Stuck
For the past week or so, I've been thinking about what this first post-US trip newsletter would be about. Maybe I would write about how it seems like, no matter where you are in Rhode Island, the scent of the ocean can reach you on the breeze. Or maybe I would write about the "double-edged emotional sword" (credit to my friend, Lisa, for this phrasing) of seeing friends and family during this trip and having to say goodbye with no idea when I'll see them next. Or maybe I would write about my unintentional layover in Reykjavik on the way from Berlin to Boston.
But no. I'm not writing about any of those things for my first post-US trip newsletter. Because I'm not yet post-US trip.
As I write this, I'm sitting in my mom's living room in Rhode Island. I'm stuck in the US until Sunday night.
So, what happened? The short version is that my COVID test results came back negative an hour after my flight took off on Tuesday night. The longer version involves a lot of stress, tears, and phone calls to CVS. I got the PCR test on Sunday at 12:40pm, and my flight was on Tuesday at 8:50pm, and that should have been plenty of time for the lab to turn around my results. The average turnaround time is 1-2 days, and I'm just one of those unlucky people for whom it took longer.
My mom drove me halfway to Boston in the hopes that the results would come through while we were in transit (the nice people in the CVS call center had implied that they would), but it wasn't meant to be. Now before you ask:
A negative COVID test isn't necessary to enter Germany (because I'm fully vaccinated), but it is necessary to transit through Iceland (regardless of vaccination status) and I'm flying Icelandair.
A rapid antigen test is acceptable, but I only got a PCR test because I thought I had left myself plenty of time to get the results. In fact, if I'd done the test a day earlier, it wouldn't have been valid for the flight because it would have been older than 72 hours.
I tried to get a rapid antigen test on Tuesday afternoon in the hopes that those results would come through in time, but the Rhode Island Department of Health will only give rapid tests to people who have COVID symptoms. Asymptomatic people can only be given PCR tests. And, silly me, I didn't lie and say that I had symptoms.
No, Iceland will not accept one of the self-tests that you can buy at pharmacies.
I called Icelandair to try to change my booking to the Wednesday night flight from Boston to Reykjavik, with the intention of getting a rapid test first thing in the morning (by lying and saying I had symptoms). But after waiting on hold for 30 minutes, the Icelandair representative told me it would cost $713 to get on that flight. It was $500+ to be on Thursday or Friday's flights, $400+ for Saturday, and just $64 for Sunday. I'm sure you understand why I went with Sunday.
I miss E (and my kitty!) a lot and I was looking forward to being home. I was out of clean clothes and my suitcases were carefully packed to stay just under the 50 pound weight limit - I'm bringing a bunch of books we had stored in my mom's basement back to Berlin with me. I was pretty upset that my trip didn't go as planned and I'm still not thrilled to be stuck here.
But, I have more flexibility in my life than a lot of people do. I can get back later than I intended with the main consequence being that I don't get to see my husband for a few more days. After I hit send on this newsletter, I have to do a few hours of work, which I can do because my job is online.
And after I'm done with work, my mom and I are going to the beach. It's another sunny day in the high 70's here in Rhode Island and I'm grateful for extra time with the Atlantic Ocean. Most importantly, though, I'm grateful to be enjoying a few more days with my mom. After all, she's the reason I made this trip.
This newsletter is back 'on,' but there won't be an issue on Monday because (hopefully!) I will be too jetlagged to write it. Thanks for reading!