I'm editing this post out, since it's only caused controversy and I really didn't intend to. I really like you guys and I enjoyed every second of the trip. I'm sorry to have caused any problems and really didn't mean to attack anyone in any sort of way.
- Blair
hey man in all honesty we told them to wait but were not in charge of when they take off, I know it's out of our control of what happens to chelsea's boarding pass, but no one knew where you guys were and we all have arrangements made for the plane returning at a certain time that would be thrown out of whack wondering whether or not we could catch another flight or when. But as Dr. Maher said from day 1 being on time is the most important thing, so I'm sorry things had to happen the way they did, but when we don't know where you are or what the situation is, there isnt much we can do
ReplyDeletePEACE BE WITH YOU
ReplyDeleteI hear your pain. While it was so very kind of you to stay with Chelsea (and if I was her mom I'd kiss you myeslf) this "rant" is over the top. I am more than a little suprised after traveling half way around the world, having been in alleys and seeing holy men which in another country could have been evil men and you are flipping about be "stranded" in New Jersey?
Like many of the stories (the smells, the beggers, the delayed train, the meaningless lines in the road) this event is nothing more than another bump in the road of a great journey!!
Just like someone posted earlier that the bus driver (that may not have been a driver at all) with the wheels of the bus nearly on the edge of the cliff, your life in his hands and going too fast wasn't going to listen to the students telling him to slow down. Condsider for a moment the driver and the pilot one in the same!! Just like they didn't accept the facts that Chelsea was Chelsea with all the proof presented without the correct pass!! Who would have believed that? Why is it too much to believe that the plane's departure wasn't in the control of your fellow travellers?
Perhaps after resting in the morning you'll see the light that the the "group" wasn't just a group because of Dr. Maher but because each of you...
Had a dream, "I wish I can go to Inida" and you made it happen, you put yourself out there, you broke bread together, your eyes saw things that most of us will never see, you took the good and bad of each other, you experienced, you shared,
you felt the engery of the place in the glow of the sunshine and in every breath, you brought joy to the children of the slums, you were blessed, you did yoga and played played poker on the rooftops, you grew, you jumped off cliffs, you were challenged in many ways, you sought and found, you prayed, you created memories of a lifetime and thankfully, you each returned home safely - sooner or later.
India and those you shared it with will always be a reminder of what is good in the world in what is possible!
Thank you so much to EACH OF YOU for sharing and adding all the colors of the rainbow. You allowed us to travel along with you with each word providing comfort to friends and family, insight into what was and giving encouragement to those that have yet to journey of what can be.
Many thanks to Dr. Maher for planning and flawlessly excuting!!!! You made this possible for these young students and you've helped make many dreams come true. You are a wonderful and brave soul!!
PEACE and LOVE,
A joyful mother of an outstanding person, Nicole, that is sleeping soundly in her bed with dreams of India swirlling in her heart!
Well, for one, I don't believe my rant was "over the top" and I don't know how much I appreciate the comment of such. I'd like you to picture coming to pick up your daughter at RDU, seeing everyone in her group get picked up while she's nowhere to be found. Asking one of them in the group where she was and getting a "Uh...I dunno, we didn't see her get on the plane." While she was stranded in a random airport because everyone in her group decided they cared more about getting home on time (A mere 45 minutes eariler) than keeping up with her. I don't know how'd you feel if she was "sleeping soundly" on the floor of an airport by herself right now either.
ReplyDeleteI understand if you had connecting flights to somewhere else, and that would've been fine, but all I'm saying is that I saw nothing done about this, and it was a horrible way to treat someone you've spent an entire month living with and experiencing everything with.
You can all hate me and think I'm a bitter "over the top" person by stating this, but to have a few people wait another 45 minutes to ensure the safety of a girl (Who had never flown before in her life, not to mention) stuck in Jersey, be too much of a "hassle", then I just don't understand how I feel about what was learned on this trip.
Sorry if I'm blowing this up, guys, I'm not that kind of person, those of you that knew me know this to be true. I was just really upset to see everyone ditch her in a situation where such little effort would have been needed to unsure her safety. I didn't know how long it'd have been before I'd gotten back either, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to take to make sure everyone was okay and safe.
And for the record, I'm not "flipping out from being stranded in New Jersey", I'm "flipping out" about the entire group leaving behind a girl who'd never flown in her life like it was nothing. Especially after working together as a group this entire trip.
ReplyDeleteI could have stayed in Newark for a few days and cared nonetheless,I'm upset about the attitude that was taken in this situation.
Grow up.
ReplyDeleteTypical for you... you really shoud grow up man. the group isnt responsible for you geting on a plane on time! it sounds like you are just lookin for some congrats for being a man who looks out for others! well Im not one to give it to you. b/c your inmature stand up acts and extreamly anying atitude during the trip was horible... disrespecting Maher several times! get over yourself man....what are you like 12. i can read your blgs and still hear the cracking of your changing voice! good job for stayin behind, not. you deserve a big pat on your back... lol! your all adults man! if you cant get on a later plane by yourself, in america no less, without fliping out about the group not staying behind with your "heroic" a** then maybe you will be the first burger king grill master with a progaming degree. or maybe you should just stick to lame standup jokes that piss everyone off all the time.
ReplyDeleteWay to reply, "anonymous." (I can rule out those with majors relating to English)
ReplyDeleteI wasn't trying to start a war here, and I certainly am not angry about being left at the airport (We've been gone for close to a month, what's another few hours?), but surprised that everyone was so eager to leave a girl behind that they took off the first chance they got. The attitude of the whole ordeal just surprised me.
I enjoyed everyone on this trip and got to know you guys really well. You were all extremely cool people and I enjoyed every second of it. I thought I had made some friends, but seeing the replies to this, it appears it was just an act to put up with me until we were gone.
First of all, it wasn't a high school's field trip on a bus; most of the 12 people you're mad at didn't even know what'd happened till they landed in RDU. Even if they did know 2 of 14 didn't get on the plane with them, trust me, they could not have stopped the take-off. So many people had enjoyed this blog once upon a time....
ReplyDeleteI'm deleting this post in 24 hours as all it has started was a flame war, and that's not what I intended. I was jet-lagged and upset that we weren't able to see each other before we took off, but looking at the insults I got back I guess I wasn't really liked on the trip anyway. I was just trying to lighten the mood while we were in a different environment.
ReplyDeleteSorry, guys. :/
So I have read everything and like to point out a few things. First of all, it seems as though there are some people that are too chicken to put their name up on the boards. Personal attacks aside, it seems as though a trip that is supposed to enlighten you and raise your moral standards only proved that some people have none. Whoever the person that wrote the comment is attacking Blair instead of the argument made. This shows how dim the light bulb is in their head. If you want to debate whether or not Blair is right, then do so, but if you can't even put correct spelling and sentences together, you help prove his point even more. Yes everyone was a grown up on the trip, which should be the point. As an adult, you use your intellect and morals to do what is right, not what is easy. Due to the judgments that were made, it seems as though there were very few adults on the trip. So far only one has made it apparent he is an adult by his actions, not by his words.
ReplyDeleteIf the situation was reversed, every one of you would want help. If it was your daughter, you would pray that someone would do the same for her. I hope that as some of you grow up, that you will realize how foolish you were for your decision and that it is something you make up for somewhere in the future.
Now for a little ranting of my own...
You say you hear Blair's voice cracking on the blog, that is funny, I can read your 1st grade spelling. That still puts him a good couple of years ahead of you doesn't it? Oh and the flip master at Burger King reference, that’s funny. Well don't worry, when he gets promoted, maybe you can get promoted from toilet scrubber to that position.
Either way, Stay in school:)
Blair,
ReplyDeleteThank you for self-editing your embarrassingly-long complaint. I guess you may have been trying to compensate for not blogging during the trip (ziiing!).
I will not attack you. I apologize for leaving you and Chelsea at the airport in Newark. I hope you didn't feel too alone and scared by missing a flight in America. It was good of you to try to help Chelsea, you're a bigger man than me.
Yet I can't help but wonder if you and Chelsea didn't learn something from this last leg in our adventure (and I mean about yourselves).
I hope we can continue to be friends once we all cool down.
No harm, no foul. Its just a situation that could have caused a really crappy panic attack, but whatever. I really hope we all stay friends! I had a great time with everybody, you guys are pretty much the only people worth befriending in the three years I've been here in Greenville.
ReplyDeleteChelsea