Some people say that the hardest part of returning home from an enjoyable experience is leaving. Some say it is saying goodbye. Some say it is the pending return to routine. For me, the hardest part of returning home was the food poisoning. Awakened at 2:00 am by sweating, nausea, and abdominal cramping, I thought my sidewalk cafe meal in Vienna had caught up with me. I thought I was the only one ill and desparately wanted to make my flight. I did not want to lay over another day and scramble to get back to the U.S. It was not until I arrived in Washington that I discovered that others shared my misery.

Having food poisoning on a transcontinental flight makes you rearrange your ideas of where the best and worst seats are on a large airplane. Generally, I do not like to be seated next to the bathroom in the back of the plane. This flight, however, was different. I am thankful to have been seated at the very back, next to both the restroom, an empty seat,  AND and row mate who did not even acknowledge my presence. The empty seat allowed me  to store my carry-on in the center and gave me more leg room and just a bit more wiggle room to stretch and try to doze periodically. Also, the separation made me feel less guilty about the quiet sighs and moans I know I let out during the flight. Also, understanding and sympathetic flight attendants on Austrian Air who kept my Sprite and water bottles filled.

Only after landing did I receive notification that two other stateside team members, one in-country team missionary, and at least five local church members from our Friday meal were also ill with similar symptoms. It seems as though something we ate at our “traditional” Ukrainian send-off dinner did not like us. Since it hit over twenty-four hours later, I suspect it was not bacterial, but a heat-resistant toxin that was the culprit. Regardless, Two days later, it seems that everyone is on the mend. 

All-in-all, this was the only bad mark on an extremely enjoyable and (hopefully) life-changing experience. The memories of the sweet people and their struggles, while fresh on my mind now, will fade some. I just hope that I can spread the awarenes of their plight and motivate others to want to help them. I am already planning my return trip.