Posted on 22nd January 2024 above the clouds
Diary entry 3: "Above the clouds":
It's hard to believe, but after a long period of abstinence, I'm flying again today for the first time. I'm writing this diary entry directly on the plane on my way from Spain to Germany. ✈️
I've been feeling very excited for days because it was more than uncertain whether I would be able to make the trip at all. Anyone who has read or heard my previous diary entries will know that my economic situation is catastrophic after I innocently lost my job some time ago. 🙄I've hardly been able to afford the little things in daily life for a long time now. I have to turn over every cent 10 times before I spend it. My landlord has therefore been deferring my rent for a long time.😓 He has known me for many years as a reliable tenant who takes care of everything and has always paid on time. Fortunately, he hasn't forgotten that and so he's patient. I can only occasionally keep the debt to him within reasonable limits - with the help of a few very kind people. 🥰But it has to be said: the debt limit is high...sigh.
So far, my countless efforts to apply for jobs have yielded nothing. 🙇🏼♀️Allerdings I'm glad that I got a job to create 2 websites. They're not particularly well paid, but I was happy to get something in my specialised field at all. After all, I also need money to feed myself and my animals as well as the normal additional costs that everyone has to bear.
The client of the websites then had the idea that I could go to a trade fair in Germany as a representative for his company. He would cover the travelling expenses. 💰I wasn't sure whether I should do it, because I wouldn't be able to travel just because of the reimbursement of travel expenses. 🤷🏼♀️ Important would of course also be paid for my time. However, for me, travelling is also a chance to meet old or new contacts in person and try to get a job offer or orders for marketing.
After many tough negotiations, the client of the websites finally paid for part of the trip and I had to see how I could get the rest together. Luckily, 2 Barbonauts helped me at the last minute with generous donations. 🤩Uff! I wouldn't have been able to fly otherwise, because the accounts are empty! 🕳️Es I hadn't even been able to get some important medication to take with me on the trip...
My animals also need to be well looked after in my absence and that also costs money!
My nerves were on edge! 🙈
But as I said, it worked out at the last second. My dear helpers sent me the urgently needed donations by express mail and so - contrary to expectations - I was able to start packing my bags yesterday.🧳
It was all incredibly stressful, starting yesterday and continuing today. Just in time for Monday morning, the money was finally credited to my account. Before that, I only saw it in the pipeline without being able to get to it. That feeling of travelling a long way the next day and not being able to access the money is terrible. 😓But as I said, this morning, just before I had to leave for the airport, the money was credited to my account - HALLELUJA!
I started the day with much more relief, but it was still stressful. I don't want to list everything that was going on. In any case, I was late getting out of the house. Despite the time pressure, I quickly stopped at a hill and gave my little friend Hasi enough food. 🐰Yes exactly, Hasi is a little rabbit who was abandoned there along with other munchkins. He is the last survivor and I feed him regularly. I told him that he has to organise it now because I won't be home for another 5 days. He nodded, but whether he'll stick to it is another question.
After that I drove to the airport with screeching tyres.🚗 Luckily it went smoothly. No traffic jam. I just hope I don't get a speeding ticket....
When I arrived at the airport, everything went well at first. But then: I had to take my boots off at the security check. And that's how the mishap happened: the zip broke. 👢Two nice ladies from security immediately came to 👮🏻👮🏻und and tried to help. It was really cute. The Spanish are always incredibly helpful! One lady went and got a pair of pliers and a large paper clip. Then she "operated" on my boot. More security staff arrived and so my boot drama suddenly became a general task. After 10-15 minutes, I said that I had to go. The flight was leaving soon and it was still a long way to the gate. So we just held the boot together with the paper clip 📎above. But because the material of the boot was extremely soft, it slipped all the way down. The other one stayed up as normal. One of the ladies laughed and said that it was something special and looked very modern. 😅
In this outfit, I made my way to the endlessly distant gate. 🙄The clamp kept opening for me though and so I struggled not to trip over my own legs...I'm sure it was written on the board in C64 is boarding. After a long walk I finally arrived in front of it and was surprised that I had to go through an extra passport control. It seemed strange to me, but oh well. 🤪After the checkpoint, I finally saw a board again. But now it said C54! Oh dear! 😮Because I only had 10 minutes until boarding. So I went through passport control again and continued with my broken boot to gate C54. I arrived there at the last minute. Incidentally, I would have flown to the USA on C64 - laugh!🇺🇸
Someone said to me, that's like pretty woman. She also had a broken boot and had to fix it with a safety pin. I laughed and said that I needed such a great twist of fate for me too!
Completely relieved, I fell onto my seat💺 on the plane and texted my good friend Rita. I told her about my action, sent a photo of the boot and wrote: "...when impoverished people take a trip!" Her reply was: "Oh dear! But I have just transferred € 1000 to you. I really feel for you and your terrible situation!"💰
I was so gobsmacked and overwhelmed. She said she was moved by compassion. She can see how I'm constantly struggling.🥰
That was a really great last-minute twist. I was so grateful, because at least it made travelling easier so that I could concentrate on the things that would soon be important.🤗
I wrote this diary entry during the flight. Now I'm about to land and I'm curious to see what else happens during this trip.
Am meisten freut mich aber, dass ich endlich wieder geflogen bin...denn Ihr wißt ja: „Weil wir fliegen können.“ ;-)
Fortsetzung folgt
Thanks for reading! By the way, you can listen to the story again in my free podcast "Arsch statt Hirn", which you can also listen to and subscribe to on my website or on Spotify.🤗
I am very happy about every like, every nice comment and every recommendation! Also feel free to visit my social media channels "Space-Barbarella" on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, X, Youtube and Threads. The shop needs to get going now. You can help me and my many rescued animals 🙌
THANK YOU! 💋