On our way to our ministry we had to take two subway trains to get to the Bucharest train station. We had just gotten off one of the subway cars, and were heading to the next one, but we had to go down the escalator to get to the next subway. Kristin my team leader goes down the escalator first with no problem at all. It was my turn in line to go next, already feeling not so good going down on an escalator with 70-80lbs extra that I am carrying. I place my right foot on the steep, but was late putting my left foot on. So I try and grab the railing, but was already going backwards. The first thing that I do is panic, then flail, then hyperventilate, and finally with wide eyes start to yell out gibberish (this is what my team mates recall me doing, because at the time I was in a mode of fear). I had heard of stories of people getting caught in the gears of the escalator, and with my big pack having so many straps and things hanging off it I was unsure, if I was caught or not .
As the bottom approached, Jenna, my teammate, came around and tried to pull me up, while Ruth tried to push me from the back to get me up. Finally they were able to get me up just in time for me to step off. At this point I was tired physically, emotionally, and mentally. I started to laugh, while balling my eyes out. The rest of the team started to laugh because at one point I looked like a turtle on its back failing its arms and legs. They came around to see if I was ok, unaware that I was actually crying. At this point I was done, I felt like collapsing down on the dirty subway floor, and calling it a night. After a few gasping breaths, and tons of tears I was able to collect myself and laugh a little at everything that had just happened. Little did I know that this was just the beginning of our travel adventure to Arad.
The next part is titled“Then there was Robert”.
