Flights and Time Changes

So tomorrow's the big day.  I leave Tulsa International at 3:40 p.m. and arrive in Minneapolis/St Paul at 5:38 p.m.  From there I take a flight at 7:30 p.m. and land in Amsterdam at 10:45 a.m. (their time).  It's about 8 hours up in the air.  My flight departs for Amman at 12:35 p.m. and lands in Amman at 6:30 p.m. on June 15.  That's about 5 hours up in the air.  There's an 8 hour time difference between Oklahoma and Amman.

So for those of you keeping score, I will arrive in Amman at 10:30 a.m. (Oklahoma time) on June 15.  June 15 also happens to be my mom's birthday. The first one since her death.  It could end up being a pretty emotional day, but I'm very sure she would want this for me.  Granted, she would probably think Amman was pretty scary (she watched a lot of FOX news), but she would have trusted my judgment.

Packing

A piece of advice I got about this trip is to pack a couple of days early.  So I did.  This is a photo of the inside of my suitcase as of right now.  I'm very worried about how much this bag is going to cost me.  I will check it in Tulsa, but it's my understanding that it may have to be checked a couple of times on the way there and on the way back.  I also have a pretty full carry on.  I decided to go with a backpack for the carry on.

money, money, money. money.

So I called the bank yesterday after getting the run around from Visa about foreign exchange rates if I use my Visa check card.  Visa would not tell me what their fees were and told me to call my bank to find out what their fees are.  It was frustrating.

So I called BancFirst (my bank).  Ann was very helpful and suggested I get some dinar (Jordanian money) before I left here.  For $217.37 USD I was able to get 130 Dinar.  The exchange rate is about 1.58.  Maybe it's because the money is so beautiful there...

Ann also suggested I get a Visa travel card and put some money on it rather than use my bank card every where I go.  Some other world travelers gave me that suggestion as well.  So today I went to Reasor's and got a Visa travel card.

I planned to buy a phone card today but decided to talk to AT&T first.  (Actually I delegated this task to Gene).  He was told that it would cost almost $3 a minute for me to use my cell phone (even with a calling card).  They suggested I use a landline or Skype.  I think we're going with Skype.  I'm not much of a phone person in the USA; I can't imagine I'll feel much differently over there.

A few gifts...

This a sampling of the gifts I am taking with me to Jordan.

Thank you, Dana Boren-Boer, for the hook up on the NSU gifts:  centennial book; flash drives; pens; lapel pins; and sticky notes.

And thank you, Gregg Simmons, for the giveaways from the Cherokee Nation:  Youth Choir CDs and the tourism booklets.

Sedelta Oosahwee is working with a couple of Cherokee artisans to get me some small baskets and other art.  I'll post photos when I get them.

And while I'm sending out thank yous, thank you to Peggy Kaney and others in the JVL for loaning me a camera for the trip.

Seminar Participants

Participant Roster 

CIEE IFDS Jordan - Middle Eastern Women: Tradition, Development, and Change 

Naima Brown, Sociology  

Santa Fe College / Florida 

Dilene Crockett, Business / Marketing / Management 

Northeastern State University / Oklahoma 

Barbara Johnson, Sociology 

University of South Carolina Aiken / South Carolina 

Amy Aldridge Sanford, Communication Studies/Women's & Gender Studies

Northeastern State University / Oklahoma 

Dawn Nowacki, Political Science 

Linfield College / Oregon 

Maya Sen, Psychology 

Northern Michigan University / Michigan 

Siti Kusujiarti, Sociology 

Warren Wilson College / North Carolina 

Sandra Spencer, Women's/Gender Studies 

University of North Texas / Texas 

Rebecca Ulland, Foreign Languages 

Northern Michigan University / Michigan 

Soraya Mekerta 

Spelman College / Georgia 

Paula King, Academic Affairs 

St. Catherine University / Minnesota 

Martha Hardesty

St. Catherine University / Minnesota 

Charles Rock , Economics 

Rollins College / Florida 

Amy Hamlin, Education 

Winston-Salem State University / North Carolina 

Laraine Wallowitz, Education 

Adelphi University / New York 

Flight preparation

Aspirin and knee highs for circulation.  Amber Cowan told me yesterday about someone she knows who got a blood clot on an international flight.

Hand wipes for quick hand and face washing.  They can also be disposed of in the toilet.  You never know when they may come in handy.  Some stranger at Reasor's told me to pack tp.  I guess this will work.

Wal-Dram because I'm sensitive to motion sickness.  (I get sick in the car between here and Fayetteville).

Emergen-C to build up my immunity before the trip.

Pepto (Sooth) because it just taste so dang good.

I also plan to pack something to knock me out.  Amberdawn also suggests I pack earplugs and a mask.  Stephen says I need a beach towel to cover up with on the plane.  Anything else I'm missing?  I got the flight pillow, passport and other documents, extra outfit, toothbrush and toothpaste.

8 days!

Dilene and I leave Tulsa International Airport next Tuesday, June 14!  It's so close, and I have a lot to take care of between now and then.  Here's a bit of my to do list.

Need to make copies of my passport, flight itinerary, bank card, prescriptions, and insurance for Gene (my husband) and for Dilene (my traveling companion).  If I should lose the originals, I can get the information quickly from one of these people.  I also need to give Dilene my emergency contacts.  I've already given Gene my contact information while I'm in Jordan.

I also need to buy an international phone card and circulation hose for the long flight (Dilene's suggestion). Jenn Martin has also suggested some items for my carry on:  an extra outfit, meds, chargers, baby wipes, snacks, toothpaste and toothbrush, Emergen-C, and a digestive cookie.  (It's been suggested to me that I just try to knock myself out for during the long flight).

While in Jordan, I will need sunscreen, sunglasses, sweater, head scarf, sturdy walking shoes, plug adapter, camera, business cards, NSU branded gifts, and guidebook.

The preparation is a lot of work!  Does anyone else have any suggestions for me?