Alfa, Bravo, Charlie... Favor

CAUTION TO THE READER: BE PREPARED TO READ! GOOD STUFF THOUGH>>>

Firstly i just like to thank everyone that stood for me and prayed for me on that fateful day i boarded 2 planes and stayed up 32 hours. Seriously, you are about to see everything you've prayed for unfold and i cannot tell you how grateful i am to all the faith and support from you all to get me where i am now.... (which is my little flat above the church and i am typing away at 5 in the morning on my petite bed with the best smelling sheets ever!)

So here we go (This first part of my trip is actually coming from me actually on the plane to Minneapolis, my computer died otherwise i might have used the airplanes wi-fi to write this, but instead i just jotted it all down on my phone) :: Writing from the girl with an eternal headache since take off, here i am listening to my iPod, reading my new book from Costco (which i can't tell you what the story is about...because it told me not to..no joke), and writing my thought on my phone so everything is quite genuine and up to date. Sleep was almost implausible and impossible last night (sept.12 night before take off) my mind wouldn't stop wandering. But here i am on my flight to Minneapolis ST.PAUL airport. So far, people have been really friendly and quite open to a bewildered teenager travelling alone internationally for the first time. Anyways, boarding time was about an hour ago, right now they just gave us the okay to turn on our electronic devices, so let me tell you how much your prayer went to work for the rest of my flying experience... Being the last person to board the plane (on a full flight) you can instantly understand perhaps why i might be panicking especially when the flight attendant with blonde hair and a raspy voice comes to the last ten people in line and exclaims, "we are full, your bags will have to be checked and flown to your final destination, sorry." and here's what i'm thinking... "CRAP! ZUT! DARN! WHAT AM I GONNA DO!?" basically this meant that my carry-on and my two other suitcases with everything are going to be in France before me (if i do not make the next flight from Minn. to CDG) So what is a girl supposed to do, but to conform, not argue, smile and be okay with it and hope for the best right?....
 AH! but wait!
YES! here comes the redemption part that everyone waits for in a typical romantic comedy....
as i boarded the plane, the lady handed me the sticker for my carry-on to be checked, but just as i was about to hand my luggage over to the worker in a bright orange construction vest, Niko, the flight attendants' manager yells out, "wait a moment!" Up in front of the cabin of the airplane there are a few cabinets available just for the carry-ons of the flight attendants, so he opens one of the cabinets, that looks to be a small closet for jackets and such, and tries to put my carry on in the closet...its a no-go, it's not fitting. Oh well that was a tease! But then he opened yet another cabinet to find a perfect spot for my carry-on right in front. One of the flight attendants walked by and said, "Wow, that's like first class service right there." Kind of funny, cause i was just a stand-by body. Now, tell me how you can think this wasn't God and just coincidence?! I mean come on! I've never experienced so much favor travelling before (granted i hardly ever traveled before this but still). But it was all of you standing and believing for my flights and favor to France. Seriously, i owe it all to you, and God of course, but thank you from the bottom of my heart for praying. You made my flight experience completely a breeze and now look where i am! And perfect timing for everyone!

So now it's a tad later i exited the plane and stepped on Minnesota ground for the first time, it's a beautiful airport indeed, very clean and tidy, not too intimidating but i did have a little trouble finding my next gate, was all the way down at one end and then realized it was completely the other way. I am here at gate GB and GA waiting ever so patiently for my next fated flight.... 3 hours couldn't come any sooner.

TO BE CONTINUED (NEXT POST: JE PARLE FRANCAIS, MAIS JE SUIS AMERICAIN)

The Waiting Game..

The day before the take off, surprisingly the anxiety hasn't set in. (seeing as though i haven't stepped on board a plane in like 5 years) But who can have anxiety when you're about to go fulfill the biggest dream of your life (so far)? Maybe it'll hit me when i board the plane or maybe when i finally land. Who knows, either way it will hit me.
So I've pretty much packed up everything i need, now it's just the waiting game....Wondering will my flight still work out? What if i miss my flight? What happens if i have to stay overnight on my layover!? All these questions are simply answered by: Faith. Obviously from the get-go God has had his Divine hand in every part of this adventure so far, He has the perfect time frame for everything. So i guess there's no need for me to panic, right?

Last night, i spent some time with my close family and friends, for a Taco night (tacos are indeed my most favorite of dishes to eat). Can i tell you how blessed i am to have these people in my life? Without them i would not be the person i am today, they have added so much joy in my life and have always been supportive of every move i've made. Being with them last night, it didn't feel so much like i was leaving them behind, more like a celebration of taking them with me.
Then, my two uncle's, from my mom's side, came to visit me today to say their good-byes, as parting gifts they brought me Dramamine and Airborne. The perfect parting gift, i will definitely need that.
This is just a little side note, and i'm going to treat this blog sort of like a journal, so i'll be real and share my feelings.
I'll keep you updated on the flight :)
TTFN

Pilot

Well hello there

Most of you stumbling about this page and these posts already have a knowing of my existence and/or know me quite well. For the others that found this page by wit and chance, hi. I suppose an introduction is in order then, My name is Eden Soderwall, I've just graduated from high school and instead of going to college, i am going abroad...to Normandy, France to be exact. I leave Tuesday, September 13th on a 14 hour flight to my new home.  I am being sent on a journey to a new territory and new place in God that i will never have experienced before. I am not going to school during my stay there, but i am joining a church that has so graciously accepted me into their interning program and thus i will stay with them for a year... (No, i'm not becoming a nun)

I started this blog in order to share my journeys and experiences, living on my own, with my loved ones back at the homestead. On the way i'm going to tackle the very barriers that most travelers will face--the language-- as well as food and culture differences. So, you might want to keep updated seeing as though, these posts will get really interesting, really fast. I'll just put it that way. 

I'm really excited my dream is coming true, I've been wanting to go to France since Freshman year. And the fact that i am young and have been presented an opportunity such as this is one that certainly cannot be ignored. I'm about to go through some pretty crazy experiences. I'm ready... 

I'll keep you posted. :)