The Good Ole US of A

We cant believe we made it. Seriously. After 14 countries and multiple border check...nothing compares with trying to come back into the US. Wow. What a ordeal.

So, we got to Frankfurt Airport with plenty of time. We left to go to our gate so we could buy some dutyfree (the Cuban Bacardi and Jagermeister) but all US flights have to go to the C terminal to go through a special customs section, where we are then put into a room with nothing until a bus shows up and takes us to the B terminal at our gates and far away from any of the duty free shops. Noone tells you this, so we are just being put into line after line and getting further from duty free as we go. I did go back out to the B terminal (the beginning part) and was able to purchase the rum but was told the Jager is different and not allowed into the US. The sealed back was to stay sealed on the flight and everything would be peachy.

The flight was late so we arrived in Philadelphia starving, tired, and with less than an hour to go through customs, immigration, and get to our connecting flight. We were doubtful. In immigration, the slip asked what countries we went on during this trip and we couldnt fit all the countries on the slip. At the desk, the man made me list all (not just SE Asia, but where) and then asked how I could afford to volunteer in Peace Corps with no money. When Ethan went through after me, the same nice immigration officer gave him a scratch piece of paper with the way to apply for a job with border and customs control. He was pleasant althoguh militant. Our luggage was the last to come up onto the belt and of course with a list of countries on our immigration tag, we were sure to get searched in agriculture. The man was a jerk. He asked what every thing in our bag was, where it came from and what we were going to do with it. He re-emptied our bag and xrayed it. He also leafed through our Lonely Planet Thailand and asked us if we were in a rush. We told him we boarded our connecting flight in 20 minutes. This suitcase was packed so neat and nice and FULL and we threw everything back in when he was done. We had to check our duty free because US flights would not allow a sealed bag and I took random things into the plastic bag as carryon so we could close the suitcase. As we waited for our bags, only my backpack came up. We knew this was an issue right off, since our backpacks usually come together. Both of us had envisioned the suitcase exploding (popping open, not actually exploding) and were yet to talk about it in fear of actual catastrophe. But as the belt stopped and all the others left, we realized that our suitcase and Ethans pack were not coming. That suitcase contains all of our souvenirs from around the world. Ethan bag contains his only clothes. It would have been much easier for my bag to not show up, since I have stuff at moms. We went home, had a snack and some champagne and then slept. Although the sun rose and we were up regardless of the amount of sleep. My grandparents and my uncle and Rachel came over and we had lots of coffee and talked and then Ethan and I drove to the store for new shoes. Very exciting I know. We all met for dinner at the Club for lobster. It was wonderful and great to spend one day with my grandparents before they left for Hawaii.

I think we are adjusting. Florida is ok to visit although we dont want to live here. It is really nice to have each other to lean on for our adjustment back to US life. I think everything is going to turn out ok. Well, we do have to find out where we are moving to next.

We ran to the next step which was to check the baggage. The man said it would make it. We then ran to our gate, which was boarding and we got on. The flight was uneventful and seeing my mom on the other side was awesome. She was waiting at the closest to the gate she could get which was so fun and the smile and hugs we got were worth the disaster of Philly.