United Flight Meltdown

   After spending two days at the airport, I finally made it back to Hawaii. Long story short, I was scheduled to return on Tuesday afternoon, but after two mechanical issues and not having a crew to fly the plane, American Airlines canceled the flight at 8:30pm. Flights were rescheduled and I was booked on a 9:22 am flight on United. We were caught in the chaos of that morning and interviewed by the a local news station in Los Angeles. My son was frustrated, I had only two hours of sleep. The reporters asked how I felt about the computer shut-down and what should be done about it. I could not answer his question, and just ranted about my experience at LAX. I might have said some other things too, but since I did not have my first cup of coffee until 12:45 I can't recall much. I was in survival mode just to get through the line. Immediately after the interview, I had a flash-back to the simulation we participated in at the Reynolds High School Journalism Institute. I realized I was playing the part of the emotional nurse!

    Now that I am home, drinking coffee and reflecting back on the week I spent with inspirational professionals and the 35 dedicated teachers who all shared their knowledge unconditionally. As I unpacked all the resources from the institute, one in particular hit a nerve, the name tag. Yes, the name tag on the lanyard that we all wore to every meal and to enter the building to experience our next mission from Steve. The name tag that indicated we all have a need for some form of caffeine. The name tag that said we belonged to a group teachers dedicated to excellence in journalism.

   I can not help but wonder if I only had been wearing that name tag on the morning of July 8th at LAX,  would the reporter have offered me a cup of coffee first before interviewing us. By wearing the name tag, he would have understood that caffeine in my system would prepare my mind for a  meaningful conversation about my confidence with transportation in the modern era. Instead, the reporter got a human story about a mothers frustration trying to get her son home safely.

A hui hou

Michelle Obregon
Konawaena High School
Kealakekua, Hawaii