Next day was hectic, finishing up packing (thank you Carolina, Youna, and Erika!) and then Carolina dropped off Kasha Knish and I at JFK with nine other pieces of luggage. We checked most of what I own, then Kasha and I paid a pile of money to get her and the extra bags on to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The flight was nine hours and the cat sat next to me in her little purse/carrier. She mostly stayed in her bag but sometimes hung out halfway on my lap. A couple times she came out to look out the window. When she went back in the bag she left her tush sticking out, tail wagging - fun for the stewardesses walking by. When meals came Kasha shared some chicken or cheesecake but wouldn't eat her food or drink water. In the bathroom I set up her makeshift litterbox with a shoebox top and litter and she obediently went pee. I can't believe she's a cat - she's a good little dude.
Our Brazilian flight was late (I love South America- fits me) so we missed our connection and waited for another flight. A woman in her early 50's approached us in the terminal asking about Kasha's trip and the possible restrictions. She went on to tell me about her adoption of a Paraguayan 13yr-old from an orphanage who has a cat and how she hopes to bring the two of them home to Italy soon. She busted out photos and everything. Thankfully, Argentina has no quarantine for pets entering the country. Kasha was a great travel partner - she kept my mind off the fact that I was doing something crazy, giving up my great life in NYC - that I'd always wanted - for a gamble on a relationship in a foreign country.
Now I live in Buenos Aires and so does Kasha. After 24 hours in transit, I got to let the cat out of the bag, into her new apartment. Max was waiting for us at the airport and was happy to help us with the piles of luggage and to welcome Kasha. We got into his car and drove into a sunny, crispy day. We got to his sun-filled one bedroom in his great neighborhood here in the city. It's the first time in four years that I have a window in the bedroom - hot. It's the first time I've ever lived with a boyfriend. I was pretty worried about that part but actually, it's really good. It feels like the end of a fairy tale - Kasha's tail hanging out of her bag. It's just the beginning, though.
