my luggage, thus it appeared to them my bag had never been checked. I was told to remove my luggage from the scale, she (the bodyguard) apologized, and when a third person said something in Hebrew (indicating I would not have to go back through security), my bodyguard put a tag on the luggage handle, and said I could put it back on the scale (in the middle of all of this the agent behind the counter said a word in English I cannot repeat; she too was frustrated by this point). Once I returned the luggage to the scale my bodyguard asked me "are you done?" I said "I hope so." She smiled and let me exit.
Thinking that little adventure was over, I realized it only continued as I still needed to have my carry-ons inspected/scanned/questioned...eh. It didn't take nearly as long, but I did lose a bottle of body spray my sister got me for Christmas (sorry Shannon) because it was too tall. Then my two rocks from the Dead Sea got the special treatment as the inspector lady left the area completely to talk with a supervisor. They let me keep them. Well over two hours later, I finally got to pee, and now I'm writing this blog. And I'm very hungry. My only question is why is it so much easier to enter a country than to leave one? Maybe I'll have an answer after I eat a cheeseburger. Oh wait, I'm still in Israel...make that a cheeseburger without the cheese. :)
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