Flying Home

Yesterday was a long day.  I got up at 4:00 A.M. to get to the airport for my flight on Interjet Airlines from Mexico City to Chicago.  Then after a lengthy layover at O'Hare, I had a United flight to Cleveland.  It was 10:00 P.M. before I stepped in the door.

My flights went smoothly.  As always the Interjet flight (the airline with ample legroom) was comfortable.  Yesterday's flight, however, was much more crowded that usual.  I guess I should avoid traveling on Mondays.

I had an interesting experience on the flight to Chicago.  The flight attendant handed out the customs declarations for everyone to fill out.   There was an older Mexican lady seated in my row who was unable to fill out the form.  I offered to help her, but she said, "No sé escribir." (I don't know how to write.)  I was a bit taken aback.  Mexico's literacy rate is around 95%, and, in all my travels there, I had never encountered anyone who was illiterate.  I told her that I would fill out the form for her if she would hand me her passport.  She did.  I asked her for the address where she would be staying in the U.S., and she gave me a laminated piece of paper with an address in Wisconsin.  I asked her if she were bringing any gifts with her, and she said that she had presents for her grandchildren worth about 50 pesos (around $3 U.S.).  When I gave her back the form, her passport and the address of her family, she asked me how much she owed me.  I shook my head and said that it was my pleasure to be of help.