The Struggles

...would be the title of the movie or book about my life. That or maybe the Trials and Tribulations of... would be more appropriate...either way...it would be something about overcoming challenges. Maybe that should be the pseudo-name of my Magellan Project....Struggles: the Journey North. That has a good ring...perhaps I'll publish a memoir once this is over.

Leaving Boston [which there will be a Boston post as a review...I just haven't gotten around to it yet] was unbelievably hard. I think the city knew I was leaving, so it decided to make my last 48 hours there a living hell. Before writing this post I was thinking to myself, is it starting to seem like you always complain about things? My initial response to my own question [oh great...now I have reverted to talking to myself...yep being alone has finally caught up with me...off to the looney bin] was yes, yes you do but, but, but that is ok. Because in the end, this blog is an outlet for me, a way to cope with all of these challenges and struggles. I may seem like I complain a lot, but what you don't see is the smile or grin that comes across my face when things just don't go the way they should. It is weird...and it is something that only started recently. I guess it is my way of looking at the bright side of something, or finding that silver lining...but while I will complain I take each moment here as a learning experience and even though sometimes things such...I am glad they happened because I can grow from them....

Ok, enough of the deep philosophical early morning life discussion. That's enough of a emotional aside for the day. Back to the story...

As I was saying...my last 48 hours were complete hell. For starters my checkout at Emmanuel College was one sheet of paperwork away from being a catastrophe. Apparently when I checked-in, through no fault of my own, I didn't complete the right paperwork. It was because I was temporarily in a different room than I was assigned so there was some...confusion? In the end I was packed and ready to leave, I had already called the cab and it was just a few minutes from arriving when I went to the front desk to inform the girl that I was checking-out. She said I needed to fill out some paperwork, which I figured I would have to, since being an RA at W&J I knew the ropes.

She flipped through the files over and over until she finally asked me if I even filled out papers when I arrived. I told her that I didn't think so, then she was confused, I was confused...the guy she called was confused. At that moment, as we are all standing in the lobby, my taxi arrives...awkward. I told them that I had to go, and the guy just handed me a sheet of paper and said to sign it...in a hurried fashion I scanned over it and signed it. I grabbed all my stuff and left....or so I thought.

I hadn't grabbed all my stuff, in fact I left a piece of my iPhone charger in the room, and I had a bit of a mishap with the taxi. That is a story I just cannot tell because as much as it pained me at that moment, reliving it would be like putting myself through a paper-shredder. Take my word for it, the "mishap" was horrible and embarrassing.

[Flashback]

Ok, so I forgot to mention...the night before I was supposed to catch my bus I read over my tickets. My ticket to return to Boston on July 31st- Check....my ticket to go to Hanover, NH on June 1st- Check....

JUNE? NO! Instantly I began to panic...I kept looking at the ticket...hoping, nay praying that the 6 was going to change to a 7 and all would be well. If you're not catching on...accidentally or irresponsibly I purchased a ticket for June 1st, instead of July 1st...which was a big deal since I was supposed to get on a bus that next morning.

I immediately bought a new ticket that night because the bus website made it seem like there weren't any refunds or date changes... But then the next morning I decided to call just to double check...apparently...the tickets were good up to 6 months...so I guess I didn't need to buy another.

WHY!?! WHY!?! WHY!?! Must companies make it unbelievably difficult for their customers. So the point of not putting something like that on your website is...for paranoid people like myself to get trapped and buy another ticket...probably not but come on guys...the same thing goes for the taxi incident- which we shall never speak of  - could have been avoided had their been more information provided for the customer... At this point I am starting to loose faith in our capitalistic business ways here...they seem way too aggressive.

With a new ticket in hand I arrived at Boston South Station to board my bus. I got there probably an hour to an hour and half early just because my luck was already terrible, so I figured I should probably play everything safe. I first went to the wrong part of the station...I was in the train part for awhile until I realized that there was a "bus" section across the ways...so I dragged myself over there.

I may be playing the mellow-dramatic card here...buuuuut I have never been somewhere so dirty. It sounds terrible to say but I am being 100% honest. The bus station was one of my most filthiest places I have been in Boston...far worse than any of the subway stations...or the streets. It was dark...dirty...crowded.

Arriving so early didn't help because I ended up waiting forever. I went to the terminal that was for the bus I was taking but it was the only terminal that didn't have chairs or anything. Thirty minutes before our scheduled departure, the bus was still not there. A group of people arrived and we were all standing there starring aimlessly out the window...

Back of the "bus" even though it was a "coach"

The bus did arrive right before the departure time. I figured that there would be plenty of room since it was just coming from the airport...I thought to myself, how many people could honestly get on at the airport?

My reaction upon entering the bus...

Apparently a lot...and it didn't help that just like when I boarded the train people ran to get in line and I didn't make it in time so I was one of the last people to board...Something that I thought was really interesting was that I have talked a lot on this blog about chivalry.  

Lets break this down- chivalry: courteous behavior, esp. that of a man toward women: their relations with women were models of chivalry and restraint. 

Ok so "that of a man towards women" so what is "that of a woman towards men"...so I couldn't find a word but I did see that someone described it as "lady-like"...well let me tell you, the bus had none of it.

I needed a window seat because I tend to get car-sick at times. It really depends on the day, but I wanted to play it safe since luck was not in my favor. Every window seat on the bus either had a person in the seat, or a backpack...I ended up just sitting next to a backpack until a guy came and I had to get up and let him in and sit back down in the aisle seat. More on the fellow later, but the woman in front of   me and in the seat next to me seemed, seemed like they were going to have the same problems. They both were sitting next to backpacks in aisle seats like me.

It wasn't until we were probably 10 minutes into the movie that the driver put on, Cinderella, why he chose that I have no idea because everyone on the bus was at least over 20...couldn't we have something a little more enthralling than a unbelievably children mind distorting Disney propaganda film...it wasn't until 10 minutes into this that I realized that these two women lied! LIARS! They both placed the bags on those seats to make people, like me, think they were sitting with someone when they weren't! How dare they!

And then to make matters worse they sat in the aisle seats still....who does that?! At this point in my 48 hours of hell, I was in no mood for such trickery. And it didn't help that my seat-mate...had was apparently having some hygiene problems...As soon as he sat down I smelt a foul smell, but I figured it was the bus...nope it was him. At about halfway through the trip he leaned over and informed me that he had been on three planes and thus he apologized for the smell....

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One of the most awkward moments and conversations of my trip, the subway conversations still take the cake but still I could have died. It wasn't that I am being dramatic or yuppie...but it was just weird. He even made an awkward laugh at the end...like something a used car salesman might say at the end of buy a car that is going to breakdown on the way out of the lot...If I only had the memory gun like on Men in Black I would be set.

The scenery on the ride was amazing. Once we got out of the city and populated parts it was beautiful. Huge lush forests covering large mountainous hills... signs for moose crossings. Large ravines and huge pine trees towered over the landscape. I wish I could have gotten a picture but the windows of the bus were tinted and it was have been futile. Before I knew it we were pulling into Hanover, New Hampshire. It surprisingly didn't feel like it took three hours...I mean it actually did but it felt a lot shorted (thank God).

I got off the bus and needed a taxi. The people at the place I am staying at suggested when I was planning this trip, to go into the hotel where the bus dropped me off and ask if they could call me a cab...now what is wrong with this picture. I didn't see it at first either...but think about it...

Person walks into Hotel A and asks for a cab to Hotel B... Opps. It may not seem like that big of a deal but this area is really small...It would be like going into Starbucks and asking if they have Dunkin Donuts or if they could tell you where the nearest one was.

Luckily the lady at this hotel was unbelievably kind and called a cab for me. I didn't sense any awkwardness until she asked me where I was going and I blurted out the name of the hotel, and then she just kind of looked at me and relayed the message to the cab company. I would have loved to stay at this place though, it was right across the street from where I am doing my research but it was an actual hotel, and not interim-housing like I have...not to mention it was unbelievably expensive.

Anyways, I waited about a half hour for this cab to arrive. I kept looking for a yellow taxi...I mean the name of the company was [name has been removed to shield the innocent]...so how could it not be a big yellow taxi....well it wasn't...

I am not lying when I tell this story...all truth.

An old red, rusty van pulls up to the hotel. It had a faded taxi sign on the top and tinted windows. In my mind I am saying, repeatedly, please please please please not today...I can't handle anymore bad luck. Please don't let this be mine. Now earlier I had saw a nice looking white taxi so I figured that it wouldn't be mine.

Just to make sure I approached the front window and who did I see?? No other than....

BEN FRANKLIN

I'm not joking. Literally good ole Ben returned from the dead and was sitting in the front of this van. I mustered out..."Is this taxi for David?" to which Ben replied, "Yep, throw your stuff in the back and get in..."

At that very moment a piece somewhere inside of me died... and I will never be able to get it back. What it was I don't know...a piece of my soul... or heart... or spirit... I can't tell you but I felt it. I pried open the door and jammed my suitcase in and got in the passenger seat. And that's when that thing happened...yes don't pretend like you don't know what I am talking about...that thing...

I may seem like I complain a lot, but what you don't see is the smile or grin that comes across my face when things just don't go the way they should. It is weird...and it is something that only started recently. I guess it is my way of looking at the bright side of something, or finding that silver lining

Yes I just quoted myself in my own blog post...but I smiled. I may have even chuckled... it was that beautiful moment when you realize you aren't living, unless you can laugh at yourself. So with that smile on my face we drove off. It was also at that moment when I realized telling someone you are a history major, or researcher, instantly makes people think you know the history about everything. This man started talking to me about Southern history the Anglo-Saxon history....followed by I think Alexander the Great...I mean we covered a lot of history...and while yes I knew a little about each of those things I was no expert.

After what felt like it was a longer trip than the bus ride we finally arrived at the hotel and I basically ran out of the cab. My trip got much better after that. The hotel check-in went very smooth and it is actually a nice place. Very old but I'm not surprised and I kind of like the old look to it. The room is small but just enough room for me.

Here are a few pictures of the place:

Washington & Jefferson College published an article about the Magellan Project, citing a record number of applicants this year! Check out the article and find out more about the Magellan Project and other students' projects! Click Here to read the article. 

Lesson of the day: You aren't living, unless you can laugh with yourself.