how not to get deported

If they make one thing abundantly clear at Fulbright orientation, it is that you can not overstay your visa. The thing is, when you enter the EU as a US citizen, you get an automatic 90 days to stay, travel, visit, etc. If you stay beyond that (say, for 2 years), you have to have a visa. But more likely than not, your visa will have an expiration date on it - the day your job, education, internship, etc. ends, and on that day you have to leave. Not just the country, but also not the entire EU, you just have to make it out of the countries that make up the Schengen Zone (basically continental, western Europe). 

They always stress the fact that you have to leave by the day your visa expires. Even one day after and you could be in serious trouble. Of course, I've also had plenty of friends who've over stayed their visas by quite a bit and had no problems. So basically, it's all hit or miss, but when push comes to shove, you're not really allowed to. 

Even though my visa expired on July 6, but I was determined to hold on to Europe till the bitter end (I didn't move home until 3 days before the semester began), my plan was to escape to Shahida in Scotland then return to Germany as a "tourist." The plan was to fly straight from Italy to Edinburgh on what I dubbed "deportation day" (no really, it was labeled in my calendar). Not returning completely home after a visa expires, though an accepted method, is still frowned upon. However, when I saw that flights the day after deportation day were about 30€ cheaper, I decided one day couldn't hurt - especially not leaving from Italy, they're really lax people, right?

What I didn't take into consideration was that I'd have to make it through 2 airports on the hopes that no one noticed/cared, as I had a layover in Mallorca. I figured they'd be just as relaxed as the Italians, being a nice vacation Island and all... also, my visa was all in German, and even though dates are in numbers, I was hoping coming across words like "Aufenthaltstitel" and "Aufenthaltserlaubnis" would scare them away from really checking. 

Things I didn't take into consideration: when you fly Ryan Air, regardless of the fact that you're traveling within the EU (where they don't normally check passports), if you're not an EU citizen, you have to have your passport checked. Also, German words don't scare the people of Mallorca as that is the main travel destination for vacationing Germans. So much so that it's often referred to as the 17th German state. 

So when I arrived in Mallorca with 2 hours less than intended because of a last minute rescheduling (thanks, Ryan Air), I was already flustered about missing my next flight to Edinburgh. So I ran to passport check, and that's where the shit hit the fan. 

It was one of those situations when they asked me if I was in the EU as a resident, where I didn't know if a simple "no" would be a quick get away or a sure fire ticket to trouble. I'm still not entirely convinced this was the right decision, but having never been asked that question before at the Ryan Air passport check, I panicked and opted for honesty - "Yes, the visa's in the back" - Hoping they wouldn't really look at the date, or figure that it was just one day so who cares. But when I saw her start counting the days on her fingers and I immediately knew I had picked the wrong answer.

"This expired yesterday." Not even a question. 3 words. And then the worst case scenarios started flashing before my eyes:

Calling Shahida from the US telling her I had been redirected from Edinburgh because of an over-stayed visa

Calling my mom from the Atlanta airport. Surprise! 

Having to pay exorbitant fees.

Being black listed by the EU from ever returning. 

Something involving a plot very likely to appear on Locked Up Abroad

At this point, I decided honesty had failed me and started going for anything that sounded good "I'm flying straight back to the US from Edinburgh! I got a connecting flight from there because it was cheaper! I'm going to miss my flight (which was kind of true)." Whatever conversation occurred between us next is all a blur by this point, the next thing I really remember: she discusses the situation in Spanish with her coworker, stamps my ticket as being checked, and without another word sends me on my way. 

For all I know, she stamped my ticket with "detain this person upon arrival," but nonetheless I ran to my gate with an overwhelming sense of relief. Now I just had to make it through the real passport control in Mallorca, arrival passport check in Scotland, leaving Scotland and arriving in Germany.

And I did make it, never to be almost detained for breaking international law again. 

3, 2, 1, blast off!

Ok, ok, I didn't fly around Europe in a rocket ship, but I feel as though the saying is still appropriate for the madness of my big July travel itinerary. 17 days, 4 planes, countless trains and busses, opposing extreme climates, and one carry-on suitcase. 

You may remember bits and pieces of news from my whole Project Urlaub endeavor, but there are a number of stories that were not able to be told via an iPhone and Instagram. 15 to be exact. From Rome to Edinburgh, with sunburns, good food and great art, deportation scares, flat tires, and unbelievable views... it all started with a plane ride with Matthew Boyle*

*where he stole the window seat then slept through almost the entire flight. Jerk. 

9 hours at 35,000 feet

Let's start this one off with a very general statement: I love flying. 

I enjoy my little seat, tray table, and tiny window (I'm a window seat kind of girl). And the longer the flight, the better.  So the fact that in the past year I've been on 5 international flights of about 9 hours each has been no problem for me.  And my flight back to Germany two weeks ago was no exception, even though it was only with Delta (I mean, Delta isn't bad, but my favorite airlines that I've flown before are KLM and British Airways). 

As many of you will know, flights these days are always packed to the brim. There is usually not a single empty seat, and a handful of people left at the gate who were hoping to be fit in. So as I took my seat, that old shimmer of hope of having my own row didn't even really come to mind. As the seats around me filled, I was joined in my row by a high school girl going to visit friends, and across the aisle an obnoxious graduate student who wouldn't stop talking. After it came out that he was a Florida student, I was a little less surprised by his creepy and inappropriate flirtations with a girl 8 years younger than him. Of course, once the inflight movies started, I would be able to plug in and block out their small talk for the rest of the ride. 

But just as we headed to take off, I started to notice quite a few empty seats. And hark, yonder across the plane and one row up an entire two seat window row was completely empty! So as soon as the seatbelt sign went off I headed for the flight attendants: "If there is an empty seat, is it ok to change?" "Oh honey, if no one is in the seat, you can sit where ever you want."

Done and done.

So for the remaining 8 and a half hours I got to enjoy my mini-pretzels and ginger ale (my favorite airplane combination since as long as I can remember) stretched out over two seats all to myself. 

And one thing I do love about Delta flights is their inflight trivia. I mean, I love trivia in general, but inflight trivia is pretty awesome because you play against the other people on the plane. For the most part I think it was between me, 21F and 32A. 

But even without the movies and pretzels and trivia, I'd still be pretty happy just enjoying the view out my tiny window. Especially getting to see sunrise at 35,000 feet. You have to admit, it's pretty cool. 

the art of leaving

I would like to dedicate my first post to the man who checked my bags.

I had already paid an extra $50 to bring a second bag (you're only allowed one), each at a weight limit of 50lbs. Anything above that would result in a $150 fee! After packing and repacking all night, slowing convincing myself I don't need this jacket or that soap, my bags weighed in at an unfortunate 56lbs and 53lbs. So there we were, my mom and I, on the airport sidewalk -- toss the mac and cheese; keep the horn, but lose the mute; move some magazines to my carryon... in our struggle one of the street check-in men came over to see if he could help. He carried the bags over to his scale, now weighing 51lbs and 52lbs. A total of 3lbs over! So he says to me "normally I would say just put all the extra weight in one bag, so it's only $150, but I'll take care of you." He printed my boarding pass and sent me on my way without a single fee. So if that's any sign for what's to come this year, looks like it's all gonna work out!

Now I'm just sitting at the airport, broke down and bought internet because I have about 2 hours to kill...

I'll land in London at 7am local time (2am EST) and have about 5 hours to kill before catching my train to Edinburgh. The train is another 4.5 hours, getting me to Edinburgh around 6pm. Putting my total travel time at a grand total of 20 hours (25 if you count from when I left Athens). I think I'll sleep well.