Volcanoooooo!

If you haven't already heard, a volcano erupted in Iceland (This is probably the only news item that us USAC students knew/cared about before you people over in the USA...we feel pretty isolated news-wise). Why this is important news: almost all air travel in Western Europe has stopped. Yes, that's right...even dinky airplanes like RyanAir are cancelled.

I had plans to go to London this past weekend, but I couldn't go due to all the travel cancellations.

Of course, that was also the last few days of our Spring Break, which means USAC students are stranded all over Europe! One even in Iceland...although I heard that those Icelandic people aren't too affected...it's only the ash-laden lands over in my direction that are affected.

That being said, of 60 students in the program, 30 are MIA. Good thing Luis kept tabs on where everyone went before they left.

Yesterday in my Seminar class, only 2 were missing...but today in Business, 4 out of 9 were present. And Lourdes, my Business professor, who is also Carly's grammar teacher, said that the grammar class had 2 of 15 students present. It stinks because we have to still go to class, even though we are clearly passing the time doing nada as people get back.

I have a friend stuck in London, a couple in Berlin, a couple in Amsterdam, one near Milan, a few in Athens, and several others sprinkled around. Of course, their Spring Break is extended indefinitely...until flights start to go up again. Some have caught buses back home (35 hour bus rides or longer), but others are choosing to stick it out and see when they can take the next flight. Many airlines say they will start up tomorrow, but others say that they won't until Thursday. We'll have to see.


What sucks the most is that with all this time off, all I want to do is use it to travel. But there's a catch-22 with that...