Here’s how it happened:
My second flight was delayed, causing me to miss my third flight (Lisbon → Sevilla). I'm therefore stranded in the Lisbon airport for 7 hours while the rest of my group is put in a hotel and rebooked on flights the next day. I was exhausted and sore from being squished up in airplane chairs. Before exiting the plane in Lisbon, I cleaned out my bag of all the trash accumulated, and must have taken out my wallet and left it there by mistake. But here's the juicy part: I run to the lost and found desk in Lisbon (not terribly frantic, being that I didn't realize I was missing my wallet until 3 hours after landing), and the airline has not turned up anything. Interesting. So, after leaving my wallet unattended, it was stolen. The culprit? I believe to be Lance; my airplane chair neighbor. We chatted the whole flight. Lance works in real-estate and is on a super exclusive retreat for his company. Lance was also jumped last week at a bar for wearing a turtleneck (long story), and has a black eye, broken elbow, and a thrown out back. So, Lance and I bond pretty quickly. We split a Smucker's Uncrustable, which is like the friendship bracelet of foods. Lance was like a BROTHER to me for those 6 hours. Then, after getting off the flight, he doesn't even say goodbye. I catch his eye while walking towards the terminal, but he shiftily glances away. What's the deal Lance? Can't bear to look at your VICTIM of THIEVERY??? Anyway, he's the only suspect I have which does not account for a very comprehensive investigation, but I'm pretty confident in my assumptions.
After realizing my wallet is gone, I attempt to use the only form of currency I have which is a Starbucks giftcard. But, airport Starbucks does not take gift cards! I'm hungry and in actual tears from being so tired. Long story short, I get Apple Pay set up (thanks for the money, dad!) and do a celebratory dance with the cashier at the first eatery that accepts my currency.
After 28 hours of traveling, I finally board my plane to Sevilla, make a friend named Sheila who gives me an ACTUAL friendship bracelet (how adorable???) and I make a calm playlist on the plane. (Click the link to check it out!!) At midnight local time, I take a taxi to my homestay and anxiously wait for my host family to pay the cab driver, as Lance currently has all of my cab-paying money. I am told by 1. the cab driver, 2. Clara (my homestay mother, or "Señora) and 3. Antonio (Clara's husband) to be "tranquila", meaning "calm". I apparently am putting off very stressful vibes because I hesitate to say a WORD to the locals here as I am very tired and as proficient in Spanish as I assumed. Finally in my homestay, I am greeted by my roommate, Andie, who is an absolute doll. Another Bay Area Jew attending Chapman! A match made in heaven. I begrudgingly eat the only food I have with me (Lucky Charms cereal, a parting gift from Lance. I am a FOOL.) and get ready for bed. Not even a little bit tired, I commence my blog adventure, and here we are now. Hopefully not all my posts are this long winded, but I swear the drama finds me everywhere.
Until my next happening,
Dara
PS-- I need to share with you all this game I've been playing on my phone called "Ballz". Another girl on my program recommended it to me and it got me through about 5 of the 7 hours I was stuck in Lisbon. I feel it consuming my life.