Where to find Aimee:
- Instagram: @vibrancenutrition
- Nutrition Coaching: vibrancenutrition.com
- Podcast on Nutrition: Blasphemous Nutrition
- Substack on Nomadic Life: NomadicNomMom
Where to find Rebecca:
- Instagram and her life in Paris: @beseriouslyhappy
- Podcast for Interior Design-preneurs: Stuff Interior Designers Need to Know
- Biz Coaching for Interior Designers: seriouslyhappy.com
- Book on Interior Design Psychology: Happy Starts at Home
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Welcome to Bonjola, a podcastabout two women, Aimee and
Rebecca, who each moved from theUnited States to Europe to
become expats, Aimee to Spainand Rebecca to France.
We're here to share the highs,the lows, and the logistics of
this adventure, encourage you tofollow your own move abroad
dreams, and remind you thatyou're not alone when the going
gets tough.
Enjoy.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040 (00:24):
Bonjola, Rebecca.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-20 (00:27):
Angela, Aimee,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (00:27):
I haven't talked to you in like
two weeks because I've been overin the States, which we'll talk
about shortly, and you have beenevidently redoing your college
years in Paris, or
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_130 (00:43):
I was never a partier in college,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (00:46):
making up for not partying in college
by doing it in Paris, midlife.
I mean, this is Like, we're,we're all, we're all in Europe
because of our midlife crisis.
Like, let's just call it what itis.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_130 (01:01):
I will say that I am impressing
our mid 20 year old friendswith, or Damian and I both are
impressing our mid 20 year oldfriends by how energetic we are,
but what they don't know is thatit takes us days to recover.
Like you sleep.
The whole next day.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (01:20):
Yeah.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (01:22):
Yeah, it has been a whirlwind.
We are only 10 days intoDecember on the 31st and 1st.
We moved apartments.
Then our friend from way in theway back machine, I think we
talked about him in pastepisodes.
Who loves to party came back tothe town.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (01:40):
like every
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (01:40):
So this time at least I was able to
like emotionally prepare forthis, clear the calendar.
I didn't know which days we'd begoing out, how late we'd be
staying out.
So I just, You know, I nourishedmyself in preparation.
Um, and yeah, it has been awhirlwind.
We, we went out for tapas andthe champagne float flows freely
(02:05):
when this person is around.
And so there, yeah, I made baddecisions that night.
Um, the takeaway, the reminderto everybody is.
Drink water.
If I had just followed my ownrules,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (02:23):
remind yourself of that by not doing
it.
And like, oh yeah, that rulestill applies.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (02:30):
you.
Yeah, it's a really good rulethat we should totally listen
to.
But I had a great time and itwas no big deal.
And I guess the only sad thingis, is that we're not talking
about that much champagneanymore, right?
It's not like, Oh yeah, I wentthrough bottles.
I mean, we're probably talkingone.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (02:49):
hmm.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (02:50):
So the, the, the thresholds are
lower, but we had a great time.
Uh, and then we went out againon Wednesday night to Indian
food there.
We found a really good Indianrestaurant here.
So if anybody's listening andcraving that in Paris, shoot me
a message on Instagram and Iwill let you know where that was
it's Punjab palace in the 15th.
(03:11):
delicious.
Um, then we went to, a clubcalled the Gainsbourg.
He's a famous French singer.
Um, that's a very sexy club.
Love it.
If you're looking for like areally cool kind of like moody
vibe, that's really kind ofclassy feeling, then we went to
(03:34):
Castel.
So Castel is an actual privateclub here in Paris.
And we've been many times.
Our friend Florent sometimesplays piano there.
He is so good.
And there's like a, there's adinner area.
There's a bar area, there's adownstairs dance area, and then
there's a down downstairssmoking room.
(03:57):
And there is no ventilation, soI'm pretty sure I did inhale a
lifetime of secondhand smokejust in the bathroom.
30 minutes that we werelistening to piano playing in
that
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (04:09):
Right.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (04:11):
Um, but I don't know, you know, the
food in France is better.
Maybe the tobacco is cleaner,too.
I'm not one to answer thatquestion.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (04:19):
The European Union does have
stricter rules on additives, sopossibly?
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (04:26):
Still not recommended for your health.
Um, but this particular night,the manager.
Came in wearing a, like a Cirquede Soleil circus, like
ringmaster costume with anentourage of people dressed like
this, apparently they had beenat some party.
(04:48):
And so the place just fills withpeople kind of out of a Alice in
Wonderland, psychotic mushroomdream.
And I could not have beenhappier.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (04:57):
is how I want the entire decade of
my 50s to go.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (05:01):
Yes.
Yes.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (05:03):
100 percent yes.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (05:06):
It was amazing.
Now.
I also, I knew we were going toCastile, so I dressed for it.
I have one dress that I wouldconsider sexy.
I put it on.
I even had to buy high heels,which was not a fun adventure
for reasons I will go into in asecond.
Cause I was very mad at Paristhis week too.
(05:27):
Um, but I, I kind of regrettedmy decisions because I got
flirted with,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (05:35):
Oh.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (05:36):
with by French Men and it terrified
me.
I like, I ran away like a littlerabbit to go find my husband.
And it was fun and it was sillyand it was playful and it was
everything.
You imagine Paris to be in themovies and it was happening in
(05:56):
real life.
And then the next night was LaCoupole, which is the 1920s to
50s big band burlesque varietydance show that we always go to.
And we ended up makingreservations for dinner at
midnight at La Coupole.
The food was actually very, verygood.
So it's not all hype.
(06:17):
And before we did that, Thesethree young French people came
up to us to ask us if there wasa parade.
They'd heard that there was aparade before the show.
We're like, we have no idea.
Well, we ended up talking withthem and one of them, it was one
of their birthdays and we hadone extra bottle of champagne
before we had to go upstairs fordinner.
So we were like, here, have thischampagne.
(06:39):
So again, it was so playful andconvivial.
Oh, it was fabulous.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (06:45):
That sounds amazing.
Oh
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (06:50):
the spectrum, Paris.
Okay, the saga continues.
I still have not applied forhealth insurance.
I finally have an address.
So I've, I've got everythingtogether.
I need to make some copies ofsome papers.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (07:07):
yes.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (07:08):
Okay, I've needed to do this before.
So last time I mapped out twoplaces because I just know
better.
I went to Mock and Print.
Mock and Print was closed for noapparent reason.
I went, no problem.
I have a backup plan.
I went to Office Depot.
It was super easy.
I'm like, cool.
I know where to go for copies.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (07:29):
have Office Depot in Paris?
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (07:32):
Yes, but it's not, it's, it's like
Office Depot from an alternateuniverse.
It's just not quite right.
American.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_0 (07:41):
Disneyland Paris.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (07:43):
Mm hmm.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Like, some things are betterhere.
Like, apparently Zara here ismuch better than Zara in the
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (07:50):
Yep.
Well, Zara is a Spanish company,so.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (07:54):
That makes sense then.
Office Depot is a kind of sadshadow of itself, as is
mailboxes, et cetera.
Don't expect your Americanexperience there, especially
when you think, Oh, I can go getcopies made.
It worked a week ago.
And I showed up at 11 a.
m.
They're open from 10 a.
(08:15):
m.
To 8 p.
m.
It literally says it on threesigns on their building.
It says service non stop.
So they're not supposed to closefor lunch, which is a common
European thing just closed forno reason.
And that happened to me severaltimes this week, and I, I, I did
(08:36):
about have it with Paris.
I, I really, really wanted tofind a closet where I could go
scream at the top of my lungs.
Of course, that would beinappropriate behavior walking
down the streets of Paris.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (08:51):
Yeah.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (08:53):
it's just, and then today we're
trying to get our French bankaccounts.
Uh, we went, we know better,right?
So we went last week and said,we would like to have an
appointment to do this.
So we make an appointment today.
We went for our appointment andwithin 10 minutes, the very nice
man said, Oh yes.
I spoke to my manager and shesays, you need to go do this.
(09:17):
At this other branch.
And he very kindly helped usmake a appointment for two days
from now, where we will go haveour third appointment ask,
please, please, please, will youlook at our paperwork to see if
we have everything you will wantso that we may please, please,
please have a bank account.
The real life of being an expat.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (09:36):
Yes, but I feel that I mean, we'll
circle back around to this whenI speak about my experience
traveling.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (09:48):
You're you're, it's not an experience.
That is a saga.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (09:55):
Yeah, I guess, I guess it is something
else, that's for sure.
Um, but the, the unpredictablenature of living in Europe, I
think particularly as anAmerican, when we just expect
things to be what they saythey're going to be, if you're
(10:15):
going to be open.
open.
If you are allowed to make anappointment at a branch, that
means that branch will serve yousaid appointment at said time,
otherwise why would they bothermaking the appointment in the
first place, right?
These are things we take forgranted in the States.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (10:35):
Yeah,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (10:36):
But I feel like the chaos of living in
Europe really does recalibrate,okay, I guess I can't speak for
you, Rebecca.
I feel.
The chaos of Spanish bureaucracyand living in Spain has
recalibrated my central nervoussystem such that I can spend
(11:01):
three days trying to get acrossthe pond and be like, that
wasn't so bad.
Absolutely.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (11:09):
yes, I would say I 100 percent agree
with you and it still builds toa level where you want to smack
somebody in the face because youkind of end up feeling powerless
and in a lack of control.
But it's, it's.
I can't think of a better thingfor an American to experience.
This is going to sound so selfcentered, but it continues to
(11:32):
remind me that I am not thecenter of the universe.
When you are an American,everything is on demand to the
point where we have The nameKaren to identify somebody who
things didn't happen fast enoughand perfect enough for, and that
(11:52):
is a very American concept.
And of course there's the otherside of it, which is that one
should be able to expect, peopleto follow through on promises
that they make you.
That's not inappropriate.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (12:06):
Yes, and life happens, but I feel
there is a definite wide breadthof acceptance for life happens
here.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (12:21):
Yes, I think you may have exactly
nailed it, I don't understandwhy an entire store with more
than one staff person would haveto shut inexplicably with no
sign on their door.
But, having said that, peoplehere are like, if you're sick,
you stay home.
If you have a baby, you stayhome.
If you, if you have a life, golive it.
(12:45):
I cannot tell you how manypeople I've met lately.
I said, you know, what are you,what are you doing?
Not necessarily what do you dofor a living, but just kind of
what do you do?
They're like, yeah, I don'twork.
And I'm like, but you're 26.
How do you not work?
And they just, the math isdifferent here.
(13:08):
Living your life takes priority.
And I love it.
Like understand, even though Iwant to smack somebody in the
face.
I would not, I wouldn't tradedoing this, but more, I don't
actually want them to changebecause I know all the other
changes that would come withthat.
(13:29):
And that's exactly what I wastrying to leave.
So even though it drives meabsolutely insane, I don't
actually want anything tochange.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (13:40):
Well, you know, I mean, to, it's the
American version of traffic,right?
It's collectively hated.
We don't like it.
I'm sure Parisians don't like itwhen they're going somewhere to
run an errand and the place isclosed, right?
It's collectively a hassle.
But you put up with it becausethat's how it is, just like
traffic.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (14:02):
Yeah, that's true.
Absolutely true.
And because you're gettingsomething in return, right?
Right.
Every single person can gochoose to take.
A bus, but they're not choosingthat because the pain of sitting
in traffic apparently is lessthan the pain of sitting on a
bus.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (14:17):
Well, yeah, I mean, in Seattle, you'll
get the, you get the fentanylfumes on the bus, and takes just
as long, if not longer,
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (14:28):
Well, that's an entirely different
conversation and problem.
So speaking of transportationissues, would you like to tell
us about your saga?
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (14:40):
Yes.
So, you know, cue back toSeptember bout of homesickness,
got tickets for my son and I to,to go to visit family for
Thanksgiving and, um, you know,Shane stayed here and, you know,
we did, a little math and it'slike, yeah, it's been about, two
(15:00):
and a half years since he's hadany time to himself.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (15:04):
Oh,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (15:05):
Yeah.
So I was like, Oh, you, you stayhere.
Like, yes, please stay here andenjoy yourself.
And, uh, let me take the kiddoand let's go see family.
So, um, both of my parents werethere and my sister and I, and
this was the first holiday thatall of us were together in, I
(15:26):
think.
32 years, my sister does notrecall a holiday, uh, cause my
parents divorced when she wasquite young.
So that was like monumental,right?
And dad tried to leave, dadtried to leave my, my sister's
(15:46):
hometown.
She's in Southern Oregon, uh,the, the night after
Thanksgiving.
And the flight was canceled dueto fog.
And of course, if you're tryingto get out Friday, the weekend
after Thanksgiving, everybody'strying to leave town that
weekend.
And so they couldn't rebook himuntil two days later, until
(16:07):
Sunday morning.
And so he got rebooked for thatflight and then Sunday morning,
that flight was canceled.
Dudafog.
And so they rebooked him forTuesday.
Now my father is not one to sitand wait calmly.
He is very, he's gotten very,very good at pretending to
(16:32):
calmly sit and wait.
But inside he's going stir crazylike a caged animal, right?
You know, when, when they start,when they start like rubbing
their nose on the cage andeating, you know, chewing their
hair, scratching their fur off,like I'm imagining, he's just
(16:55):
going nuts because it's a smalltown, there's not a lot to do.
There's not, um, you know, wetook the kids shopping for new
clothes, but, you know, that'snot really like, what a 70 year
old guy wants to be doing on hisweekend, taking the kids clothes
shopping.
(17:16):
So, um.
He did so well, though, at just,you know, biding his time.
But when the second flight wascancelled and they were saying,
we can't get you out untilTuesday morning at 6 a.
m., I'm like, yeah, chances areit's going to be foggy Tuesday
morning at 6 a.
m., just like it has been.
So we ended up getting the lastseat available out of Portland.
(17:39):
And my brother in law drove himto Portland so that he could go
home.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (17:43):
Wow.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (17:45):
um, and that was the Monday after
Thanksgiving and our flight backto Europe was the Wednesday
after Thanksgiving.
And the fog had been bad, youknow, for almost a full week at
that point, but it was only badin the morning and the evening.
So it was like, well, we'll befine, you know, cause our flight
left in the afternoon.
But that day.
(18:07):
The fog never left.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (18:10):
No.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (18:11):
So the minute that our flight was
delayed and our connectingflight in Denver was not
attainable, I was like, okay,we're not going to play this
game.
I know how this is going to godown.
So I had them rebook me.
And this is the abbreviatedversion of the story because
(18:32):
nothing was as seamless as I'mabout to present it.
So I rebooked.
Uh, from Portland.
I was like, here's how this isgoing to go down.
I'm going to leave from Portlandand I'm going to rent a car and
not even play this story becauseyeah, I've already relived it
(18:52):
through someone else's eyes.
I'm fine.
Thanks.
Um, I managed to get the verylast rental car available at the
airport because.
Everybody else, over theweekend, had rented cars to get
out of town when their flightswere canceled and people who had
already rented cars beforeThanksgiving were not returning
(19:12):
them to the airport because theywere dropping them off in
Portland! Yeah,
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (19:21):
But you got
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (19:21):
I did.
I did.
I got the last one on the lot.
Absolute blessing.
And, um, if you don't alreadyknow to do this, super, super
important, take pictures andvideo of 360 view of any rental
car that you have.
Focus on the bumpers, focus onglass, focus on anywhere where
(19:43):
the paint is less than perfectbecause you never know.
When it will come in handy andon this trip it did.
Yeah, the bumper was crackedWhich I didn't catch and they
caught when I dropped it off Butbecause I had taken pictures and
video I didn't have to pay forit
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (20:01):
Oh, good.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (20:02):
Yeah So we drove five hours to
Portland rented a hotel, um,slept about five, six hours, and
then, and then got, got a flightout of Portland.
And there was fog sporadicallyall the way up I 5 throughout
the whole length of Oregon.
When we got to the, um, Hotel,there were two people behind me
(20:26):
waiting to check in.
One guy had been trying to landin Bend, Oregon and couldn't
because of the fog.
So his flight was diverted.
Another guy was, I believe,trying to get to Seattle and he
couldn't get into Seattlebecause of fog.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (20:42):
Wow.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (20:43):
I think it may have been the only
airport in the Pacific Northwestthat one that someone could get
out of.
And San Francisco was havingproblems too, of course, because
it's San Fran.
So
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (20:55):
Yeah.
I mean, you expect it for SanFran, but not for these other
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (20:58):
Yeah, so we left Portland without a
hitch.
Fantastic.
Super excited.
I was only concerned we had atwo hour labor layover in
Chicago and then a one hourlayover in Newark and I was a
little concerned about Newark,particularly because Chicago is
notorious for weather issues.
Um, but the forecast was clear.
(21:19):
The wind wasn't outrageous.
It was like, okay, so thisshould work just fine.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (21:24):
But wait a minute, isn't your, the
one from the East coast, that'sgetting onto the international
flight.
So wouldn't that be a harderlayover,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (21:31):
Yes.
Yeah.
Because Newark to, yeah, it wasgoing to be Newark to Barcelona.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (21:37):
right?
So tell us what
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (21:38):
So, so I land in Chicago, we deplane
and not five minutes after we'vedeplaned, the flight attendant
says, our flight to Newark isdelayed because the FAA tower in
Newark is down.
There are no flights.
(21:59):
Going into or out of Newark atthis time and LaGuardia is full.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (22:06):
Oh my gosh.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:07):
are the odds?
So it wasn't weather, it wastech.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (22:15):
Wow.
And at least it wasn't Chicago's
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:17):
it wasn't Chicago's fault.
No, Chicago.
was fantastic.
We got wonderful Greek salads inChicago.
So my son and I both got ourveggies in and they have wine
bars everywhere.
So, um, that ended up beingutilized as well in Chicago.
But
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (22:34):
You know, people complain about the
Chicago airport, but I alwaysliked it.
I always felt like it had a goodvibe.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:41):
I didn't leave the terminal I was
in, so so I don't really, Idon't know, but there were
sufficient amenities to keep mecontent.
Yeah.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (22:51):
Yeah.
That's funny.
Yeah.
I don't, I mean, I'm not, maybethey have to because of their
reputation for screwing it over.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:58):
Maybe so, maybe so.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (23:00):
All right.
So are you in a hotel now inChicago at this
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (23:03):
So at this point, um, we're still at
the gate, the ticket agent orthe, the, the, um, the flight
attendant was like, here, scanmy badge.
This QR code will take you to.
Customer service.
They will re book your flight.
If you're going to Europe, folkswho are going to Europe, come
here.
Just scan my badge.
You guys are not going to haveany problem.
(23:24):
We have lots of flights.
And for reference, this isUnited airlines, uh, that I was
doing this through.
I booked through Lufthansa, but,um, but my last leg into Oregon
was through United.
And so when that flight gotcanceled, I had to call
Lufthansa and Lufthansa put meon United to get back.
(23:47):
And it was going to be unitedthe whole way, but that didn't
end up happening.
So, uh, very efficient unite.
When I called in and put in myconfirmation number, they're
like, Oh, your flight has beendelayed and you are clearly like
you're clearly in the middle ofyour trip.
And so they put you at the frontof the line.
(24:08):
So there was no long wait on thephone, which was fantastic.
and so I talked to a bookingagent.
I got rebooked on Swiss air fora flight that was leaving.
later, later, five, six o'clock,which is when the United agents
and most of the flights toEurope would be leaving.
And so I got rebooked forChicago, Zurich, Barcelona, and
(24:31):
we would be arriving inBarcelona.
Friday afternoon, and, it waslike, great, okay, good, done,
that was super easy, and, wewent and got food.
And then I got a call from SwissAirlines and they were like, you
cannot take this flight.
This flight is alreadyoverbooked.
I don't know why you were bookedon this flight.
(24:53):
You should not have been.
You need to find a United agentand get yourself on a different
flight because this will notwork for you.
I'm like, okay.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (25:09):
Now, up until now, how was your
temper and how was your son'stemper?
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (25:14):
My kid was freaking amazing.
Amazing.
No tears, no frustration, noruffles.
He had, he's really into BrawlStars right now, which is some
like weird kind of cartoony gamewhere you're fighting, but you
(25:36):
know, with fire balls and weird,weird, I don't know.
It's a, it's a game.
Um, and they had dropped a newupdate or something that
morning.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (25:46):
Good timing.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (25:48):
yeah.
So he was fine, right?
Like all, all limitations on theiPad were off for the day.
He was just like, you know, hewas cool.
He was, he was totally fine.
Um, he was tired.
He was, he was wanting to gethome for sure.
He was kind of over the travelpiece, but he was, You know, he
(26:11):
really kind of did a Britishstiff upper lip and was just
like, all right, well, this is,you know, it is what it is.
No complaining at all.
It was amazing.
I don't even know who this childis, but he's super impressive.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (26:29):
Maybe you should keep
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (26:30):
Maybe I'll keep him.
Maybe he's earned his keep.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (26:34):
So how are you feeling being told
by Swissair too?
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (26:37):
So my initial thought is Um, an
unkind, who is the idiotUnited's customer service agent
who put me on an overbookedflight and why do they let you
even do that in the first place?
But I was like, okay, I need tofind somebody to rebook these
tickets.
It's like, I really don't wantto get on the phone again.
(26:59):
I want to talk to a person.
I want to look somebody in theeyes.
I want to get this done with aperson where we can do a quick
back and forth, right?
Without being put on hold oranything like that.
And so I'm walking around theterminal looking for, uh,
someone at the gate who might beable to help me, or if there's,
you know, a customer servicebranch of United there, there's
(27:21):
nothing.
So I'm like, well, should Ileave the terminal?
I don't really want to, um,Leave and then have to go
through security, but I startwalking in that direction.
This is like well You can alwaystell when you're about to leave
the area, right?
So I was like, well, let's seehow far this can go and O'Hare
(27:42):
is a huge airport.
So we're going through this likeunderground walkway with these
very 1980s fluorescent kind ofcolored to
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (27:56):
Those lights.
It's one of my favorite parts ofthat airport.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (27:59):
That's where I was.And the closer I'm
getting, the further, you know,the, the more we're walking, the
more my gut is like, no, no,this isn't, this is not what you
wanna do.
So it's like, okay, let me calland see if I can get through to
rebook before I get, further.
And again, got, got somebodyright away to rebook.
(28:21):
So I was like, okay, great.
I'm gonna stop here.
We're gonna see how far we cango with this.
And I got rebooked.
On Brussels Airlines, didn'tknow there was a Brussels
Airlines rebooked from Chicagoto Brussels to Barcelona.
It was leaving in two hours andthis agent was very concerned
(28:42):
about our luggage and veryconcerned about making sure that
our luggage was with us.
She refused to book us on aflight that was leaving in 30
minutes because she's like, youcannot leave the airport without
your luggage.
You can't do it.
You can't do it.
And I'm like, that happens everysingle day.
Actually.
So, I, there's, there was a lotof drama for her about it.
(29:03):
A lot of drama.
It was like, if you're in bagsor not with you, the bomb squad
will get cobbled in.
I mean, she didn't say any ofthis, but, but the urgency and
intense Checking in to make sureyou need to go and talk to
somebody and make sure that yourbags get on this flight.
It is so, so important.
You have two hours.
It's plenty of time.
(29:23):
Go find somebody.
They'll print your boarding passand make sure your bags get on
this flight.
I'm like, I'll do itimmediately.
Okay.
It's okay.
I will absolutely do that.
Thank you.
Thank you for your advice.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (29:36):
It sounds like she either just went
through a very, um, intensivetraining on this importance, or
that she just had somebodyeither like shut down the whole
stupid airport because theymissed a step.
Like something feels like itwas, it's fresh for her.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (29:52):
That's a really good point.
Yeah, then maybe that's what'sgoing on.
Cause it was, it was a littleover the top.
I was like, alright, that'scool.
I'll take care of it.
So, that was the fourth andfinal itinerary.
For the trip back.
That one worked.
And, the other thing that Idiscovered is that, you know, so
(30:15):
my next quest, right?
The, the thing I think that keptme calm, cool, and collected
throughout all of this is that Iwas never really more than 30 to
45 minutes away from knowingwhat the next step would be, not
a speculation, not a hypothesis,not a like, well, maybe, but
okay, this is what's next.
This is what's next.
And I think.
(30:36):
Because that's not common inSpain, because that's never a
guarantee that you're going toknow the next step in Spain.
I think that's why I was like,well, this is a fun adventure.
We'll get home eventually.
And I'm a little tired.
My goals were, my primary goalwas not to sleep in the airport
(30:57):
with my son.
My secondary goal was let's makesure the luggage gets to us
eventually, that it doesn't getlost.
I wasn't really, like, attachedto it coming with us, just the
That we knew where it was and itwould get to us.
And, you know, make sure that weare eating regularly enough that
nobody melts down, right?
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (31:21):
Yeah.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (31:21):
And that was about it, right?
Once all the steps were, theurgent steps were figured out.
So when it came to making surethat our bags were going to be
with us and getting the,boarding pass printed again, I
couldn't really find somebody ata gate and we were walking up
and down, but then I did findthe United Airlines club, you
(31:45):
know, when you have the creditcard or you have enough miles,
right?
You have the special club.
So I walked into there and Isaid, here's the situation.
This is what I'm needing.
is that, where can I get thatdone without going out of
security?
And she was like, you do notwant to leave this terminal.
You do not want to have to gothrough security.
(32:06):
No, no, no.
She said, we can do that herefor you.
So, even if you're not a memberof the club, if you pay a fee,
And for United, it was 59effectively.
They have staff there that cantake care of any of your airline
snafu issues while you enjoybeverages, food, comfortable
(32:30):
seating, whatever.
So that's something that I thinkpeople.
You should really keep in mind,especially if you are traveling
with children or you are tired,because it's a place where if
you have a long layover, ifthere's stuff that needs to be
figured out, it's well worth itto just pay the fee and sit down
and have one place where you canrelax.
(32:52):
It's a little bit quieter.
Right.
Um, I did not end up doing that.
She's like, you know, anybody ata gate can do this.
I was like, well, let's see ifwe can find somebody.
And if not, I know I can comeback here and just fork over the
59.
Right.
Cause at this point there wasalready so much extra that was
(33:12):
being spent trying to get home.
and then I did find, I did finda gate agent.
For a flight leaving elsewhereand she was able to print the
boarding pass and directed me tosomeone who assured that our
luggage is tied to ourconfirmation code.
The confirmation code for ourflight stayed the same, even
(33:34):
though all those itinerarieschanged.
And so the bags were stillattached and they knew exactly
where to put them the wholetime.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (33:45):
That's awesome.
And that's a great example oftechnology actually working
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (33:48):
Yes.
Yes.
And when we ended up inBarcelona and picked up our
bags, there, there was a new, anew tag wrapped around, you
know, showing that it was goingto Brussels rather than Denver,
Newark.
So.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (34:05):
It is all an exercise in patience
and in perspective, you know,talking about earlier, how we,
when you get catered to toomuch, you get spoiled.
That's how we create spoiledchildren.
Same thing for adults.
I remember at one of the dinnersfrom the crazy, exciting week
that we had, um, Our friend wasactually supposed to be there,
(34:27):
but he ended up putting theaddress in wrong twice for the
Uber.
So he was like going tocompletely wrong places in
Paris.
And it was sort of a comedy oferrors.
And at first we're giving himcrap for it, you know, but we
finally hook up at the, atGainsbourg afterwards.
And he's like, this has justbeen the worst day of my life.
And I'm so sorry.
(34:47):
And I'm like, Dude, we're justgiving you crap.
Nobody died.
We, we had a lovely dinnerwithout you.
You know, we're sorry youweren't there, but it's okay.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (34:56):
that was the worst day of his life,
he's lived a very charmed life.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2 (35:00):
Ronnie's like, yeah, you're right.
It's not, I think you're rightabout how living here just kind
of reminds you about what'simportant.
Helps you take a deep breath.
Not every day, but a lot moreoften than when you're living a
charmed life.
And I think.
That's why I recommend travel ingeneral, because it isn't easy.
(35:22):
You don't have to expat to giveyourself some anxiety.
You can just take a regulartrip, but it reminds you what
hard really feels like.
It reminds you what you'recapable of handling, and it
helps you practice staying calmwhen there's really no point in
melting down and it won't help.
(35:43):
Anyway, even if you really wantto, and
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (35:48):
It's a, I do feel, you know, it's one
thing that I was really struckby, with some of the, you know,
some of the children in theStates that I was exposed to
while I was there is the evengreater hyperbolic language.
I mean, everything in the Statesis extra dramatic and we speak
(36:09):
like everything is a big deal.
Everything is trauma.
Every, well, I mean, for thekids, they talk about how like,
Oh my gosh, when when he dancedthat way, it was so traumatic.
I'm like, really?
Really?
Do you even understand whatyou're saying?
I don't think you do.
(36:32):
And when everything is thathyperbolic and everything is
that amped up, then the thingswhich are really serious and
which are really legit getdiluted and not taken as, not
taken to be as important as theyactually are.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (36:56):
if you aren't developing the self
awareness and self control totake that calm breath and you
let everything
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (37:04):
Yes.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (37:05):
thick and paralyze you or whatever
happens for you, then when thebig crisis happens, you haven't
actually built the capacity tohandle it.
You, you know, you have topractice being strong, just like
building a regular muscle.
The emotional muscles needtraining too because it isn't
easy to not be a toddler.
(37:27):
I would much rather throw mybody on the ground and flail my
arms and legs and have someoneelse pick up the garbage.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (37:34):
well, I think, but there is this great
infantilization that ishappening with our children.
I mean, in the colleges afterthe election, if classes weren't
canceled, there were safe spaceswhere you could play with Legos
and drink hot cocoa and havecuddly blankets.
And that's not what, that's notactually what we need, that will
(37:58):
not build the resiliency for thefuture generation to deal with
the problems that are going tobe happening at that point in
time.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (38:10):
That's a shame.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (38:11):
It's so many words competing to get
out of my mouth and they're alltrapped in the doorway.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (38:21):
We don't have time today, but on
another call, it might beinteresting to reflect on as
we've done in the past, what didyou see?
How did it feel in the Statesand stuff?
Because, um, you know, itcontinues to evolve depending on
what's happening in the Stateswith each of our trips
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (38:39):
I do have a lot to say about that
because I was in a smallconservative town in Southern
Oregon and Yeah, I do have a lotto say about that actually.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (38:50):
stay tuned listeners.
Well, for today, if you're inParis, quick recap, I highly
recommend Castel, great privateclub.
If you're wanting to dip yourtoe in that world, highly
recommend the Gainsbourg as justa lovely moody, very
sophisticated bar.
Um, Also didn't even talk aboutit, but went to a speakeasy
(39:15):
called the moonshiner.
Very, very, very fun.
And, those are the only onescoming to my mind right now, but
that's a good start andobviously follow me on Instagram
to see what other crazy thingsare up to.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (39:27):
And if you're flying, I will say
United really did an excellentjob.
They are, their planes wereAirbuses, which made me really
happy because I'm rather nervousabout Boeing these days, if I'm
honest with you.
Customer service was excellent.
Um, food leaves a lot to bedesired, but that's the.
(39:47):
Case for any American basedairline in our country.
and don't forget, if you are ina pinch, that club can really
help you out if you're willingto pay for it.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (40:00):
And final tip was, which I think was
a really important one.
Always, always take 360 videoand pictures of your rental cars
because it can really save yourwallet and your butt.
That's it for today.
Our listeners, à bientôt.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_0407 (40:15):
pronto.
We hope you enjoyed this episodeof Bonjola.
If you did, the best thing youcan do is share it with another
person brave enough to moveabroad.
See you next time!
Welcome to Bonjola, a podcastabout two women, Aimee and
Rebecca, who each moved from theUnited States to Europe to
become expats, Aimee to Spainand Rebecca to France.
We're here to share the highs,the lows, and the logistics of
this adventure, encourage you tofollow your own move abroad
dreams, and remind you thatyou're not alone when the going
gets tough.
Enjoy.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040 (00:24):
Bonjola, Rebecca.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-20 (00:27):
Angela, Aimee,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (00:27):
I haven't talked to you in like
two weeks because I've been overin the States, which we'll talk
about shortly, and you have beenevidently redoing your college
years in Paris, or
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_130 (00:43):
I was never a partier in college,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (00:46):
making up for not partying in college
by doing it in Paris, midlife.
I mean, this is Like, we're,we're all, we're all in Europe
because of our midlife crisis.
Like, let's just call it what itis.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_130 (01:01):
I will say that I am impressing
our mid 20 year old friendswith, or Damian and I both are
impressing our mid 20 year oldfriends by how energetic we are,
but what they don't know is thatit takes us days to recover.
Like you sleep.
The whole next day.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (01:20):
Yeah.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (01:22):
Yeah, it has been a whirlwind.
We are only 10 days intoDecember on the 31st and 1st.
We moved apartments.
Then our friend from way in theway back machine, I think we
talked about him in pastepisodes.
Who loves to party came back tothe town.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (01:40):
like every
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (01:40):
So this time at least I was able to
like emotionally prepare forthis, clear the calendar.
I didn't know which days we'd begoing out, how late we'd be
staying out.
So I just, You know, I nourishedmyself in preparation.
Um, and yeah, it has been awhirlwind.
We, we went out for tapas andthe champagne float flows freely
(02:05):
when this person is around.
And so there, yeah, I made baddecisions that night.
Um, the takeaway, the reminderto everybody is.
Drink water.
If I had just followed my ownrules,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (02:23):
remind yourself of that by not doing
it.
And like, oh yeah, that rulestill applies.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (02:30):
you.
Yeah, it's a really good rulethat we should totally listen
to.
But I had a great time and itwas no big deal.
And I guess the only sad thingis, is that we're not talking
about that much champagneanymore, right?
It's not like, Oh yeah, I wentthrough bottles.
I mean, we're probably talkingone.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (02:49):
hmm.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (02:50):
So the, the, the thresholds are
lower, but we had a great time.
Uh, and then we went out againon Wednesday night to Indian
food there.
We found a really good Indianrestaurant here.
So if anybody's listening andcraving that in Paris, shoot me
a message on Instagram and Iwill let you know where that was
it's Punjab palace in the 15th.
(03:11):
delicious.
Um, then we went to, a clubcalled the Gainsbourg.
He's a famous French singer.
Um, that's a very sexy club.
Love it.
If you're looking for like areally cool kind of like moody
vibe, that's really kind ofclassy feeling, then we went to
(03:34):
Castel.
So Castel is an actual privateclub here in Paris.
And we've been many times.
Our friend Florent sometimesplays piano there.
He is so good.
And there's like a, there's adinner area.
There's a bar area, there's adownstairs dance area, and then
there's a down downstairssmoking room.
(03:57):
And there is no ventilation, soI'm pretty sure I did inhale a
lifetime of secondhand smokejust in the bathroom.
30 minutes that we werelistening to piano playing in
that
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (04:09):
Right.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (04:11):
Um, but I don't know, you know, the
food in France is better.
Maybe the tobacco is cleaner,too.
I'm not one to answer thatquestion.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (04:19):
The European Union does have
stricter rules on additives, sopossibly?
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (04:26):
Still not recommended for your health.
Um, but this particular night,the manager.
Came in wearing a, like a Cirquede Soleil circus, like
ringmaster costume with anentourage of people dressed like
this, apparently they had beenat some party.
(04:48):
And so the place just fills withpeople kind of out of a Alice in
Wonderland, psychotic mushroomdream.
And I could not have beenhappier.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (04:57):
is how I want the entire decade of
my 50s to go.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (05:01):
Yes.
Yes.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (05:03):
100 percent yes.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (05:06):
It was amazing.
Now.
I also, I knew we were going toCastile, so I dressed for it.
I have one dress that I wouldconsider sexy.
I put it on.
I even had to buy high heels,which was not a fun adventure
for reasons I will go into in asecond.
Cause I was very mad at Paristhis week too.
(05:27):
Um, but I, I kind of regrettedmy decisions because I got
flirted with,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (05:35):
Oh.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (05:36):
with by French Men and it terrified
me.
I like, I ran away like a littlerabbit to go find my husband.
And it was fun and it was sillyand it was playful and it was
everything.
You imagine Paris to be in themovies and it was happening in
(05:56):
real life.
And then the next night was LaCoupole, which is the 1920s to
50s big band burlesque varietydance show that we always go to.
And we ended up makingreservations for dinner at
midnight at La Coupole.
The food was actually very, verygood.
So it's not all hype.
(06:17):
And before we did that, Thesethree young French people came
up to us to ask us if there wasa parade.
They'd heard that there was aparade before the show.
We're like, we have no idea.
Well, we ended up talking withthem and one of them, it was one
of their birthdays and we hadone extra bottle of champagne
before we had to go upstairs fordinner.
So we were like, here, have thischampagne.
(06:39):
So again, it was so playful andconvivial.
Oh, it was fabulous.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (06:45):
That sounds amazing.
Oh
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (06:50):
the spectrum, Paris.
Okay, the saga continues.
I still have not applied forhealth insurance.
I finally have an address.
So I've, I've got everythingtogether.
I need to make some copies ofsome papers.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (07:07):
yes.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (07:08):
Okay, I've needed to do this before.
So last time I mapped out twoplaces because I just know
better.
I went to Mock and Print.
Mock and Print was closed for noapparent reason.
I went, no problem.
I have a backup plan.
I went to Office Depot.
It was super easy.
I'm like, cool.
I know where to go for copies.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (07:29):
have Office Depot in Paris?
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (07:32):
Yes, but it's not, it's, it's like
Office Depot from an alternateuniverse.
It's just not quite right.
American.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_0 (07:41):
Disneyland Paris.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (07:43):
Mm hmm.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Like, some things are betterhere.
Like, apparently Zara here ismuch better than Zara in the
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (07:50):
Yep.
Well, Zara is a Spanish company,so.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (07:54):
That makes sense then.
Office Depot is a kind of sadshadow of itself, as is
mailboxes, et cetera.
Don't expect your Americanexperience there, especially
when you think, Oh, I can go getcopies made.
It worked a week ago.
And I showed up at 11 a.
m.
They're open from 10 a.
(08:15):
m.
To 8 p.
m.
It literally says it on threesigns on their building.
It says service non stop.
So they're not supposed to closefor lunch, which is a common
European thing just closed forno reason.
And that happened to me severaltimes this week, and I, I, I did
(08:36):
about have it with Paris.
I, I really, really wanted tofind a closet where I could go
scream at the top of my lungs.
Of course, that would beinappropriate behavior walking
down the streets of Paris.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (08:51):
Yeah.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (08:53):
it's just, and then today we're
trying to get our French bankaccounts.
Uh, we went, we know better,right?
So we went last week and said,we would like to have an
appointment to do this.
So we make an appointment today.
We went for our appointment andwithin 10 minutes, the very nice
man said, Oh yes.
I spoke to my manager and shesays, you need to go do this.
(09:17):
At this other branch.
And he very kindly helped usmake a appointment for two days
from now, where we will go haveour third appointment ask,
please, please, please, will youlook at our paperwork to see if
we have everything you will wantso that we may please, please,
please have a bank account.
The real life of being an expat.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (09:36):
Yes, but I feel that I mean, we'll
circle back around to this whenI speak about my experience
traveling.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (09:48):
You're you're, it's not an experience.
That is a saga.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (09:55):
Yeah, I guess, I guess it is something
else, that's for sure.
Um, but the, the unpredictablenature of living in Europe, I
think particularly as anAmerican, when we just expect
things to be what they saythey're going to be, if you're
(10:15):
going to be open.
open.
If you are allowed to make anappointment at a branch, that
means that branch will serve yousaid appointment at said time,
otherwise why would they bothermaking the appointment in the
first place, right?
These are things we take forgranted in the States.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (10:35):
Yeah,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (10:36):
But I feel like the chaos of living in
Europe really does recalibrate,okay, I guess I can't speak for
you, Rebecca.
I feel.
The chaos of Spanish bureaucracyand living in Spain has
recalibrated my central nervoussystem such that I can spend
(11:01):
three days trying to get acrossthe pond and be like, that
wasn't so bad.
Absolutely.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (11:09):
yes, I would say I 100 percent agree
with you and it still builds toa level where you want to smack
somebody in the face because youkind of end up feeling powerless
and in a lack of control.
But it's, it's.
I can't think of a better thingfor an American to experience.
This is going to sound so selfcentered, but it continues to
(11:32):
remind me that I am not thecenter of the universe.
When you are an American,everything is on demand to the
point where we have The nameKaren to identify somebody who
things didn't happen fast enoughand perfect enough for, and that
(11:52):
is a very American concept.
And of course there's the otherside of it, which is that one
should be able to expect, peopleto follow through on promises
that they make you.
That's not inappropriate.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (12:06):
Yes, and life happens, but I feel
there is a definite wide breadthof acceptance for life happens
here.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (12:21):
Yes, I think you may have exactly
nailed it, I don't understandwhy an entire store with more
than one staff person would haveto shut inexplicably with no
sign on their door.
But, having said that, peoplehere are like, if you're sick,
you stay home.
If you have a baby, you stayhome.
If you, if you have a life, golive it.
(12:45):
I cannot tell you how manypeople I've met lately.
I said, you know, what are you,what are you doing?
Not necessarily what do you dofor a living, but just kind of
what do you do?
They're like, yeah, I don'twork.
And I'm like, but you're 26.
How do you not work?
And they just, the math isdifferent here.
(13:08):
Living your life takes priority.
And I love it.
Like understand, even though Iwant to smack somebody in the
face.
I would not, I wouldn't tradedoing this, but more, I don't
actually want them to changebecause I know all the other
changes that would come withthat.
(13:29):
And that's exactly what I wastrying to leave.
So even though it drives meabsolutely insane, I don't
actually want anything tochange.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (13:40):
Well, you know, I mean, to, it's the
American version of traffic,right?
It's collectively hated.
We don't like it.
I'm sure Parisians don't like itwhen they're going somewhere to
run an errand and the place isclosed, right?
It's collectively a hassle.
But you put up with it becausethat's how it is, just like
traffic.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (14:02):
Yeah, that's true.
Absolutely true.
And because you're gettingsomething in return, right?
Right.
Every single person can gochoose to take.
A bus, but they're not choosingthat because the pain of sitting
in traffic apparently is lessthan the pain of sitting on a
bus.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (14:17):
Well, yeah, I mean, in Seattle, you'll
get the, you get the fentanylfumes on the bus, and takes just
as long, if not longer,
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (14:28):
Well, that's an entirely different
conversation and problem.
So speaking of transportationissues, would you like to tell
us about your saga?
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (14:40):
Yes.
So, you know, cue back toSeptember bout of homesickness,
got tickets for my son and I to,to go to visit family for
Thanksgiving and, um, you know,Shane stayed here and, you know,
we did, a little math and it'slike, yeah, it's been about, two
(15:00):
and a half years since he's hadany time to himself.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (15:04):
Oh,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (15:05):
Yeah.
So I was like, Oh, you, you stayhere.
Like, yes, please stay here andenjoy yourself.
And, uh, let me take the kiddoand let's go see family.
So, um, both of my parents werethere and my sister and I, and
this was the first holiday thatall of us were together in, I
(15:26):
think.
32 years, my sister does notrecall a holiday, uh, cause my
parents divorced when she wasquite young.
So that was like monumental,right?
And dad tried to leave, dadtried to leave my, my sister's
(15:46):
hometown.
She's in Southern Oregon, uh,the, the night after
Thanksgiving.
And the flight was canceled dueto fog.
And of course, if you're tryingto get out Friday, the weekend
after Thanksgiving, everybody'strying to leave town that
weekend.
And so they couldn't rebook himuntil two days later, until
(16:07):
Sunday morning.
And so he got rebooked for thatflight and then Sunday morning,
that flight was canceled.
Dudafog.
And so they rebooked him forTuesday.
Now my father is not one to sitand wait calmly.
He is very, he's gotten very,very good at pretending to
(16:32):
calmly sit and wait.
But inside he's going stir crazylike a caged animal, right?
You know, when, when they start,when they start like rubbing
their nose on the cage andeating, you know, chewing their
hair, scratching their fur off,like I'm imagining, he's just
(16:55):
going nuts because it's a smalltown, there's not a lot to do.
There's not, um, you know, wetook the kids shopping for new
clothes, but, you know, that'snot really like, what a 70 year
old guy wants to be doing on hisweekend, taking the kids clothes
shopping.
(17:16):
So, um.
He did so well, though, at just,you know, biding his time.
But when the second flight wascancelled and they were saying,
we can't get you out untilTuesday morning at 6 a.
m., I'm like, yeah, chances areit's going to be foggy Tuesday
morning at 6 a.
m., just like it has been.
So we ended up getting the lastseat available out of Portland.
(17:39):
And my brother in law drove himto Portland so that he could go
home.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (17:43):
Wow.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (17:45):
um, and that was the Monday after
Thanksgiving and our flight backto Europe was the Wednesday
after Thanksgiving.
And the fog had been bad, youknow, for almost a full week at
that point, but it was only badin the morning and the evening.
So it was like, well, we'll befine, you know, cause our flight
left in the afternoon.
But that day.
(18:07):
The fog never left.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (18:10):
No.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (18:11):
So the minute that our flight was
delayed and our connectingflight in Denver was not
attainable, I was like, okay,we're not going to play this
game.
I know how this is going to godown.
So I had them rebook me.
And this is the abbreviatedversion of the story because
(18:32):
nothing was as seamless as I'mabout to present it.
So I rebooked.
Uh, from Portland.
I was like, here's how this isgoing to go down.
I'm going to leave from Portlandand I'm going to rent a car and
not even play this story becauseyeah, I've already relived it
(18:52):
through someone else's eyes.
I'm fine.
Thanks.
Um, I managed to get the verylast rental car available at the
airport because.
Everybody else, over theweekend, had rented cars to get
out of town when their flightswere canceled and people who had
already rented cars beforeThanksgiving were not returning
(19:12):
them to the airport because theywere dropping them off in
Portland! Yeah,
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (19:21):
But you got
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (19:21):
I did.
I did.
I got the last one on the lot.
Absolute blessing.
And, um, if you don't alreadyknow to do this, super, super
important, take pictures andvideo of 360 view of any rental
car that you have.
Focus on the bumpers, focus onglass, focus on anywhere where
(19:43):
the paint is less than perfectbecause you never know.
When it will come in handy andon this trip it did.
Yeah, the bumper was crackedWhich I didn't catch and they
caught when I dropped it off Butbecause I had taken pictures and
video I didn't have to pay forit
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (20:01):
Oh, good.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (20:02):
Yeah So we drove five hours to
Portland rented a hotel, um,slept about five, six hours, and
then, and then got, got a flightout of Portland.
And there was fog sporadicallyall the way up I 5 throughout
the whole length of Oregon.
When we got to the, um, Hotel,there were two people behind me
(20:26):
waiting to check in.
One guy had been trying to landin Bend, Oregon and couldn't
because of the fog.
So his flight was diverted.
Another guy was, I believe,trying to get to Seattle and he
couldn't get into Seattlebecause of fog.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (20:42):
Wow.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (20:43):
I think it may have been the only
airport in the Pacific Northwestthat one that someone could get
out of.
And San Francisco was havingproblems too, of course, because
it's San Fran.
So
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (20:55):
Yeah.
I mean, you expect it for SanFran, but not for these other
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (20:58):
Yeah, so we left Portland without a
hitch.
Fantastic.
Super excited.
I was only concerned we had atwo hour labor layover in
Chicago and then a one hourlayover in Newark and I was a
little concerned about Newark,particularly because Chicago is
notorious for weather issues.
Um, but the forecast was clear.
(21:19):
The wind wasn't outrageous.
It was like, okay, so thisshould work just fine.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (21:24):
But wait a minute, isn't your, the
one from the East coast, that'sgetting onto the international
flight.
So wouldn't that be a harderlayover,
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (21:31):
Yes.
Yeah.
Because Newark to, yeah, it wasgoing to be Newark to Barcelona.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (21:37):
right?
So tell us what
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (21:38):
So, so I land in Chicago, we deplane
and not five minutes after we'vedeplaned, the flight attendant
says, our flight to Newark isdelayed because the FAA tower in
Newark is down.
There are no flights.
(21:59):
Going into or out of Newark atthis time and LaGuardia is full.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (22:06):
Oh my gosh.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:07):
are the odds?
So it wasn't weather, it wastech.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (22:15):
Wow.
And at least it wasn't Chicago's
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:17):
it wasn't Chicago's fault.
No, Chicago.
was fantastic.
We got wonderful Greek salads inChicago.
So my son and I both got ourveggies in and they have wine
bars everywhere.
So, um, that ended up beingutilized as well in Chicago.
But
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (22:34):
You know, people complain about the
Chicago airport, but I alwaysliked it.
I always felt like it had a goodvibe.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:41):
I didn't leave the terminal I was
in, so so I don't really, Idon't know, but there were
sufficient amenities to keep mecontent.
Yeah.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (22:51):
Yeah.
That's funny.
Yeah.
I don't, I mean, I'm not, maybethey have to because of their
reputation for screwing it over.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (22:58):
Maybe so, maybe so.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (23:00):
All right.
So are you in a hotel now inChicago at this
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (23:03):
So at this point, um, we're still at
the gate, the ticket agent orthe, the, the, um, the flight
attendant was like, here, scanmy badge.
This QR code will take you to.
Customer service.
They will re book your flight.
If you're going to Europe, folkswho are going to Europe, come
here.
Just scan my badge.
You guys are not going to haveany problem.
(23:24):
We have lots of flights.
And for reference, this isUnited airlines, uh, that I was
doing this through.
I booked through Lufthansa, but,um, but my last leg into Oregon
was through United.
And so when that flight gotcanceled, I had to call
Lufthansa and Lufthansa put meon United to get back.
(23:47):
And it was going to be unitedthe whole way, but that didn't
end up happening.
So, uh, very efficient unite.
When I called in and put in myconfirmation number, they're
like, Oh, your flight has beendelayed and you are clearly like
you're clearly in the middle ofyour trip.
And so they put you at the frontof the line.
(24:08):
So there was no long wait on thephone, which was fantastic.
and so I talked to a bookingagent.
I got rebooked on Swiss air fora flight that was leaving.
later, later, five, six o'clock,which is when the United agents
and most of the flights toEurope would be leaving.
And so I got rebooked forChicago, Zurich, Barcelona, and
(24:31):
we would be arriving inBarcelona.
Friday afternoon, and, it waslike, great, okay, good, done,
that was super easy, and, wewent and got food.
And then I got a call from SwissAirlines and they were like, you
cannot take this flight.
This flight is alreadyoverbooked.
I don't know why you were bookedon this flight.
(24:53):
You should not have been.
You need to find a United agentand get yourself on a different
flight because this will notwork for you.
I'm like, okay.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (25:09):
Now, up until now, how was your
temper and how was your son'stemper?
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (25:14):
My kid was freaking amazing.
Amazing.
No tears, no frustration, noruffles.
He had, he's really into BrawlStars right now, which is some
like weird kind of cartoony gamewhere you're fighting, but you
(25:36):
know, with fire balls and weird,weird, I don't know.
It's a, it's a game.
Um, and they had dropped a newupdate or something that
morning.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (25:46):
Good timing.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (25:48):
yeah.
So he was fine, right?
Like all, all limitations on theiPad were off for the day.
He was just like, you know, hewas cool.
He was, he was totally fine.
Um, he was tired.
He was, he was wanting to gethome for sure.
He was kind of over the travelpiece, but he was, You know, he
(26:11):
really kind of did a Britishstiff upper lip and was just
like, all right, well, this is,you know, it is what it is.
No complaining at all.
It was amazing.
I don't even know who this childis, but he's super impressive.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (26:29):
Maybe you should keep
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (26:30):
Maybe I'll keep him.
Maybe he's earned his keep.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (26:34):
So how are you feeling being told
by Swissair too?
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (26:37):
So my initial thought is Um, an
unkind, who is the idiotUnited's customer service agent
who put me on an overbookedflight and why do they let you
even do that in the first place?
But I was like, okay, I need tofind somebody to rebook these
tickets.
It's like, I really don't wantto get on the phone again.
(26:59):
I want to talk to a person.
I want to look somebody in theeyes.
I want to get this done with aperson where we can do a quick
back and forth, right?
Without being put on hold oranything like that.
And so I'm walking around theterminal looking for, uh,
someone at the gate who might beable to help me, or if there's,
you know, a customer servicebranch of United there, there's
(27:21):
nothing.
So I'm like, well, should Ileave the terminal?
I don't really want to, um,Leave and then have to go
through security, but I startwalking in that direction.
This is like well You can alwaystell when you're about to leave
the area, right?
So I was like, well, let's seehow far this can go and O'Hare
(27:42):
is a huge airport.
So we're going through this likeunderground walkway with these
very 1980s fluorescent kind ofcolored to
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (27:56):
Those lights.
It's one of my favorite parts ofthat airport.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (27:59):
That's where I was.And the closer I'm
getting, the further, you know,the, the more we're walking, the
more my gut is like, no, no,this isn't, this is not what you
wanna do.
So it's like, okay, let me calland see if I can get through to
rebook before I get, further.
And again, got, got somebodyright away to rebook.
(28:21):
So I was like, okay, great.
I'm gonna stop here.
We're gonna see how far we cango with this.
And I got rebooked.
On Brussels Airlines, didn'tknow there was a Brussels
Airlines rebooked from Chicagoto Brussels to Barcelona.
It was leaving in two hours andthis agent was very concerned
(28:42):
about our luggage and veryconcerned about making sure that
our luggage was with us.
She refused to book us on aflight that was leaving in 30
minutes because she's like, youcannot leave the airport without
your luggage.
You can't do it.
You can't do it.
And I'm like, that happens everysingle day.
Actually.
So, I, there's, there was a lotof drama for her about it.
(29:03):
A lot of drama.
It was like, if you're in bagsor not with you, the bomb squad
will get cobbled in.
I mean, she didn't say any ofthis, but, but the urgency and
intense Checking in to make sureyou need to go and talk to
somebody and make sure that yourbags get on this flight.
It is so, so important.
You have two hours.
It's plenty of time.
(29:23):
Go find somebody.
They'll print your boarding passand make sure your bags get on
this flight.
I'm like, I'll do itimmediately.
Okay.
It's okay.
I will absolutely do that.
Thank you.
Thank you for your advice.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (29:36):
It sounds like she either just went
through a very, um, intensivetraining on this importance, or
that she just had somebodyeither like shut down the whole
stupid airport because theymissed a step.
Like something feels like itwas, it's fresh for her.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_04070 (29:52):
That's a really good point.
Yeah, then maybe that's what'sgoing on.
Cause it was, it was a littleover the top.
I was like, alright, that'scool.
I'll take care of it.
So, that was the fourth andfinal itinerary.
For the trip back.
That one worked.
And, the other thing that Idiscovered is that, you know, so
(30:15):
my next quest, right?
The, the thing I think that keptme calm, cool, and collected
throughout all of this is that Iwas never really more than 30 to
45 minutes away from knowingwhat the next step would be, not
a speculation, not a hypothesis,not a like, well, maybe, but
okay, this is what's next.
This is what's next.
And I think.
(30:36):
Because that's not common inSpain, because that's never a
guarantee that you're going toknow the next step in Spain.
I think that's why I was like,well, this is a fun adventure.
We'll get home eventually.
And I'm a little tired.
My goals were, my primary goalwas not to sleep in the airport
(30:57):
with my son.
My secondary goal was let's makesure the luggage gets to us
eventually, that it doesn't getlost.
I wasn't really, like, attachedto it coming with us, just the
That we knew where it was and itwould get to us.
And, you know, make sure that weare eating regularly enough that
nobody melts down, right?
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (31:21):
Yeah.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (31:21):
And that was about it, right?
Once all the steps were, theurgent steps were figured out.
So when it came to making surethat our bags were going to be
with us and getting the,boarding pass printed again, I
couldn't really find somebody ata gate and we were walking up
and down, but then I did findthe United Airlines club, you
(31:45):
know, when you have the creditcard or you have enough miles,
right?
You have the special club.
So I walked into there and Isaid, here's the situation.
This is what I'm needing.
is that, where can I get thatdone without going out of
security?
And she was like, you do notwant to leave this terminal.
You do not want to have to gothrough security.
(32:06):
No, no, no.
She said, we can do that herefor you.
So, even if you're not a memberof the club, if you pay a fee,
And for United, it was 59effectively.
They have staff there that cantake care of any of your airline
snafu issues while you enjoybeverages, food, comfortable
(32:30):
seating, whatever.
So that's something that I thinkpeople.
You should really keep in mind,especially if you are traveling
with children or you are tired,because it's a place where if
you have a long layover, ifthere's stuff that needs to be
figured out, it's well worth itto just pay the fee and sit down
and have one place where you canrelax.
(32:52):
It's a little bit quieter.
Right.
Um, I did not end up doing that.
She's like, you know, anybody ata gate can do this.
I was like, well, let's see ifwe can find somebody.
And if not, I know I can comeback here and just fork over the
59.
Right.
Cause at this point there wasalready so much extra that was
(33:12):
being spent trying to get home.
and then I did find, I did finda gate agent.
For a flight leaving elsewhereand she was able to print the
boarding pass and directed me tosomeone who assured that our
luggage is tied to ourconfirmation code.
The confirmation code for ourflight stayed the same, even
(33:34):
though all those itinerarieschanged.
And so the bags were stillattached and they knew exactly
where to put them the wholetime.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (33:45):
That's awesome.
And that's a great example oftechnology actually working
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (33:48):
Yes.
Yes.
And when we ended up inBarcelona and picked up our
bags, there, there was a new, anew tag wrapped around, you
know, showing that it was goingto Brussels rather than Denver,
Newark.
So.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (34:05):
It is all an exercise in patience
and in perspective, you know,talking about earlier, how we,
when you get catered to toomuch, you get spoiled.
That's how we create spoiledchildren.
Same thing for adults.
I remember at one of the dinnersfrom the crazy, exciting week
that we had, um, Our friend wasactually supposed to be there,
(34:27):
but he ended up putting theaddress in wrong twice for the
Uber.
So he was like going tocompletely wrong places in
Paris.
And it was sort of a comedy oferrors.
And at first we're giving himcrap for it, you know, but we
finally hook up at the, atGainsbourg afterwards.
And he's like, this has justbeen the worst day of my life.
And I'm so sorry.
(34:47):
And I'm like, Dude, we're justgiving you crap.
Nobody died.
We, we had a lovely dinnerwithout you.
You know, we're sorry youweren't there, but it's okay.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (34:56):
that was the worst day of his life,
he's lived a very charmed life.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2 (35:00):
Ronnie's like, yeah, you're right.
It's not, I think you're rightabout how living here just kind
of reminds you about what'simportant.
Helps you take a deep breath.
Not every day, but a lot moreoften than when you're living a
charmed life.
And I think.
That's why I recommend travel ingeneral, because it isn't easy.
(35:22):
You don't have to expat to giveyourself some anxiety.
You can just take a regulartrip, but it reminds you what
hard really feels like.
It reminds you what you'recapable of handling, and it
helps you practice staying calmwhen there's really no point in
melting down and it won't help.
(35:43):
Anyway, even if you really wantto, and
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (35:48):
It's a, I do feel, you know, it's one
thing that I was really struckby, with some of the, you know,
some of the children in theStates that I was exposed to
while I was there is the evengreater hyperbolic language.
I mean, everything in the Statesis extra dramatic and we speak
(36:09):
like everything is a big deal.
Everything is trauma.
Every, well, I mean, for thekids, they talk about how like,
Oh my gosh, when when he dancedthat way, it was so traumatic.
I'm like, really?
Really?
Do you even understand whatyou're saying?
I don't think you do.
(36:32):
And when everything is thathyperbolic and everything is
that amped up, then the thingswhich are really serious and
which are really legit getdiluted and not taken as, not
taken to be as important as theyactually are.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (36:56):
if you aren't developing the self
awareness and self control totake that calm breath and you
let everything
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (37:04):
Yes.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024 (37:05):
thick and paralyze you or whatever
happens for you, then when thebig crisis happens, you haven't
actually built the capacity tohandle it.
You, you know, you have topractice being strong, just like
building a regular muscle.
The emotional muscles needtraining too because it isn't
easy to not be a toddler.
(37:27):
I would much rather throw mybody on the ground and flail my
arms and legs and have someoneelse pick up the garbage.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (37:34):
well, I think, but there is this great
infantilization that ishappening with our children.
I mean, in the colleges afterthe election, if classes weren't
canceled, there were safe spaceswhere you could play with Legos
and drink hot cocoa and havecuddly blankets.
And that's not what, that's notactually what we need, that will
(37:58):
not build the resiliency for thefuture generation to deal with
the problems that are going tobe happening at that point in
time.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-202 (38:10):
That's a shame.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (38:11):
It's so many words competing to get
out of my mouth and they're alltrapped in the doorway.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_13 (38:21):
We don't have time today, but on
another call, it might beinteresting to reflect on as
we've done in the past, what didyou see?
How did it feel in the Statesand stuff?
Because, um, you know, itcontinues to evolve depending on
what's happening in the Stateswith each of our trips
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (38:39):
I do have a lot to say about that
because I was in a smallconservative town in Southern
Oregon and Yeah, I do have a lotto say about that actually.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_ (38:50):
stay tuned listeners.
Well, for today, if you're inParis, quick recap, I highly
recommend Castel, great privateclub.
If you're wanting to dip yourtoe in that world, highly
recommend the Gainsbourg as justa lovely moody, very
sophisticated bar.
Um, Also didn't even talk aboutit, but went to a speakeasy
(39:15):
called the moonshiner.
Very, very, very fun.
And, those are the only onescoming to my mind right now, but
that's a good start andobviously follow me on Instagram
to see what other crazy thingsare up to.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_040707 (39:27):
And if you're flying, I will say
United really did an excellentjob.
They are, their planes wereAirbuses, which made me really
happy because I'm rather nervousabout Boeing these days, if I'm
honest with you.
Customer service was excellent.
Um, food leaves a lot to bedesired, but that's the.
(39:47):
Case for any American basedairline in our country.
and don't forget, if you are ina pinch, that club can really
help you out if you're willingto pay for it.
rebecca-west_1_12-10-2024_1 (40:00):
And final tip was, which I think was
a really important one.
Always, always take 360 videoand pictures of your rental cars
because it can really save yourwallet and your butt.
That's it for today.
Our listeners, à bientôt.
aimee_1_12-10-2024_0407 (40:15):
pronto.
We hope you enjoyed this episodeof Bonjola.
If you did, the best thing youcan do is share it with another
person brave enough to moveabroad.
See you next time!
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