A first class experience… 

Wow! Where do I begin? Well, I left Orlando on Friday evening at 7:30 and my first stop was Atlanta. I felt pretty special as I was sitting in first class! Thanks to Mom and Dad, I had an upgraded ticket all the way to Stockholm. Being referred to as “Ms. George” and the oversized leather seats, and of course getting an actual bag of chips verses those miniature peanuts was pretty awesome. I was one of very few women and the only one under 45 years old, the businessmen settled into their travel routine quickly.

Little did I know what was ahead in my trek to Stockholm! After arriving in Atlanta I made my way to my gate for my flight to Amsterdam, and grabbed a quick sandwich at an airport café to bring on board for dinner. As I walked down the long terminal onto the airplane my eyes got wider with excitement, I was greeted by a perky Swedish flight attendant who directed me to my seat, I quickly sat down and started to notice all of it’s grand amenities. It was the coolest plane I’d ever been on! The plane had a cooling mist spraying it’s way through the ceiling to keep it’s passengers comfortable, and my seat (more like lazy boy chair) had a back massager and with the push of a button stretches out into a bed. My greeting was quickly followed up with a small travel bag filled with socks, sleep mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, I was also served my choice between orange juice, water, or champagne… in a real glass! I was discreetly trying to capture some pictures, I wanted to look like I fit in with this elite group of frequent international flyers, but I was like a kid in a candy shop! I settled in quite comfortably, turned on my personal TV that’s build into my seat and started chowing down on my sandwich that I brought… little did I know they’d be serving beef and salmon on the flight!

I feel asleep about ½ way through the movie Friends with Kids, and didn’t wake until morning! Slept like a baby. Once the sun rose the flight attendants were catering to your every need, I enjoyed a delicious breakfast that consisted of eggs with turkey sausage, fruit, yogurt and orange juice. With a full belly I was ready to start my day! Just before leaving the plane the flight attendants sent us off with a small collectors trinket to remember our experience, a miniature Blue Delft house. They are miniature models of the Old Dutch Houses situated along the canals in Amsterdam. What an experience, eh?

I went through customs, and eventually boarded my flight to Stockholm after a quick layover in Amsterdam. Once I landed I was relieved to find that my luggage made it all the way to Stockholm with me. I took the Arlanda Express for the 20-minute ride to my hotel; the jet lag was starting to catch up with me. By this time it’s lunchtime back home but approaching evening/dinner time here (6 hour difference). I checked into my hotel and headed straight for the bed to take a quick nap before I met my class. My room is very comfortable but very modest. It’s safe to say that the size of my bathroom here, its about as big as my entire shower back at home! Talk about learning to live more with less! I really do feel so spoiled to be here, even in the few hours I’ve experienced it’s been pretty amazing.

I enjoyed an Italian dinner with my classmates and got to meet everyone, including the professor that I will work with over the next few weeks. We ate at Vapiano, a restaurant full of blonde haired blue eyed Swedish folks, or what I endearingly refer to as “my people”. I blended right in! My pizza was made to order, and absolutely delicious! On the way out of the restaurant, where one usually grabs a mint to go, I found a big bowl of gummy bears; a perfect end to the evening!!

Goodnight for now. (Pictures coming soon!) J  

K