Email about Day 1 of Army Training

Hello All!

I just wanted to establish a group email so that I could update everyone all at once with how Nick and I are doing. Feel free to forward this to anyone who asks!

We just got into San Antonio today, it was only upper 90's today, so not too bad. We got here around 11:30, and went to pick up our baggage. After we had been standing there staring at the carousel while it carried the same three bags around several times, Nick stated that he hoped the airline hadn't lost our luggage. I reassured him by pointing out that over half of our flight was still standing there in the same fashion. Almost as if on cue to prove me wrong, the loudspeakers then announced that this was, in fact, all of the luggage from flight 555, and if we did not have our luggage, we should make a single file line to baggage claim, and they will deal with us one by one. So, around half of the people on flight 555 headed over and formed an orderly, disgruntled, and long line. Apparently, the pilots of flight 555 didn't notice that the plane was several hundred pounds lighter than it should have been, and the people loading the plane weren't too perplexed by all of the empty space, go figure.

Anyways, after waiting in that line for an hour, we finally reached the front, and gave our claim, only to be told that the next flight from Dallas had already arrived, so it would really be better if we just sat and waited for our luggage to show up. Which we did. Then we walked over and waited for another half hour to get on a very warm school bus. Then we arrived at the hotel on base at Fort Sam Houston, where we waited, in line, outside, for a little over 5 hours to get our room assignment. (This was not a pleasant experience... in our rush to get to the plane quickly this morning we had very little to eat, lunch was lost with the baggage, so we were hot, hungry and one of us was pretty grumpy). However, we survived and got to know some of our fellow students, and most importantly, NICK AND I WERE PERMITTED TO ROOM TOGETHER!! :) Which was very exciting!

After all of that excitement, we simply got to our hotel room (with two twin beds... I miss the Hilton in Niagara!), unpacked as quickly as possible, and went to find food. This trip was a fail... the mexican restaurant that we attempted put meat in my cheese enchiladas. Not cool. We did hit up a grocery store, so for the worried parents, I have plenty of soymilk and protein now. We also met an interesting cab driver, who, along with his wife, is going to treat us to dinner at an authentic Filipino restaurant north of the city...? He seemed like a nice guy though.

Sorry for the long email, not all will be this detailed, but I'm settled in, waiting for Nick to finish unpacking, so I have the time. It has been a very, very long day. We're up and at 'em at 0400 tomorrow again.

Please pray for our health, strength and courage... And that I don't see any tarantulas, and that if I do, my first reaction will be to step on them with the indestructible army boots and not shoot them with whatever weapon I happen to be holding at the time! :) Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Love,
-- Katie (& nick!!)