First, let me apologize for the long wait between blog posts. A few people have reached out asking for an update, so I figured it was finally time to sit down and write.
The morning of our departure started with a knot in my stomach.
I woke up to messages that sirens had been activated across Kuwait. My heart immediately sank. After everything we'd been through over the previous few months, my first thought was, "Here we go again." I just knew the airspace would close before we had a chance to leave.
From the moment we left for the airport until we were finally seated on the plane, I was a nervous wreck. I think I worried so much that I actually made myself sick.
But somehow...we boarded.
Our first flight took us from Kuwait to Cairo, where we had a 13-hour layover.
Before booking, I had heard that passengers with layovers of six hours or more were often provided complimentary hotel accommodations. Since Kuwait was only allowing one regional flight per day, I really didn't have many options anyway, so I decided to take my chances. A colleague had taken this exact route just a few months earlier with her own fur baby, so I felt even more confident that everything would work out.
Then we landed in Cairo.
Imagine my surprise when I was told that I could not receive a hotel room because I was traveling with Charli. I was informed that the hotels used by the airline would not accept pets. I spoke with one person after another and eventually found myself waiting in the transit holding area. I pleaded my case a few times, hoping someone would be willing to help.
Then I was told to wait.
Hours passed - or at least it felt that way. It was probably three or four hours before someone finally came back with good news.
They had found us a hotel room.
I cannot begin to describe how grateful I was.
Our flight from Cairo to Newark couldn't have gone any smoother.
The flight attendants absolutely loved Charli. She received plenty of attention, compliments, and kisses along the way. As usual, she was the perfect little traveler.
We landed back on U.S. soil on Monday, June 30th.
These past few weeks have been filled with family, catching up with friends, and enjoying the little things I had missed while living overseas.
One of the biggest reasons I wanted to make it home this summer was to attend my sorority's national convention in Nashville, Tennessee. It was my first time visiting Tennessee! I had an amazing time meeting and reconnecting with sorors from across the country and globe. Being surrounded by sisterhood again reminded me of how much I've missed attending sorority events. It's one of the sacrifices that comes with living abroad - you gain incredible experiences, but you also miss milestones, traditions, and opportunities to simply be present.
But while we've been enjoying our time here, the conflict in the region has continued to escalate. In many ways, it feels like we're right back where we started. I still find myself checking the news every day and talking with friends and colleagues who remain in Kuwait. As of now, we're still scheduled to return on August 10th. As long as the airspace remains open, that's exactly what we'll do.
This experience has also helped me make a difficult decision. For quite some time, I had planned to renew my contract one more time, which would have kept me in Kuwait until 2029. Now, I think it's time to close this chapter. It wasn't the way I imagined making this decision, but sometimes life has a way of making those decisions for you.
Thank you to everyone who checked in on us, prayed for us, and reached out over these past few months. Your messages meant more than you know.
Here's hoping that when it's time for Charli and me to head back to Kuwait in August, the journey is much less eventful than the one that brought us home.
