Stuck in Amsterdam

Nancy and I were very excited to travel from Minneapolis to Amsterdam then on to Rome, where our daughter Erin was going to pick us up.  Our original travel plans had us arriving in Amsterdam at 6:30 am local time, then connecting with the flight to Rome which was originally scheduled to leave at 10:00 am, arriving in Rome at 12:15 pm.  We were looking forward to seeing her and the family (Josh and the four boys) having not seen them physically for almost twenty months.  Sure we FaceTime, but it just isn’t the same as being there.  So our original plan was to be there by about three in the afternoon.

Our original plan.  Back to that in a moment.

I had never heard of a day called International Women’s Day, celebrated or observed every year on March 8.  Wikipedia tells me that the first observance of a Women's Day was held on February 28, 1909 in New York.  March 8 was suggested by the 1910 International Woman's Conference to become an "International Woman's Day."  After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there.  The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations.

How did I miss this day?  

Only within the last decade has the United States began to recognize this day more officially.  On the day that we arrived in Amsterdam, Thursday, March 8 – it was being observed across Europe.  

Which brings me back to our original plan.

It seems as though Italy (Rome, whatever) chooses random days where they go on strike.  It also seems that a day-long national general strike was scheduled throughout Italy on Thursday, March 8 – yes, International Women's Day - threatening the country's education and public transport sectors, including air and rail travel.  Backed by Italian trade unions and the Non Una di Meno feminist movement, the strike is aligned with a global call for an end to discrimination against women in the workplace and greater penalties for male violence against women.  I would never disagree with the intent of that focus.  Equality and ending discrimination and violence against women does need to end.  No question.

There isn’t really even a “but” here because we were stuck.  Nothing we could do about it.  Couldn’t even get upset about it, really.  Perhaps it was an unfortunate circumstance scheduled at the right time.  Who knows? 

There isn’t a “but” here – instead there is a “however”.  However, it was a revelation to be stuck in a moment in time in a strange country that spoke a different language, had different plug-ins for electricity and was too busy to be real sympathetic to our situation.  Being stuck wasn’t very much fun from that standpoint. 

I wondered how many people get stuck in their lives mentally… emotionally… spiritually… I can’t even know, but I’m guessing it isn’t much fun to not have any options, not have anyone who can speak the language of grief and loss and vulnerability, not have anyone who is very sympathetic to what people sometimes are enduring.  Goodness, even International Women’s Day gives voice to this very dynamic!  Women who have been victimized, marginalized, and minimized for generations are raising the awareness so that others can perhaps not become stuck.

Trust me – I’m not suggesting that my being stuck in a foreign country’s airport is on a par with any woman who has experienced discrimination.  Nor am I trying to equate my feelings with theirs.  That would be so wrong.  

The point I am trying to make is this: if my pitiful seven hour delay for seeing my family that I haven’t seen for almost two years is because a group is trying to make this world right by valuing women and their rights, I would be ashamed of my own constitution if I were upset with this in any way. 

It’s the right thing to do to help victims become “unstuck”.