Member-only story
Where didn’t the time go?!
Four months in Europe and not a second wasted
I had the entire row to myself.
I sprawled out across all three seats, switched my phone to airplane mode and thought about the people I had just met on the baggage check line. For a thought I remember so vividly, it’s hard to believe it was four months ago, on my flight from New York to Barcelona.
The thought began as a means of relishing the confidence I felt walking away from those four guys on line. I’m not naturally inclined toward sparking conversation on lines with strangers, despite always wanting to talk! On that line, thought, I worked up a sweat as my natural inhibitions fought my newly established semester goal of, “talking to as many new people as possible.”
The five of us stood there silently: two behind and two in front of me and my overweight bags. We were all clearly students; and all likely embarking on a semester abroad. Annoyance set the tone as we waited for the impressively slow Norwegian Air employees to sort out their airport drama. I’m sure it was very important stuff they were dealing with, but from line it looked like they were aimlessly roaming between desks like grazing cows. I overheard the occasional, “moo” and “how much should we overcharge these little brats for their bags?”
