I called Air Satan this morning to be told that ONE of my bags was in. I told them they'd better well drop it off at my apartment, and she said that because it was only ONE bag, I'd have to come pick it up myself and I said "let me get this straight. Because your airline is incompetent, I have to make TWO trips to the airport, when I'm getting low on money by having to buy things that I had in my luggage, which you have had for FIVE DAYS???" and she hesitated and said "yes, I suppose so," though was helpful enough to say they could drive me my bags when the other one got there, whenever that was. Right.
So I went to take the remaining money out of the ATM from school (after having to go over there to top up my phone since I was out of minutes due to arguing with Air Jamaica), only to have the ATM broken at school. I had to hop the bus to Spiceland Mall to find an ATM (which fortunately did work) to withdraw my rapidly dwindling funds so I could get a cabbie back from the airport. Also got a dish drainer. Got back to my apartment, dropped off the dish drainer, grabbed my passport and the luggage tags, and started stalking to the airport on foot in the rain, because I was in that sort of mood. About halfway there, a cabbie picked me up and offered to charge me 40 bucks to do the whole thing there, waiting and back, with an extra 10 if he had to wait a long time, so I figured what the hell, and with pretty much the last of my money, jumped in.
Got to the airport to be passed between a couple of ticket agents, and wound up in the care of a surly jerk who grunted that I needed my lost baggage form, the one piece of documentation I didn't have, because I'd had to keep pulling it out. I said I didn't have it, but I had my original ticket stub, the baggage claim tags, my customs form, and my passport. He said "no" and half gestured toward the outside door.
Let me clarify that I am not someone to abuses service staff, even usually when they're showing less than service, even to a point of being passive in places because I know that service jobs suck as does dealing with angry people every day.
I threw a fucking fit. It was a solid adult temper tantrum. I refused to leave, told him I had everything that I had on the plane when I should have gotten my luggage and that they weren't taking it a day longer, that I had just spent the last of my folding money on a taxi, and I was NOT, I repeat NOT leaving until they gave me my luggage because it is MY LUGGAGE, and they'd gotten to keep it long enough, that I was sick of calling them, sick of being passed on, and I would be getting my luggage today, and that was that. Add exaggerated gestures and slamming my hand on the counter.
He glared at me, sort of made a dismissive gesture at me that could best be translated as "youse! fuggettabouttit!", and stalked off into the office, which I wasn't sure what that meant, but I sure wasn't leaving.
He came back out to help the other girl who'd lost her luggage, apparently on the same flight I was on, and I trotted right along after them, clutching my luggage tags in my hand, DARING them not to let me through the door, so on their heels I went back through the gate, back through security, with the agent nicely joking "They're finally giving you your luggage, eh?" and back through the "escorted passengers only" or whatever door to the place where the luggage from the flights comes in, including mostly the luggage that was supposed to come in on other flights.
I'm not sure if my coming along was his plan, but it certainly was mine, and he didn't say a WORD to me after grunting at me and waving his hand for me to go away, so who knows. Who cares. When going through all the security checkpoints, he was clearly only gesturing at the girl accompanying him, but they let me through anyway.
They had told me that I only had ONE bag, as mentioned, which was their arbitrary reason for not driving it to my apartment, as they have done for other people whose luggage was this late, such as the girl who had Air Jamaica (that's AIR JAMAICA, folks, a DELTA AIRLINES subsidiary) lose her luggage for three months, but as I looked among the island of abandoned luggage, I found BOTH my bags, cheerfully still wrapped in their fluorescent tape, and put a death grab on them. Lurch took my luggage tags, and ripped the arrival tags off the luggage, but didn't try to stop me from leaving, so that worked. Customs didn't even try to shake me down.
So I am now in glorious possession of both bags, and have all the wonderful things I planned to set up my apartment with in the first place, and clothes... and a razor. Halle-freaking-lujah.
Now, if only I can get my registration taken care of, we'll be all set.
The good part is that this entire process has been so bloody frustrating from missed registrations to no textbooks to broken ATMS to surly gate agents to lost luggage to late buses, to rainstorms, that I'm not even slightly concerned about biochem. I slept like a baby last night. I'm still studying for it, but panicked? Nah. I'm certain I'm going to pass because I'm really well prepared, but if I don't? Hey! I get to go home!
Showing posts with label AIR JAMAICA SUCKS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AIR JAMAICA SUCKS. Show all posts
Aug 12, 2007
Aug 11, 2007
Air Jamaica Update
Ah, the incompetence abounds...
In AJ news, I called yesterday, as I was told to do, to be told that the luggage from the 7th (they didn't specify MY luggage, but "the luggage from the 7th", which fills me full of confidence) would be coming in TODAY on a charter flight at 9:40.
Since it's currently 9:50, I called, as told, to be told that flight wouldn't be in until after 1 in the morning because the flight was delayed... ya know, just like the flight on the 7th was delayed, except in that case, it was still early enough to have a shot at getting to my apartment, but I'm sure the people on that flight, and their RAs/apartment managers will be THRILLED by the prospect of not getting in until after 1. Any guesses on whether THEIR baggage will make it? Especially if, as promised (which means nothing), the plane is full of the luggage of people from the 7th, since they reassured me yesterday that lots of people on that flight lost their luggage. They also specified that my luggage wasn't getting in yesterday (like they said it would be) because that was when last SATURDAY'S luggage was coming in.
One might have the novel idea that the people who flew that Saturday should have had their luggage on Saturday and the people who flew on Tuesday (the 7th) should have had their luggage on Tuesday rather than playing this "Where are the cookies? I put them in the goldfish bowl. Where are the goldfish? I put them in the clothes hamper. Where are the dirty clothes?" game that ensures that probably around 50 percent of their passengers are chronically pissed off and calling them daily while getting progressively angrier, but what do I know?
On the plus side, the people are getting a bit nicer, though they've stopped putting me through to Air Jamaica, so I think I'm talking to the people at the airport.
On the minus side, we are now at 4 days without luggage, without an answer from DELTA AIRLINES, without compensation, and without someone willing to physically track down my luggage to make sure where it is and if it's coming at the times they keep telling me.
And yes, that's AIR JAMAICA and DELTA AIRLINES. Your source for delayed flights and lost luggage. But their seats are bigger than American Airlines, who, by the way, also sucks, with delayed flights and horrendous baggage restrictions. In case it seems like I'm just needlessly bitching about any kind of air travel, American Airlines, Air Jamaica, and Liat have *pretty much* cornered the Grenada market with a few exceptions that fly in sporadically, thus, since they have little competition and a high market, both among students and locals, none of the three put ANY effort whatsoever into customer service and have differing and equally deserved horrible reputations. I have not flown Liat, but consider my first term roommate's story was far worse than any of mine despite only involving a flight to Trinidad (90 miles), I'm not encouraged to do so in the future. So far, the best airline I've found that actually goes to Grenada is Conviasa, which is the official airline of Venezuela, and has excellent service and staff, so I'm beginning to wonder if it might be worth going through Caracas just for the privilege of getting to my destination on time, well served, and with my luggage. It's not a lot to ask, right?
In SGU news there is no news, oh, other than the fact that their registration prohibition also means I can't get the books that have already been paid for out of my loan check, which by the way, has been dispersed to them, thus they are charging me for classes I'm not supposed to attend with bought books I'm not allowed to have. On the plus side of that, I can access the parasitology and genetics lectures online, which means I actually can prestudy for those classes despite the best intentions of the university to keep me from viewing ANYTHING that could potentially help me in my new courseload until I pass my biochem exam.
In Ishie news, I've reached that point where I'm almost getting amused by the multifaceted and stunning incompetence I've seen at all levels when trying to engage in beginning my second term, which is keeping me in better spirits. I have long ago learned to embrace my cynicism, since it amuses me, and apparently when I came back here, over the summer I'd become just too much of a gosh-darned optimist, but fortunately reality has bitch-slapped me back into remembering that being negative is a lot more satisfying, thus allowing me to laugh at the stupidity of others rather than having anger explosions in response to it. This also helps me in my quest to be the bastard female offspring of House and Dr. Cox.
I've also finished transcribing all biochem notes and small group cases into flash card format thus can now spend my time, instead of bent over my desk, sprawled out on my intensely comfortable though not wildly aesthetically pleasant sofa getting my biochem on, so that helps the mood.
It also helps to have the support of friends and family, with people both here and abroad not only offering help (thanks mom and dad!) but a virtual or actual shoulder to cry on/ear to bitch into, which is helping keep me sane, as is my sweet-ass apartment (pictures pending). Today, I discovered that I was not actually out of propane for my stove/oven, but simply didn't know how to turn on the tank, and despite it being a weekend, I was able to get someone to help me (security) in under five minutes, service that perhaps should be emulated by certain airlines and medical schools.
Oh, though to give SGU credit, when I went up to the clinical skills office the other day to check on a selective, the secretary who... well, let's just say has quite the reputation over here, was extraordinarily nice to me, joking around and everything. A certain cranky biochem professor also apparently invited a student over to his table, laughed, and was social and pleasant, so maybe there's hope for the human race after all and... no! DOWN, inner optimist! DOWN!
Ta.
In AJ news, I called yesterday, as I was told to do, to be told that the luggage from the 7th (they didn't specify MY luggage, but "the luggage from the 7th", which fills me full of confidence) would be coming in TODAY on a charter flight at 9:40.
Since it's currently 9:50, I called, as told, to be told that flight wouldn't be in until after 1 in the morning because the flight was delayed... ya know, just like the flight on the 7th was delayed, except in that case, it was still early enough to have a shot at getting to my apartment, but I'm sure the people on that flight, and their RAs/apartment managers will be THRILLED by the prospect of not getting in until after 1. Any guesses on whether THEIR baggage will make it? Especially if, as promised (which means nothing), the plane is full of the luggage of people from the 7th, since they reassured me yesterday that lots of people on that flight lost their luggage. They also specified that my luggage wasn't getting in yesterday (like they said it would be) because that was when last SATURDAY'S luggage was coming in.
One might have the novel idea that the people who flew that Saturday should have had their luggage on Saturday and the people who flew on Tuesday (the 7th) should have had their luggage on Tuesday rather than playing this "Where are the cookies? I put them in the goldfish bowl. Where are the goldfish? I put them in the clothes hamper. Where are the dirty clothes?" game that ensures that probably around 50 percent of their passengers are chronically pissed off and calling them daily while getting progressively angrier, but what do I know?
On the plus side, the people are getting a bit nicer, though they've stopped putting me through to Air Jamaica, so I think I'm talking to the people at the airport.
On the minus side, we are now at 4 days without luggage, without an answer from DELTA AIRLINES, without compensation, and without someone willing to physically track down my luggage to make sure where it is and if it's coming at the times they keep telling me.
And yes, that's AIR JAMAICA and DELTA AIRLINES. Your source for delayed flights and lost luggage. But their seats are bigger than American Airlines, who, by the way, also sucks, with delayed flights and horrendous baggage restrictions. In case it seems like I'm just needlessly bitching about any kind of air travel, American Airlines, Air Jamaica, and Liat have *pretty much* cornered the Grenada market with a few exceptions that fly in sporadically, thus, since they have little competition and a high market, both among students and locals, none of the three put ANY effort whatsoever into customer service and have differing and equally deserved horrible reputations. I have not flown Liat, but consider my first term roommate's story was far worse than any of mine despite only involving a flight to Trinidad (90 miles), I'm not encouraged to do so in the future. So far, the best airline I've found that actually goes to Grenada is Conviasa, which is the official airline of Venezuela, and has excellent service and staff, so I'm beginning to wonder if it might be worth going through Caracas just for the privilege of getting to my destination on time, well served, and with my luggage. It's not a lot to ask, right?
In SGU news there is no news, oh, other than the fact that their registration prohibition also means I can't get the books that have already been paid for out of my loan check, which by the way, has been dispersed to them, thus they are charging me for classes I'm not supposed to attend with bought books I'm not allowed to have. On the plus side of that, I can access the parasitology and genetics lectures online, which means I actually can prestudy for those classes despite the best intentions of the university to keep me from viewing ANYTHING that could potentially help me in my new courseload until I pass my biochem exam.
In Ishie news, I've reached that point where I'm almost getting amused by the multifaceted and stunning incompetence I've seen at all levels when trying to engage in beginning my second term, which is keeping me in better spirits. I have long ago learned to embrace my cynicism, since it amuses me, and apparently when I came back here, over the summer I'd become just too much of a gosh-darned optimist, but fortunately reality has bitch-slapped me back into remembering that being negative is a lot more satisfying, thus allowing me to laugh at the stupidity of others rather than having anger explosions in response to it. This also helps me in my quest to be the bastard female offspring of House and Dr. Cox.
I've also finished transcribing all biochem notes and small group cases into flash card format thus can now spend my time, instead of bent over my desk, sprawled out on my intensely comfortable though not wildly aesthetically pleasant sofa getting my biochem on, so that helps the mood.
It also helps to have the support of friends and family, with people both here and abroad not only offering help (thanks mom and dad!) but a virtual or actual shoulder to cry on/ear to bitch into, which is helping keep me sane, as is my sweet-ass apartment (pictures pending). Today, I discovered that I was not actually out of propane for my stove/oven, but simply didn't know how to turn on the tank, and despite it being a weekend, I was able to get someone to help me (security) in under five minutes, service that perhaps should be emulated by certain airlines and medical schools.
Oh, though to give SGU credit, when I went up to the clinical skills office the other day to check on a selective, the secretary who... well, let's just say has quite the reputation over here, was extraordinarily nice to me, joking around and everything. A certain cranky biochem professor also apparently invited a student over to his table, laughed, and was social and pleasant, so maybe there's hope for the human race after all and... no! DOWN, inner optimist! DOWN!
Ta.
Aug 10, 2007
Fed Up.
That was sure fast, wasn't it. Yup, I'm already in "I want to go home now" phase, because while I think I've been a pretty good sport about things up to this far, I have had enough today. Enough of this island and enough of this school.
NOTHING this term has been easy. Getting to the frigging airport wasn't even easy, nor was the flight here, but whatever, part of traveling, homeland security, caribbeanland security, whatever.
Air Jamaica lost my luggage. Which happens all the time because they suck. But that happens, and I expected it to happen, and at least I knew they sucked so I could pack some stuff in my carry-on, and at least I was able to get into storage yesterday so I could have things like towels and a pillow. So that's all right. I can live with that.
I have to take my biochem exam, but that's my own fault, though I'm the only one who seems to think it is, but I'm prepared for it, spent the entire summer studying for it, etc. Whatever; it's cool.
But I've had enough. It's been three days and Air Jamaica can't even tell me where my luggage is. All they can say is "it may be in on the next flight today" and to call back later, and when I call back, they repeat. No one gives a shit. No one knows anything. Why should I expect any differently, and their parent company, Delta, haven't had the common courtesy to even address the letter I sent them, so Delta, you suck as well.
By itself, is that enough? No. Though after seeing a very nice woman in the biochem office, I somewhat expected the following to happen, it still really coldcocked me to the head when it actually did:
I went to register today with the registration voucher, which allegedly means that you have everything so you can register. Now, this is for second term, and if I don't pass the biochem exam, I would have to decel. Now, decelling would keep me in the same school and require the same loan money, so it seems obvious that one should register the student provisionally, and if said student fails, revoke the registration and enter the student in the alternate program.
No. Instead, I can't register until I pass the exam. Which means I can't get the loan check until I pass the exam, despite the fact that everything the students need tends to be right when they arrive!
Even better, they won't even give me the fucking SCHEDULE for term two, and since term two officially starts on the 14th, and my test is in the middle of the 15th, and I'm not sure if they'll get my grade in by that night, that means by their standards, I am supposed to miss between 2-3 days of my first days of class. Now, the genetics class is approximately two weeks long, and worth one unit, and starts right away, with the final exam at the end of August. This means... and I'm going to put a separate line for this:
The school, St. George's University, advocates, nay REQUIRES that a second term student misses over 20% of a class as a punishment for being sick for one of the first term exams. That is their message.
If something happened where you couldn't take the first term exams/, not only are the exams typically more difficult to discourage people from faking ill, which is absolutely awesome to the people that actually are, but they think the best way to discourage this is to make students already having trouble MISS THE FIRST 20% OF GENETICS. And you get to do it without money. That should teach people.
Now, if there are any school officials reading who have a problem with this, please tell me what other message a student is supposed to get from this, and if it's just administrative paperwork, please explain why no schedule is allowed to be given (they flat out refused!) and why only registered students are supposed to attend classes.
I'm not some burn out slacker that wants breaks and a thousand second chances to pull a fast one. One of the biggest regrets of my LIFE is not taking that fucking exam at end of term because I was ready for it, I knew I was ready for it, I've spent my entire summer studying for it, I was deeply embarrassed by the events of last term to such a degree that I was endlessly blaming myself and STILL hate myself for being weak, and was trying to take it anyway despite having been in the hospital that morning. It is not HELPING to be treated like a second class citizen because I had a valid medical excuse, nor is it helping me be the best student I can be to be FORCED to miss class, though screw them, I'm copying the schedule from a friend and going anyway, and they can shove it if they have a problem with it. I am not here to fail.
But that doesn't mean that at the moment, I don't want to pack it all in and go the hell home, because oh man, do I ever.
In a little over an hour, I can call those people at Air Jamaica, and have them skate me until tomorrow. I can't wait.
NOTHING this term has been easy. Getting to the frigging airport wasn't even easy, nor was the flight here, but whatever, part of traveling, homeland security, caribbeanland security, whatever.
Air Jamaica lost my luggage. Which happens all the time because they suck. But that happens, and I expected it to happen, and at least I knew they sucked so I could pack some stuff in my carry-on, and at least I was able to get into storage yesterday so I could have things like towels and a pillow. So that's all right. I can live with that.
I have to take my biochem exam, but that's my own fault, though I'm the only one who seems to think it is, but I'm prepared for it, spent the entire summer studying for it, etc. Whatever; it's cool.
But I've had enough. It's been three days and Air Jamaica can't even tell me where my luggage is. All they can say is "it may be in on the next flight today" and to call back later, and when I call back, they repeat. No one gives a shit. No one knows anything. Why should I expect any differently, and their parent company, Delta, haven't had the common courtesy to even address the letter I sent them, so Delta, you suck as well.
By itself, is that enough? No. Though after seeing a very nice woman in the biochem office, I somewhat expected the following to happen, it still really coldcocked me to the head when it actually did:
I went to register today with the registration voucher, which allegedly means that you have everything so you can register. Now, this is for second term, and if I don't pass the biochem exam, I would have to decel. Now, decelling would keep me in the same school and require the same loan money, so it seems obvious that one should register the student provisionally, and if said student fails, revoke the registration and enter the student in the alternate program.
No. Instead, I can't register until I pass the exam. Which means I can't get the loan check until I pass the exam, despite the fact that everything the students need tends to be right when they arrive!
Even better, they won't even give me the fucking SCHEDULE for term two, and since term two officially starts on the 14th, and my test is in the middle of the 15th, and I'm not sure if they'll get my grade in by that night, that means by their standards, I am supposed to miss between 2-3 days of my first days of class. Now, the genetics class is approximately two weeks long, and worth one unit, and starts right away, with the final exam at the end of August. This means... and I'm going to put a separate line for this:
The school, St. George's University, advocates, nay REQUIRES that a second term student misses over 20% of a class as a punishment for being sick for one of the first term exams. That is their message.
If something happened where you couldn't take the first term exams/, not only are the exams typically more difficult to discourage people from faking ill, which is absolutely awesome to the people that actually are, but they think the best way to discourage this is to make students already having trouble MISS THE FIRST 20% OF GENETICS. And you get to do it without money. That should teach people.
Now, if there are any school officials reading who have a problem with this, please tell me what other message a student is supposed to get from this, and if it's just administrative paperwork, please explain why no schedule is allowed to be given (they flat out refused!) and why only registered students are supposed to attend classes.
I'm not some burn out slacker that wants breaks and a thousand second chances to pull a fast one. One of the biggest regrets of my LIFE is not taking that fucking exam at end of term because I was ready for it, I knew I was ready for it, I've spent my entire summer studying for it, I was deeply embarrassed by the events of last term to such a degree that I was endlessly blaming myself and STILL hate myself for being weak, and was trying to take it anyway despite having been in the hospital that morning. It is not HELPING to be treated like a second class citizen because I had a valid medical excuse, nor is it helping me be the best student I can be to be FORCED to miss class, though screw them, I'm copying the schedule from a friend and going anyway, and they can shove it if they have a problem with it. I am not here to fail.
But that doesn't mean that at the moment, I don't want to pack it all in and go the hell home, because oh man, do I ever.
In a little over an hour, I can call those people at Air Jamaica, and have them skate me until tomorrow. I can't wait.
Home sweet Caribbean home...
Yup, back in Grenada, as many have probably figured out by now (hi Lorrie and Lori!).
Why haven't I written before now? Because I'm lazy? Check. Because the first night I didn't have internet? Check. Because because because. But no more making excuses...
Getting to and from Grenada just flat sucks. It does. So far I had my adventures with American Airlines and getting left at the gate for 8 hours to meet another flight that was 2 hours late to go to a destination that wasn't my original. Blech. AND a 70 pound rigid baggage allowance, and by rigid, I mean THEY WILL MAKE YOU LEAVE YOUR SHIT AT THE AIRPORT! Yeah, that rigid. Can't pay extra for it either.
So.... forget that... try Air Jamaica. They weren't too horrible to my parents who kindly brought a bunch of my stuff last term, AND I got all my stuff then.
This time? Boston to New York to Montego Bay to Jamaica, a flight schedule that sucks when all goes well. Did all go well? No.
First of all, again, I will reiterate my hatred of driving in Boston by regaling my tale of getting lost on the way to the airport after leaving the apartment late, so my send-off was a hyperstressful nasty sort of affair, punctuated by HUGE lines out of Boston, poorly marked lines, and kiosks that directed me to "see a gate agent", for absolutely no reason. Awesome.
I'm flying enough now that the security is less of a problem. I used to juggle stuff, but now when I arrive, it is with no metal on my clothing, shoes off, laptop out, no liquids/gels because I don't feel like dealing with the crap, and everything but pants down. Assembling it on the other end still takes some doing...
Flight to New York not bad, but no one told me that in New York, you have to go out through security, take the... Monorail, I suppose, to the next gate, and go back IN through security. Fuuuuuun. But made the plane. Which sat on the runway for an hour.... guess about how long my layover in Jamaica was? "Big deal", I thought. "Classes don't start for a week, I have my biochem flashcards, and there are worse places to spend the night than Jamaica". But the flight from Jamaica to Grenada was late, so I got to sit in the airport on the floor, fortunately distracted by running into Emma and Nina so I had good conversation.
The problem? Well, Nina and I both live in the same apartment complex, which expected us in at 4:40. This was not to be, and I was horribly worried there would be more crap going down and I wouldn't have a place to sleep that night.
Oh, but bigger problems for me. I get to the airport, and not one, but BOTH pieces of my luggage are missing. My luggage is hard to miss because given Air Jamaica's impeccable reputation for losing luggage CONSTANTLY (if you fly them, always pack living stuff in your carry-on, because they lose a huge number of bags and really don't seem to give half a rat's ass about it. They get them back to you when they get around to it). And to anyone from Air Jamaica, I will say nice things about you once you give me my luggage back, which, as of right now, you have not. Until then, I will continue talking massive amounts of shit about you, including a daily "luggage watch", so be advised.
The immigration officer was a sweetheart. The customs officer, on the other hand, was a complete douchebag, and I have no problem saying it.
When you go to Grenada the first time as a student, they will charge you for your own laptop. The one you bought and paid for and use for your own. Yup, that's the one. Sure. Fine. Whatever. I can live with that even though, yes, I think it's B.S., and technically they shouldn't be charging you for it since you won't be on the island more than 6 months at a time, but I'll pay it.
But I DID pay it, and kept the receipt, but when I got the receipt, apparently that guy just scrawled random numbers on it from the bottom of my laptop, which was NOT the serial number, and despite the make and model being the same, this customs agent simply would not believe that it was the same laptop, and wanted to charge me, so I scanned the bottom of the thing frantically, FINALLY finding the right set of arbitrary numbers, which seemed to actively piss him off, despite the fact that I PAID THE FREAKING IMPORT TAX LAST TERM.
Then, since he couldn't get me on the laptop, he sternly asked me what else was in my bags, to which I replied "clothes and flashcards" to which he snapped "besides clothes!" and then ordered me to open it, searching for more of my crap to tax. Fortunately, he missed the iPod.
The general rule is that if you don't screw around about your laptop by trying to hide it or sending it in with a family member, you present the laptop receipt, pay between 5 and 10% of the price of it, and then go on your merry way. If you screw with them, then you may get charged on clothes, scuba gear, electronics, or whatever they want to hit you up for.
I paid the tax; I did nothing wrong, and I didn't give the guy a lick of attitude, so my only conclusion is that he's a complete jackass. You heard it here first.
This sort of thing can create kind of a vicious cycle. There are a lot of students here that seem to really hate the island and the people that live on it and talk them down and are rude to them, causing many locals to hate the students. Then, many of the locals are completely rude to new students, who have not been rude or done anything, causing the students to hate the island and the people that live on it and you see where this is going...
Grabbed a taxi to Cool Runnings, half expecting to have to beg a night home off someone, and with only my carry-on, but they were waiting for us, ushered me into my apartment with great haste and compassion, got me situated, didn't demand the rent up front (though I paid a down payment before I left last term), did the inventory on my stuff, and showed me how things work. Then, I had a knock on the door and the manager said that he was taking my friend to the store and asked if I would like to go get some things, after the owner of the complex had offered me some toiletries and other basics because I told him AJ lost my luggage.
Awesome! I'll have pictures soon, but right now it's kind of a mess due to getting three of my bags out of storage today. The others are intact, no worries, but I couldn't see a reason to attempt to haul dive gear and such out of storage when I don't need it, but what I DID need were blankets and other essentials which, of course, had been packed in my luggage, but fortunately ALSO had representation in storage. Thank goodness.
AJ's losing of all my luggage ensured that I spent the last two nights sleeping on my sofa due to an aversion to sleeping on a bare mattress without a pillow. Now, my sofa is quite comfortable (though too short for long term efforts), but it is hardly a replacement for two suitcases worth of home necessities.
Today, I hung out with friends and had a blast and topped it all off by heading for Banana's for light drinks, though they raised the price of Carib, so I am not blogging drunk, especially since I need to save my cash for the taxi I will have to take to the airport to recover my luggage if they ever find it (no, I'm not letting them off the hook tonight, especially since my razors are in there and EWWWW).
Hanging out with people today was really cool, and I got to see the beautiful apartments Lori and Emma have, which make me mourn my lack of interior design skills (and things to interior design with, so to speak). But I have more of a beer and pizza place.
So that's the story. I'm also taking the make-up biochem exam, which has been inexplicably scheduled in the middle of my lectures on the second day, but I'm just grateful to take it and I feel really well prepared, so there ya go.
Goodnight!
Why haven't I written before now? Because I'm lazy? Check. Because the first night I didn't have internet? Check. Because because because. But no more making excuses...
Getting to and from Grenada just flat sucks. It does. So far I had my adventures with American Airlines and getting left at the gate for 8 hours to meet another flight that was 2 hours late to go to a destination that wasn't my original. Blech. AND a 70 pound rigid baggage allowance, and by rigid, I mean THEY WILL MAKE YOU LEAVE YOUR SHIT AT THE AIRPORT! Yeah, that rigid. Can't pay extra for it either.
So.... forget that... try Air Jamaica. They weren't too horrible to my parents who kindly brought a bunch of my stuff last term, AND I got all my stuff then.
This time? Boston to New York to Montego Bay to Jamaica, a flight schedule that sucks when all goes well. Did all go well? No.
First of all, again, I will reiterate my hatred of driving in Boston by regaling my tale of getting lost on the way to the airport after leaving the apartment late, so my send-off was a hyperstressful nasty sort of affair, punctuated by HUGE lines out of Boston, poorly marked lines, and kiosks that directed me to "see a gate agent", for absolutely no reason. Awesome.
I'm flying enough now that the security is less of a problem. I used to juggle stuff, but now when I arrive, it is with no metal on my clothing, shoes off, laptop out, no liquids/gels because I don't feel like dealing with the crap, and everything but pants down. Assembling it on the other end still takes some doing...
Flight to New York not bad, but no one told me that in New York, you have to go out through security, take the... Monorail, I suppose, to the next gate, and go back IN through security. Fuuuuuun. But made the plane. Which sat on the runway for an hour.... guess about how long my layover in Jamaica was? "Big deal", I thought. "Classes don't start for a week, I have my biochem flashcards, and there are worse places to spend the night than Jamaica". But the flight from Jamaica to Grenada was late, so I got to sit in the airport on the floor, fortunately distracted by running into Emma and Nina so I had good conversation.
The problem? Well, Nina and I both live in the same apartment complex, which expected us in at 4:40. This was not to be, and I was horribly worried there would be more crap going down and I wouldn't have a place to sleep that night.
Oh, but bigger problems for me. I get to the airport, and not one, but BOTH pieces of my luggage are missing. My luggage is hard to miss because given Air Jamaica's impeccable reputation for losing luggage CONSTANTLY (if you fly them, always pack living stuff in your carry-on, because they lose a huge number of bags and really don't seem to give half a rat's ass about it. They get them back to you when they get around to it). And to anyone from Air Jamaica, I will say nice things about you once you give me my luggage back, which, as of right now, you have not. Until then, I will continue talking massive amounts of shit about you, including a daily "luggage watch", so be advised.
The immigration officer was a sweetheart. The customs officer, on the other hand, was a complete douchebag, and I have no problem saying it.
When you go to Grenada the first time as a student, they will charge you for your own laptop. The one you bought and paid for and use for your own. Yup, that's the one. Sure. Fine. Whatever. I can live with that even though, yes, I think it's B.S., and technically they shouldn't be charging you for it since you won't be on the island more than 6 months at a time, but I'll pay it.
But I DID pay it, and kept the receipt, but when I got the receipt, apparently that guy just scrawled random numbers on it from the bottom of my laptop, which was NOT the serial number, and despite the make and model being the same, this customs agent simply would not believe that it was the same laptop, and wanted to charge me, so I scanned the bottom of the thing frantically, FINALLY finding the right set of arbitrary numbers, which seemed to actively piss him off, despite the fact that I PAID THE FREAKING IMPORT TAX LAST TERM.
Then, since he couldn't get me on the laptop, he sternly asked me what else was in my bags, to which I replied "clothes and flashcards" to which he snapped "besides clothes!" and then ordered me to open it, searching for more of my crap to tax. Fortunately, he missed the iPod.
The general rule is that if you don't screw around about your laptop by trying to hide it or sending it in with a family member, you present the laptop receipt, pay between 5 and 10% of the price of it, and then go on your merry way. If you screw with them, then you may get charged on clothes, scuba gear, electronics, or whatever they want to hit you up for.
I paid the tax; I did nothing wrong, and I didn't give the guy a lick of attitude, so my only conclusion is that he's a complete jackass. You heard it here first.
This sort of thing can create kind of a vicious cycle. There are a lot of students here that seem to really hate the island and the people that live on it and talk them down and are rude to them, causing many locals to hate the students. Then, many of the locals are completely rude to new students, who have not been rude or done anything, causing the students to hate the island and the people that live on it and you see where this is going...
Grabbed a taxi to Cool Runnings, half expecting to have to beg a night home off someone, and with only my carry-on, but they were waiting for us, ushered me into my apartment with great haste and compassion, got me situated, didn't demand the rent up front (though I paid a down payment before I left last term), did the inventory on my stuff, and showed me how things work. Then, I had a knock on the door and the manager said that he was taking my friend to the store and asked if I would like to go get some things, after the owner of the complex had offered me some toiletries and other basics because I told him AJ lost my luggage.
Awesome! I'll have pictures soon, but right now it's kind of a mess due to getting three of my bags out of storage today. The others are intact, no worries, but I couldn't see a reason to attempt to haul dive gear and such out of storage when I don't need it, but what I DID need were blankets and other essentials which, of course, had been packed in my luggage, but fortunately ALSO had representation in storage. Thank goodness.
AJ's losing of all my luggage ensured that I spent the last two nights sleeping on my sofa due to an aversion to sleeping on a bare mattress without a pillow. Now, my sofa is quite comfortable (though too short for long term efforts), but it is hardly a replacement for two suitcases worth of home necessities.
Today, I hung out with friends and had a blast and topped it all off by heading for Banana's for light drinks, though they raised the price of Carib, so I am not blogging drunk, especially since I need to save my cash for the taxi I will have to take to the airport to recover my luggage if they ever find it (no, I'm not letting them off the hook tonight, especially since my razors are in there and EWWWW).
Hanging out with people today was really cool, and I got to see the beautiful apartments Lori and Emma have, which make me mourn my lack of interior design skills (and things to interior design with, so to speak). But I have more of a beer and pizza place.
So that's the story. I'm also taking the make-up biochem exam, which has been inexplicably scheduled in the middle of my lectures on the second day, but I'm just grateful to take it and I feel really well prepared, so there ya go.
Goodnight!
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