The Journey Home

My flight from Lima was scheduled at a very early 7:30am, meaning that I was up by 4 in the morning. After checking in, going through security, and being on our American Airlines flight, I was more than ready to return home. As the plane began to accelerate down the runway and pick up speed, it suddenly braked with a jerk, sending us all lurching forward as we came to a stop and producing a plume of smoke on our right side with a scent of burnt rubber. After taxing back to our gate, we learned that there was a problem with one of the engine's air filters, and would have to be fixed before we left.

All of us 200 or so passengers were herded into a waiting area for more than 3 hours until they fixed the problem and we were able to get on our way. By the time we made it to Miami, my connection to San Francisco had already left, despite my record time of 30 minutes making it through immigration and customs. I went to the American Airlines counter to see what they would do.

As I expected (and needed, as I have exhausted my funds) the airline provided me with a flight the next morning, a hotel room, and a food allowance. For that I was grateful, but did not particularly feel like a valued customer that they were concerned about inconveniencing. The food allowance was only $10 for dinner and $5 for breakfast. I didn't want to seem picky, so I didn't raise a fuss, although I would have preferred to eat something better than fast food after 3 months of traveling, 3 hours of waiting, 6 hours in a plane and spending the night alone in a strange city. (Plus, it was fast food instead of Mom's cooking waiting for me in California that night!)

Unfortunately, my slighted feelings were confirmed by a French tourist who I had talked to on my flight from Lima who was also delayed on his connection to Paris. From our conversation in the lobby of the hotel we were both put up in, I know that he at least received a voucher for dinner and lunch the next day, and that the value of his lunch voucher alone was $20.

Here, I will openly wonder what the basis of American Airlines' system for compensating inconvenienced travelers is. Some differences were clear, but I thought they would not matter: he was from France, I the U.S.; he was in his 50's, I am 24; he was Caucasian, I am African American. I won't be presumptuous enough as to make a guess as to the criterion by which American Airlines used to make their decision for different compensation levels, but I will get an answer from them.

That said, the same patience I needed throughout my time in South America (on buses, in stores, in hotels...) was still needed for the final legs of my journey home and is an important part of what I have gained through my travels over the last 3 months. Along with that, is an appreciation for the increased importance of families and relationships in South America, and the eagerness by which they demonstrated it. Also, I have more appreciation for the order, stability and trust that we have in American institutions, and a better understanding of how our superior wealth comforts all aspects of our daily lives. Of course, my use and comfort with the Spanish language (or castillano, if you will) is greater than it has ever been before, and I have had the privilege to visit some of the most spectacular cities and landscapes in the world in just a matter of months.

To me, it is an enigma as to why the cultures and economics of North and South America, the nations of the New World, are not more closely related and working together. However, after this fulfilling experience, I hope to find more ways of making that happen.