I Finally Made It

[Sherba] Friday October 3rd was the day I and my brother were to fly to Dominica to spend 2 weeks with our father, as he has retired there. We were to leave JFK at around 6:55 am but we left a little after 7 am. Our connecting flight in San Juan, Puerto Rico was to leave at 11:35 am. We landed in San Juan at around 11:10 am enough time to catch, I thought our connecting flight even though I was nervous we left late from JFK. When we arrived at the counter we were told the flight was closed. I could not believe it. We made it in enough time.

People were furious. There was yelling banging, especially when the American Airline lady told one person that they were getting a $10 voucher for meals, then it really exploded. She stated she would call the police, a man yelled "call the police", "call the police" she did and left with the attitude I'm don't need to take this. I was truly frustrated.

I went to baggage claim to see if I could get my bag and was told there were no more bags for flight #769. I was so upset. Now I have no clothes. This has never happened to me before and I was...I can't put it into words. When I came back there was the policeman, and a few American Airline workers helping us with food vouchers, $7 for lunch and $10 for dinner. My brother and I were confirmed for Sunday, but this was Friday. The gentleman said for us to go get on stand by for the next day, Saturday and that with his experience not to worry we would probably get on. I told him that my bag was not in baggage claim, he said it is probably there go check again. I did check again and again it was not there. I said let me try baggage services when the gentleman called they found my bag, where was it? Sooooooooooooooooooooo frustrating you have no idea.

We did get on the plane, thank God. If things could not get worse as I am going through immigration after we landed in Dominica, and they are checking my papers and passport ( I have a Dominican passport) the gentleman tells me that I will not be able to get out of the country with the passport I have. I said "are you kidding me?" , he said "no, there is a new passport that supercedes this one and you will have to apply for a new passport" and he gave me an application. My father, who did not tell me about this, said that this went into effect as of February of this year.

I get to my father's house and somebody is there that is not supposed to be there because I made it very clear to my father, over and over again, that we, my brother and I, wanted to have the 2 weeks with just the 3 of us, but this is another story. What a start to my 2 week vacation.