My bag was packed to the brim with more than enough clothes to last me a week in Houston. Even though my bag was completely packed, I was still missing something. Was it the shorts that I put in the washer that somehow weren’t clean yet? Or was it the shoes I ordered in the mail less than a week ago, that won’t get here soon enough for my departure? I waited and waited for the clock to hit three. It felt like I was watching water boil, like I was waiting for my freshly painted appendages to dry, so I wouldn’t smudge them and have to start all over again. Finally, the clock hit three and it was time to meet the rest of the group and head off to the airport.

Before even getting to the airport I was informed our flight would be delayed until 6 P.M. two hours later than our planned departure. Two hours, I can handle two hours. I don’t have to be rushed when going through security. I will have plenty of time to get something to eat, go to the bathroom, and fill up my water bottle before taking off. This is fine. It’ll go by quick. At 5 P.M. I received a text from my youth leader saying that we wouldn’t be taking off until 9:10. Four hours until I take off. That is quite some time for a group of eighteen kids to be at an airport. Luckily for me, I packed cards just in case something like this were to happen, we would have something to do. With a group of ten kids I was already super close with for the most part we began playing every card game known to man. I never knew waiting at a dirty, loud, and chaotic airport I could have so much fun. Time was flying by. It was now 7:30 P.M., now delayed until 9:45. 8:11 P.M, delayed until 10:45. 8:40 P.M., now the fifth time being delayed. I will not be leaving the Minneapolis airport until 11:12 that night. I tried to take a nap but where am I supposed to sleep. On a hard, metal chair, with rips in the cushioning? Or maybe on the floor, with thousands of germs, stains that have unimaginable origins, and people stepping on me. Ya, I think I’ll pass.

Not even an hour later at 9:50 we’re told to make ourselves at home cause we are not leaving until a quarter to midnight and at this point, I am done. I do not care how long the flight takes get me on a plane and out of here. I began contemplating just going home and forgetting about the trip at all. That thought quickly escaped my mind. This trip is going to be an experience I will never forget. It’s almost here. We are twenty five minutes away from finally leaving this airport and I don't think I have ever been happier. I had circles under my eyes darker than the night sky itself. My eyes could barely stay open. It would all be fine once I was on the plane. I could sleep and would be there in no time. 11:20 we were all gathering are things that had become placed in every direction of our gate for the 7 hours we had been abandoned. All of a sudden our phones brighten with a notification that nobody wanted to look at, for the dreaded words none of us wanted to see.

United Airlines: Flight to Houston, TX Delayed until 1:10 A.M.

They’re kidding right. This cannot be actually happening. After the longest two hours of my life, the time had finally come to leave the airport. After almost two hours, which were the longest two hours of my life by the way. It was here. At 12:45 we were called to start boarding the airplane. Never thinking I was going to hear those words over the intercom I gather my things and start boarding. Sitting down in my seat I think about everything that just happened. Did I really just get delayed almost nine hours? What a great way to start a trip. All of a sudden the flight attendants start talking, I ignore them, trying to fall asleep. Until I hear “Sorry folks, your pilots are fatigued and it would be unsafe for them to fly this plane. I am sorry to say, your flight has been rescheduled for noon tomorrow.”

This is it - I am never flying on a plane again. I’m never getting to Houston. Probably should just unpack and live in the airport cause seems to me like I’m never leaving, so might as well get comfortable. We did get mats from the airport that probably haven’t been washed and only God knows what has been on them. All night the intercom was going off, people kept stepping on us, and also taking pictures cause it was so hilarious. Waking back up at 4 A.M. we had no blankets no pillows, take my word for it airports are absolutely freezing. After what felt like an eternity we actually boarded our flight and took off. Everyone on the plane exclaimed with joy that we were off the ground and actually on our way to Texas. As we were waiting to get off the flight I thought about all the good that happened. I played cards with my friends, got to know the people that were in my group that I didn’t know all that well, and I now know the Minneapolis airport like the back of my hand. Being stuck in the airport may have seemed awful in the moment but I am actually really glad it happened because I learned a lot and had fun, mostly, while doing it.

After being in Houston for a few hours and finally regrouping ourselves. It was time to see the crowd of 30,000 people everyone had been talking about. Entering the arena was quite a hassle. Standing in the sweltering humid weather, with sweat dripping down my forehead and hundreds of people surrounding me, for a substantial amount of time. Hearing all types of accents and conversations, not one having to do with the other. Waiting in line was dreadful sometimes. Having the blaring sun beating down on my pale Minnesotan skin with no shade to hide from, and heat waves traveling from person to person. Making my skin feel much hotter than what my iPhone app had predicted it would. Although these lines were painful to stand in, hearing bible school chants shouted from the rooftops of peoples lungs. I realized it wasn’t bad at all. It was right where I needed to be.

Once we finally escaped the lines and sat through a two and a half worship we would get on the buses. That took forever too but what doesn’t on this trip. Making our way back the Marriott our group shoves it’s way through the revolving doors like it’s Black Friday at Best Buy. Grasping onto whoever’s bag is recognizable just so don’t get lost in the crowd. Once breaking through the sea of teenagers. There was another challenge I did not expect. Elevators. I always elevators was a quick and easy way to get from level to level. I have never been more wrong in my life. Thousands of kids trying to squeeze themselves into the elevators. Twenty-two,   people in an average sized elevator. Having to wait and actually get in the elevator took forever. What was even worse was having to stop at every single floor. Waiting for every single stop to let people off was not something that was easy or quick, Especially because my room was on the top floor. Waiting to get on the elevators and then finally getting off took a very long time, but it was also a very fun time. While standing in the elevators waiting to get off is surprisingly where I made the most friends. I had really enjoyable conversations with people. I was very shocked at the amount of information I learned from one elevator ride with a person. I had some of my favorite encounters with people on the elevators. They might have been awful the first night but as the week went on I couldn’t wait to see who I would meet in the elevators.

After finally getting home I realized what I was missing when I packed my bags for my trip. I was missing my patience. I have never been that patient of a person and I am glad I had to deal with getting stuck at the airport for eighteen hours. It showed me that having patience is very important and is key in life. Some of my favorite parts of the trip I would not have been able to enjoy it I didn’t have patience and looking back now I am really glad I did.