Adding Insult to Injury

April 19. 510pm, Casablanca time.

as if forgetting my passport was enough to make my trip to morocco a very eventful one, another blow came. a real injury! i was waiting for my flight going to Tangier via Royal Air Maroc, in gate 9B as stated in the ticket. the flight was at 505pm, I was there at the gate as early as 3pm. at 445pm, people started lining up. i lined up, but the person in-charge, when he saw my ticket, said that the line was for Marakkesh. I asked where is for Tanger. He motioned me to ' just wait'. I sat down at the nearest bench, i waited for another 5 minutes. they kept calling ‘Marakesh! Marakesh!’.

I thought, 'how come they are using 2 flights for 1 gate? how unlikely?' i felt something is fishy. so i asked the person beside me, she said she’s going to marakesh just waiting for the line to shorten. i asked another girl, but she can barely speak in English, but she kept blaberring somethng but can't figure out what she meant. i showed myt ticket to the guard, he pointed me to the the same person at gate 9B. i asked the guy-in-charge again, and showed him my ticket. He said wait, and then cupped his hand on his ears to tell me to listen to the announcement.

i spoke to an airport staff who was walking at the gate, and showed him my ticket. he pointed me to the same guy at 9B. so, i approached the guy again, this time it’s already 510pm. And he said, ‘plane left’. "What?!#$% are you joking???? What happened? How come the call for tanger was not made? I was here, since 3 pm, and asked you 3 times, and now you are telling me the plane left?" i didn't know anymore if he understood what i said, but i just can't stop myself from talking and shouting! i know, i didn't handle my act well at that time! i've been up 17 hours earlier, i was left by the plane, and nobody understands me! I really blew my top!

i kept arguing with the guy, raising my voice to level i do not usually achieve. my heart was pounding so hard, i could barely catch my breath! my voice was tweaking already from a mix of exhaustion, frustration and anger! we went to the airline manager, and filed a complaint! finally, someone speaks good english! but still, too late a hero... the plane left!

i broke down and cried while talking to my boss, telling him my unfortunate plight while i lined up to get the next flight, which is in ....the next 6 hours! the guy at the counter tried to console me. ‘please don’t cry miss’. i told him I am still enraged...

after getting my ticket, and complimentary meal stub, i walked aimlessly. i have another 6 hours to burn. what do i do? with the airport so small, i've mastered the gates already. i knew it like the back of my hand! later, a girl approached me. i learned that she had been offloaded too. whew! heaven-sent!

we had coffee. we went to duty free shop. we had dinner together. in between those stuff, we have explored already each others' worlds—hers, in Germany and Tanger, and mine, UAE and Philippines.

later, while waiting still on one of the seats and with my new friend taking a catnap, the guy i fought with approached me. he told me (in broken english) that the what happened a while ago was the gate for Tanger was changed. the announcement was made in french and arabic, so it was not my fault. oh well, i’ve exhausted my anger already a while ago, so i just shrugged off my shoulders, and thanked him for the info. too late... the damage has been done.

i've missed one workshop day because i forgot my passport. and now, i've missed our evening activity because i missed my flight. the other delegates waiting for me may either get angry at me, or take me as stupid, or i'd be the butt of joke when i meet them. am i ready for any of these? or even, ALL of these?