02-11-2008
My travel to USA via France was one of the most unprecedented in the Fulbright exchange programs. There always should be a first time. And I should get the gold star for introducing this change in so smooth previous exchanges. In fact, I did not meet any giants or dwarfs, but I experienced real hardships not fictional ones unfortunately. But as we say in Arabic, “kol tokhira fiha khira”, what is delayed might hide something better. I am looking forward to that.
My adventure started when I thought that at last everything was ready for the flight to USA.
I spent the night at my brother’s in Casablanca to be on time for my flight. I even invited Sakina, a grantee to spend the night with her husband and daughter with me. We woke up at three in the morning. One must say that the trip started badly as we got lost in the highway of Casablanca three times. When we arrived at the airport I said to myself at last the torture of all the paper work had come to an end and I am lastly going to the States to complete the second part of the program. Well, we had to complete the embarkation formalities. And one of the Moroccan policemen did not understand what I was going to do in Washington and proposed going for holidays in Marrakesh. He also did not understand how I was born in Casablanca and worked in Tangier. He advised me to try to come back to Casablanca. This is how Moroccan police officers waste time indulging in things that do not concern them at all. Later, we got embarked.
The aircraft, Air France was not that good, besides the stewards and stewardesses were kind of ignoring me. I had to ask twice for a cup of tea while my French neighbor had just to ask for tea and water to be served on the spot.They served us cheese, butter, some bread dating most probably from antiquity and tea or coffee. The taste of the food reminded me of my five years in France. It was cold and almost tasteless. Well I said that the whole thing did not start well. I was sitting alone and decided to join khadija, another Moroccan grantee as the plane was not full. I had a terrible headache and Khadija gave me a pill. I do not remember if it did me any good.
Three hours later we arrived to Paris, and everybody was happy when one of the grantees told us whether everybody brought their J1, a paper that would allow you in fact to go to Washington, otherwise you can’t, it is part of the visa. I got nervous and started wondering what I could do because I did not bring it. I forgot it in Tangiers. I phoned the Moroccan-American Commission to fax me one, which they did. I was glad that I could solve the problem.
We had to stay in the airport: Charles De Gaulle for 5 hours. When the time of flying came, I could not take the flight like my colleagues because I did not have that famous paper J1, they said they needed the original one. My colleagues were very nice and did not want to embark until the problem was solved. Well apparently, the problem was not to be solved. I thanked my friends and asked them to take the flight, which they did. Khadija was very nice to lend me some Euros because I had only the dollar currency with me.
Air France told me that it was partly their fault because they should have checked all the papers in Casablanca, hence they would pay me the return ticket to Casablanca, but that I should pay the one from Casablanca back to Paris. I made a lot of phone calls to find a solution, the money my husband and I spent on phone calls could buy me a flight to Australia. What made matters worse was that my plane to Casablanca was late for an hour and thirty minutes.
Now I am at Paris airport, tired, angry, hungry and depressed. I am waiting for my flight to Casablanca, only once there I should make my complaint and ask them to pay my round ticket for me as it was their fault, they should have verified all the necessary papers, which they did not do. My brother is supposed to bring me the original famous J1. If ever the French company want to do their job and give me the ticket, I will come back tomorrow to Paris and then to Washington, if not Mr Chraih, Macece exective officer will try to find a solution for me to fly on Wednesday to Washington.
At the airport , because of the delay of the flight, they have just served us sandwiches and drinks for free. I do not feel like eating, I am so tired and one of my neighbors is telling me that the sandwich is not really good, I am drinking the coke “katberred aaliya lfe9ssa” (it cools my anger). Well I will wish myself good luck and keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow.
(to be continued)