FLIGHT IS BOOKED

After an hour on the phone last night and another hour on the phone today, I have my flights booked to Macedonia!  Who knew that United Airlines had one of the most tacky "hold songs" I have ever heard!  Really the song wasn't so bad, it was the quality of it that made my ears want to bleed.  It sounded like they had it on full blast, and that the person playing it on the other  line was going through the hills of western Nebraska.  I would have thought it was my phone, but when I spoke to people, the reception was fine.  I don't want to sound like the experience was all horrible, the people on the other end were very kind and helpful, I just could have SERIOUSLY done without the music!

Anyway-  I will be leaving from Lincoln Airport (which was actually cheaper than leaving from KC or Omaha... weird I know).  My flight is to leave at 5:45 AM, Monday September 12th.  From there I will fly to Chicago, then to Pittsburgh, and then Washington DC where I will board the pond hopper for Vienna, Austria which will be a flight of over 4,400 miles!  In Vienna I will board a plane flown by Austria Airlines that will take me to Skopje, Macedonia!!!!  Mind you it will September 13th by this time :)

Once in Skopje, I will have to check in with the Embassy there to let them know I have arrived, how long I will be staying and start my application for a Visa.  In Macedonia you can be in the country for 90 days before needing to have a Visa. 

Booking my flight has really made this all feel much more real! I now have a date that I will leaving. I am really excited for this adventure!  Right now the hardest thing for my typeA personality traits is making sure I have everything planned and ready... Several things like cell phone service, an international bank, all can be taken care of with the university when I arrive, however its hard to not be able to cross those type things off the long To Do list :)