August 17, 2007

• and people wonder why we don’t visit home.

  Tax: US International Arrival	$15.10
  Tax: US International Departure	$15.10
  Tax: Germany Domestic and International Security Charge	$9.36
  Fee: US Immigration	$7.00
  Fee: US Animal & Plant Health Inspection Svc.	$5.00
  Fee: US Customs User	$5.50
  Fee: US Passenger Facility Charge	$10.50
  September 11 Security Fee	$7.50
  Fee: Germany International Depature Passenger Service Fee	$28.23

  This doesn’t even include the almost 90 dollar fuel surcharge. Almost 200 dollars in taxes, fees and surcharges seems a bit on the steep side.  I’m curious why does every person flying have to pay the animal and plant inspection fee? I have NEVER flown with an animal or a plant. Also I have never immigrated, I am a U.S. citizen so why do I have to pay an immigration fee every time I fly home? I understand the security fees and even the facility charge but why am I paying to have a non-existant plant inspected?

  We thought we would try and come home in the middle of October for a ten day visit so I did some checking on sidestep, expedia, orbitz etc.  I checked prices at the beginning of the week and just checked the same dates again and the tickets had gone up 20. dollars.  I told my husband if he doesn’t commit to taking the time off within the next day or so and unless we actually purchase tickets now we may not be able to afford to go home.   Well we could afford it but we sure won’t be going anywhere or doing anything when we get there or when we get back here for that matter.  Our entire vacation will be sitting at the kitchen table playing dominos and the highlight will be going to Huddle House because that will be all we can afford to do with ticket prices going up every three days. 

  I’m conflicted, on one hand I want to go home for a few days and on the other I don’t. 

  I want to see my house with my own eyes and at the same time I don’t want to deal with the hassles I know we’re going to have because of the damage that vandals and time have done to it. 

  I want to see my next door neighbor of 17 years and hug her and hold her and cry with her and I want to avoid the fact of seeing her dying from lung cancer.

  I want to see my dad and I don’t want to see him three years older, at 86 now and know that I’m missing what are probably his last years.

  I want to walk down any street and hear nothing but American English being spoken around me but I dread having to repeat the same information that my acquaintances and not so close friends will want.   ie: When will we be coming home for good? How do we like living in Germany?   Not necessarily because they’re nosy but because they are interested, but that doesn’t mean I want to repeat myself ad nauseam for ten days.  But I certainly don’t want to seem rude, I have to live in this community and these are people I like.

  And then there’s the always fun being “pulled in three directions”.  The guilt that I feel for NOT wanting to go up to the midwest to see my in-laws.  If I could see just my MIL and FIL that would be perfect but it’s unrealistic to think I can get away with that….. so that means more than likely seeing them all……ack I can feel the stress already. And the whole time we are there I won’t be seeing my own sisters who if I’m going to have to travel to see someone I would MUCH rather it be them than my sisters in law. My sisters in law who don’t know me and don’t really even care too. The one sister in law that even though I have been married to her brother for over 25 years has never stepped foot in our home regardless of where we’ve lived and the other sister has once. One time in over 25 years. Yeah, I want to spend my vacation driving 12 hours to see them.  I “know” xangans I’d rather go meet.   Now, I’ve told the truth and you are free to tell me what a horrible person I am. Oh, and whiny too.

  Shit, can someone tell me WHY we are planning on a trip home??? 

   

   

   

   

  • 2:45 pm
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