Sending your child to a foreign country.....to work!

This is rather amusing to me. For years, we have noticed that many of the menial jobs (maids, counter workers, etc) in Cape Cod are filled with teenagers from Eastern European countries. I have never figured this out... Does America lack teenagers who need jobs? How do these kids get here? Where do they live for the summer? How do they find out about these jobs? Is it for the money or the chance to come to America? But now Ian has gone and done the opposite (he always was contrary!)

With our stunning family connections, Ian and Emily have gone to Prague for a month to work for Chris in one of the hostels (Ian will make a cute chamber maid.) I can't wait to find out if they will be employed in the new Mosaic House or the historic Czech Inn. Work starts Monday. Thank you Cyndy & Tom and Chris & Laura for giving Ian and Emily this rare opportunity.

Packing Ian for Prague was a challenge. With the Homeland Security restrictions the airlines immediately embraced for capitalistic reasons, Ian was allowed only 1 suitcase and it has to be under 50.5 lbs. Haha...Ian's suitcase weighed 20lbs .....

....before he added his clothes, shoes and toiletries.

We tried to put as much of the heavy stuff into his backpack to carry on, but when we left the house for New York, Ian's suitcase weighed close to 60lbs and I had resolved to pay the $45.00 overweight fee. The Miracle Whip and Popsicle maker had to stay in the suitcase because I knew they would never pass liquid inspection when Ian passed through security but we moved the Fig Newtons and Butterscotch Chips (1# each.)

I was hoping to transfer some of Ian's weight to Emily's suitcase (what was I thinking?) but Emily's suitcase was also over the allotted pounds, so Ian transferred some of her heavier items to his suitcase so only one fee would need to be paid. Brilliant thinking on my part I should add.

I needn't have worried! When the kids checked in and Ian explained that most of his weight was due to gifts for his family the clerk gave Ian this cute little plaid bag, asked him to transfer the heavy stuff and he checked a 2nd bag for free! The world is so greedy and surly that I forget there are still kind people out there. I hope Ian and Emily remember to email the airline and thank her.

I saw Ian and Emily through security and headed back to my car ( I didn't cry) for the drive back to Syracuse. It was 4:20 on a Wednesday afternoon and I didn't make it to the Holland Tunnel until almost 6:30. I was not amused. I spent almost 40 minutes driving 3 blocks....true NYC gridlock. How do people do this? The people I saw in their cars (mostly NJ plates) looked like they were going home from work. My drive to work takes 10 minutes in the morning and if I leave at the wrong time I encounter school buses, and that adds 5 minutes to my commute, makes me late and raises my anxiety level to heart attack proportions.

Ian and Emily have started a blog of their own. It's very informative and so far they are having a ball. I have linked my blog or go to Praha Braha to catch up.