Well, I got back earlier today from my trip to Halifax. Needless to say, it wasn’t the best in regards to travel but it was great in regards to visiting family. After our flight had been canceled on the 22nd we went out on the 24th to get our evening flight. We arrived around 5:30ish since the flight was around 7:40pm and there is a requirement to be there 2 hours beforehand (specific for international flights). We settled down and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The flight was delayed by 3 hours. When we finally got on the plane, the pilot said that we had 40 minutes to get everything loaded and up in the air. The FAA has safety rules, understandably, about how many hours in a day pilots can fly. And he was about to hit his limit. We got everyone on the plane only to have the last two passengers removed because of “weight issues” (it’s a small plane). We taxi out to the runway and are about to take off when the FAA determines that the pilot is 30 seconds beyond his limit. We get pulled off and went back to our gate. We got told the flight was canceled. K and I were pissed. At this point I had figured my whole trip was a washout but as we were walking down the terminal they called us back. They declared it not canceled but rather delayed until 8am the next morning. To “placate” us, they gave us vouchers at a nearby hotel (we got the Ramada Airport Plaza — a very basic, dive of a hotel). Once we finally got our luggage and got to the hotel, it was 2am. We needed to be back at the airport at 6am so we slept for a couple of hours and then went back to JFK.

When we got there the next morning, we learned — as we checked in our luggage — that the flight was delayed yet again until 10:30am. Heck, it didn’t even show up on the board of departures so we had no idea as to its status or anything. K and I had tried to see if we could get her flight changed from a Halifax departure to a JFK departure so she could start her Los Angeles visit early but the airlines were not in a festive mood. So she came with me to Halifax for a short, less-than-24 hour visit. We finally arrived in Halifax by late afternoon. My aunt and my uncle had come to pick us up and were great to show K a 10 cent tour of downtown Halifax as well as regale her with the history of the city. We had a nice Christmas evening, exchanging little gifts and enjoyed some great conversation. K left in the afternoon on the 26th to be with her family and thankfully her flight out went well.

I got to spend some time with my aunt and we discussed my transition. I have to say that she and her fiancee tried very hard to accept my new name and gender. They weren’t perfect but I didn’t expect them to accept this overnight or without stumbling along the way. It felt good that I could talk to her about it and understand her concerns and fears over my transition. I was heartened to hear that she will go to a local trans-family support group (if her schedule allows). And I totally understand her concerns. I’ve even had them at one point. It’s that questioning of whether you are doing the right thing or not. And quite honestly, I think it’s good to have those doubts as it makes you investigate yourself and your true nature wholly. For me this whole process has allowed me to revisit old demons and flush them out as I’ve never done before.

And all-in-all, that’s been a good thing. Do I doubt the road I’m on now? Will I regret it? I think I’d regret it more by not taking it but I know, somewhere in me, that this is the right choice. I’m at peace with myself and my life. I feel as if I can move forward in life and that I’ve stepped over a threshhold into my own life for once. I wish I had more time there but the time I had was great. I’m really looking forward to going back next summer to help my aunt and her fiancee celebrate their wedding. I think it’s going to be an awesome event.