Flight Plans - What if I Get Stuck in Romania?

Before I talk about my flight plans I want to give a super duper THANK YOU to Scottie in France for getting me a super duper hook up!!!

Okay, so about my flight. The flight to Madrid from Atlanta is eight and a half hours. Then the flight from Madrid to Palma de Mallorca is about another hour. I really didn't want any flights with layovers so I didn't have to be stuck in [insert city here], Europe. I'm sure some people think layovers in random cities can be fun, but for me not so much. To me it's just another opportunity for me to get lost, my luggage to get lost, or for me to miss my connecting flight.  It would be just my luck to get stuck in Romania and I don't speak a word of Romanian (yes, I know Romania is farther than Mallorca, I'm just trying to make a point). I'm not even sure if Romania has it's own language, so of course it would be quite unfortunate to get stuck there. But back to the point. Just going to Palma alone is enough of an adventure for me. I can't take too much excitement in one trip : )

Mallorca is the biggest of the islands off the eastern coast of Spain

Packing UGH!!!!

So... of course I waited until the last minute to pack. My poor little luggage was not prepared for this. I bought a luggage set a few months ago (pretty much as soon as I found out I was approved to study abroad) and I thought it would hold everything I could possibly need. Then I started to put stuff in it and I realized how small the suitcases really are. The poor little suckers are just bursting at the seams. Hopefully, the baggage tossers will be gentle. I don't think my suitcases will be able to take too much abuse.

As I said before, the guide told us not to bring everything we need, but they couldn't have possibly meant that, right? But I do need 12 pairs of socks and a lamp, right? What about my 5 pairs of ballet flats, 2 pairs of tennis shoes, and my Toms? I honestly don't know why  some of the things I packed are in my suitcase, but

"It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it"

At least that's what I'm going to tell myself to justify having all this crap in my suitcase. THEN... I decided I was going to try to sneak an extra carry-on on the plane. I would have my regular carry-on and my "purse", which is really just a backpack. Fortunately, I checked my email and saw that Ryanair (my flight from Madrid to Palma) is very strict about allowing passengers to only have one carry-on. They said purses, laptops, cameras, your whole life, had to fit in that one bag. The penalty was like a 35 Euro fee or they wouldn't allow you to board the plane. Harsh, right? That'll teach me to try to cheat the system.

A "To Do" List on my "To Do" List

 

I honestly think one of the hardest parts of studying abroad is preparing to study abroad. On my to do list, number 13 says "Make a to do list for study abroad". I have exactly two weeks before I board a flight to Spain and I feel like there is a month's worth of things to do. I have a bad habit of procrastinating then spazzing out when it gets down to the wire. I am excited, nervous, anxious, impatient, ecstatic, and a whole bunch of other adjectives.

I already have my passport and everything I need to get in Spain without being an illegal immigrant : ) My friend "A Scottie in France" got me a super amazing deal on a flight because her father works for Delta. I'm ready to go, but I still have the little things to do like pack and make sure I have all my converters and adapters for European electric plugs. For some reason I can remember to pack like three tubes of toothpaste, but I will forget to pack socks. I need as much time as possible to pack and make sure I don't forget the essentials. 

Our guide told us to not bring everything we need so we have a reason to go out shopping. That is a lot easier said than done. What if they don't have the kind of soap I like or I can't find soft Kleenex? I know I'm not going on a safari in the middle of nowhere, but I still don't want to miss the comforts of home. We'll see once I get there. Until then, hasta pronto!!