Why I Believe in a Higher Power

There’s nothing like a free trip. After a summer of planning and paying for every trip I went on, I was looking forward to a trip to lovely Riga, Latvia. As part of the EU Study Tour I was attending a conference on social policy in Canada, Scandinavia and the Baltic States. It had speakers from all three areas and some interesting subjects were to be discussed (right up the alley of the work I did at CEPS). Add the opportunity to reunite with my fellow Tour-mates and I was very much looking forward to it. Did I mention that because the conference was being put on by the European Commission it was free (airfare and accommodations)?

The trip conveniently fell right after my first heavy round of assignments (two 3,000 word papers), so this was meant to be my reward. My flight had been booked since September and I was missing Cumberland Lodge, an opportunity to go to the country with my department, listen to lectures and bond with my fellow students. I was blowing it off for the chance to party in Riga.

I was set to leave November 5th at 6:40pm. So after getting four hours of sleep (it was Election Day), putting the finishing flourishes on my papers and running to school to hand them in by noon, I had enough time to buy a dress for the Opera (we were going to the Opera!), run home and pack quickly and efficiently. My plane left at 6:40pm, I left my house at 3:10pm.

First I headed to Euston Station (3 min away) to catch the train I’d need to take to get to Gatwick Airport. Except when I got there they told me I had to go to King’s Cross/St. Pancras. Not a problem, it was only 5 minutes away. Except when I got there, bells were ringing and the doors were closed. There was a fire scare and they shut down the station. Police and officials told the huge mass of people not to worry as it’d re-open soon. It took 40 minutes. I was still OK. If I got my train now (4: 20pm) I’d get to Gatwick at 5:20pm and make my flight.

I went down to catch my train but the 4:27pm was delayed to 4:36. Then 4:49, then 5:03. Then 5:13. Then at 5:17 it finally arrived. By this point I was livid. It was an almost certain that I would miss my plane (unless the train broke speed records), and I’d left THREE HOURS EARLY! My train to Gatwick was the ONLY TRAIN that was consistently delayed. Train after train arrived at the station with people jumping on and off and with each one I wanted to throw myself on the tracks.

Clinging to a foolish hope that I could catch the flight I caught the 5:17pm and arrived at Gatwick at 6:20pm, 20 minutes before the plane left. I ran to the counter and asked the attendant if there was any way to catch the plane. She shook her head and spouted off information about the next flight.

I took the train back and emailed the organizer, a friend from the Tour and asked about making a reservation for the next day. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go. I would arrive Thursday night, having missed the first day of the conference. She told me to think about it and call her when I had decided. I thought about it and then sent her an email that night saying to book me on the flight the next day. When (early) the next morning I didn’t hear anything I left her several voice messages. At noon, I sent her a text message. I didn't leave my room until 5pm. When I didn't hear anything from here I wondered what the heck happened? Turns out she had forgot her cellphone at home that day and was at the conference the whole day. She didn't book my flight and I didn't go to Riga.

So it seems I wasn’t meant to go to Riga. It was like ever piece of modern technology (smoke detectors, trains, computers and cellphones) were against me. The worst part was having to see the pictures my friends posted about their "awesome" weekend in Riga and the four star hotel they stayed in, paid for by the Commission.