First Some Background Info

It was early 2002 and my mentor and bible study teacher, Matt Jackson, had just told our group of college and career adults that he would be moving to Budapest.  He would take his wife, E.B., and his 5 kids, ranging from 1-10, with him to another country.  As he shared this information with us, he put out an invitation to the group.  “Take a year and come with me,” he said.  I answered this call.

I spent several months raising the support I needed to both travel to Budapest and draw a salary from while I was over there.  After several months I had what I needed and I prepared to make the trip to Budapest at the end of the summer.  Matt Jackson was already there and somewhat established.  He would be waiting for me.

Getting Ready To Fly

You must know something about me.  I am a procrastinator, especially when it comes to traveling.  I had traveled a lot for my job at the time, so I was used to being on the road, and used to getting a last minute call to travel.  It didn’t bother me to pack last minute.  However, this was not a week long work trip.  This was a year long adventure and I surely needed more preparation to live overseas in a foreign land.  So naturally, I started packing at 2am before my flight left in the early afternoon.  I really hoped that I could get everything I needed packed.

I don’t remember everything I packed, but I’m pretty sure I had two large suitcases, a carry-on, a guitar, a camcorder, a backpack, and maybe a large box.  I also packed up my computer, which was going to be shipped to me once I arrived and had a place to stay.  After packing for about an hour or two, I fell asleep, and packed all the way up until the moment I had to rush out of the door and drive to the airport.

I got a standby flight from Atlanta to Budapest via Paris.  Michelle was another one from our group who answered Matt’s call, and she went on a flight ahead of me that day.   She connected through Paris, I believe, and was to be on the first flight out from Paris to Budapest.  I was to be on the second flight out and then we would meet up with Matt at the airport in Budapest.  I was so excited that I didn’t sleep at all on the flight.  All was well on the flight to Paris, but then my travel nightmare began.

Charles de Gaulle – Paris, France

I arrived in Paris that next morning, and I had about an hour to catch my connecting flight.  I made a big mistake.  Because I was on standby, I had to gather all of my luggage, including my checked luggage and rush to my next gate.  I was so unfamiliar with the process, and nothing was clearly marked.  Also, because I had so much stuff, I needed TWO carts.  I gathered my things, checked the screen to find my gate, and proceeded to attempt to navigate these carts through The Most Hated Airport in The World.

This airport was a nightmare to find where I was going, but I rushed and made it to my gate.  I checked in with the attendant and waited for my name to be called off of the standby list.  I waited, and waited, hoping to make that flight, but the time came and went, then nothing.  No information, the gate closed up and I was left to wonder what was next.  I checked the board for the next flight.  It was coming up soon but the gate was on the other side of the airport!  I gathered up my things and headed off again.  I had to try my best to jog through the terminal, again, with TWO carts.  I made it to the next gate, checked in again, and once more, I didn’t make the flight.  I was starting to get tired, because I forgot to sleep on the plane, hope was fading, and I now faced my next dilemma.

I needed to use the restroom so bad.  I’ll spare you the details, but this was not going to be a quick trip.  I found a bathroom, but I was confronted with an obstacle.  Actually it was two obstacles.  Two pillars coming up from the floor, preventing any carts from going into the restrooms.  I had to go, but I also didn’t want to leave a $700 camcorder and a $700 guitar, and all my clothes and belongings, just sitting there on the cart, ready to be conveniently rolled away.  I paced back and forth wondering what I should do, I was starting to sweat, and I wasn’t thinking clearly from the lack of sleep.  I decided to leave my stuff on the cart, say a quick prayer to God to watch over my things, and I went in.

I finished what needed to be done and I came back out.  All of my stuff was still there!  What a relief!  Back to the task at hand, I HAVE to get on a flight today.  Michelle had gotten out on the first flight with no problems, and Matt was there to meet her.  I, however, did not make my flight, or the next flight, or even the next flight.  I had now been up for well over 24 hours, with no sleep, no food (the food options in CDG were terrible, but I did have a snickers and a sprite), and now my last chance out of this place was the last flight of the day.  Please God, I need to make this flight!

Ferihegy – Budapest, Hungary

Success!  After a long and grueling day, moving from terminal to terminal with these wretched carts, and stupid guitar, and this camcorder that doesn’t sit right on my shoulder, and my backpack rubbing starting to rub my back raw, I made it.  I am on my way to Budapest.  It’s time to sleep.

Side note.  These were still what I would call the early days of cell phones.  I’m positive that I Nokia bar phone that I could play snake on, and had my service through Powertel.  I could barely make a regular phone call, with what, 300 minutes of cell time?  I didn’t even know what texting was, but if I did, I probably could only send out 20 on my plan.  Anyway, the point is, I had no way of letting Matt know I did or didn’t make a flight.  For all he knew, I could have been laying in a ditch, bleeding out, with these two infernal carts trapping my body underneath them as they squealed with evil laughter.

I land in Budapest, and it is probably about 9pm their time.  Matt is nowhere to be found.  Actually, no one is anywhere to be found.  The airport was practically empty!  I grab all my luggage and head to the main terminal and wait.  What I didn’t know at the time was that Matt had gotten Michelle, drove her home, came back, drove home, came back, drove home, came back and drove home, unsure if I would even make it.

Phone Calls

Because I plan ahead for these occasions, I didn’t have Matt’s phone number, nor his address.  I had an idea, maybe if I call the operator, I can have them look up his number.  Surely his last name, Jackson, would be so unique that the operator could find it for me.  No luck.  Apparently they speak another language!  I have another idea, Matt’s phone number is on my computer at home.  I’ll call home and have my brother, Pat, unpack my computer, boot it up and look up the phone number for me.  But first I need to get a phone card.

I realized quickly that to get a phone card, I needed money.  All I had was some US dollars, which wouldn’t work, and my debit card.  I found an ATM.  I had no idea what the exchange rate was, so I just picked one that looked high enough and got my cash  (I found out later it was probably around $500 that I got out, oops).  I walked over to the counter, where there was one lady in the entire building, and she let me purchase a phone card.

I walked back to the phones, and I make the call.  “Hey Pat, I need you to do me a favor.  I need to get Matt’s phone number off of my computer………….hello?  Hello?”  I guess I bought the world’s worst phone card.  I went back to the lady and bought ANOTHER phone card, this time the biggest one they had, but it still wasn’t that big.  I got back on the phone with Pat.  “Pat, boot my computer, look in this folder, get Matt’s contact info.  I’ll call you back in 10 minutes.”  *click* I hung up the phone and waited, hoping that was enough time and then I called back.  Pat answered and gave me all the information I needed.  I tried calling, but my phone card was out again.  Where is the lady?  At this point, I was feeling discouraged, but after years of traveling for work, I was confident that I would be OK.

My First Night In Budapest

So I resigned myself to calling a cab, getting a hotel room, and figuring it all out in the morning.  I was so tired.  Tomorrow would be a new day with fresh hope, but even still, I really hope Matt walks through those sliding glass doors.  I gather up my things and head to the exit, and guess who shows up.  Matt Jackson!  He had debated about coming back for this last flight, but decided last minute that he better come back to the airport to at least check on last time.

We headed back to his house where E.B. had prepared a bed for me in the basement.  The house was in a suburb of Budapest in the town of Erd.  I was welcomed into their home, but it was late in the evening.  The kids had gone to bed and everyone, especially me, was ready to turn in for the evening.  My room was dark and unfamiliar, but the bed had a comforter that was heavy and reassuring.  I laid my head on the pillow, recounted the days events and slowly drifted to sleep.  My fresh hope had come early, and I slept like a baby.  This was my first night in Budapest.