My diary - March 16-18, 1972

TACA International Airlines (timetableimages.com)

March 16, 1972 Thurs.

Dear Diary:

We went to school. Today was our surprise in English. Composition “Should a girl remain a Virgin till she marries” What does that sick bat think we are. Were only 9th grader! He goes it very confidential, noone will see them but me. He’s more seneli every day. I stayed for Drama. We really worked on my part. I did History poster. Went to Simones. Watched T.V. & studied.

BYE!

Note: I must have found my Spanish book as I don’t mention it again.  I guess I didn’t think we would have to write the composition but he was persistent.  I don’t remember if I told my parents about it as my dad would have complained.

St. Patrick's Day jewelry

March 17, 1972 Fri.

Dear Diary:

Happy Saint Patty’s Day! I real was prepared this year. All green except I forgot & brought my orange purse. I really got pinch even with green. Mr. Lucas gave me a lot of homework & report on my trip for whole class. I failed math test 50, Spanish dictado 78, other Spanish most probably F and Science F! We played tennis, Missy and I. I took a bath watched T.V. Went to Missys house. Watched T.V. Missy ate supper with us. Packed! Leaving mañana!!! Wish me a nice trip.

BYE!!!

Note: My mom was of Irish descent and she always loved St.Patrick’s Day. She made sure we had green items to wear on this day. You were not supposed to wear orange on this holiday and sadly I did. A Spanish saying “Sin querer, queriendo” is when you didn’t mean to but you did it anyway.

March 18, 1972 Sat.

Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Diary:

We got up at 5:00. We went to the airport. Left on Taca. Stopped in San Salvador & finally in Miami. We went to Pan Am room. We bought comics & I got two books Girl Power (which I found out later I can’t read) & something about nurses. We went to the airplane for Lisbon. Wasn’t enough room.  Went to Eastern to go to New York & then Lisbon. No room. We ate supper at the Miami airport. We finally made it on Delta. We’ll spend night in Atlanta. I sat by a girl named Donna 12th grader. Seemed nice. I watched Mission Impossible. The Atlanta’s Hotel is pretty. Color T.V.

BYE!!

Note: We flew on TACA International which was Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano (Air Transports of the American Continent) from Managua to San Salvador and continued to Miami. TACA International later merged with Avianca, a Colombian airline, and its name was retired in 2013. 

We were flying standby which was always an adventure as you never knew till the last moment if you would get on a flight. You flew for free but you had to be flexible. You also had to dress up. We didn’t get on the direct flight to Lisbon from Miami so we tried different airlines and routes. I am not sure how my Dad did it as we did not have cell phones at this time. Eastern Airlines was another airline but not enough seats; finally making it on Delta to Atlanta. A very long day.

The Miami Airport used to be my favorite airport to people-watch as we spent a lot of time there over the years. We often went to the Pan Am Clipper Club which was a comfortable sitting area away from the boarding gates.

Not sure why my parents wouldn’t let me read the book.