Thank you, Glen, for sharing this.  It is important for me, particularly since I travel a fair amount for work, to always remember that A.A. is wherever I go.  I just have to be willing to walk through the fear of "new" surroundings, and get my rear end to a meeting. 

Hi,

I am from the UK and went on holiday to Tenerife in May.  Before I went, I rang the AA helpline for that Country.  They rang me back the same day with a contact number for a lady who lived in the same area as I was staying.  On arrival, I phoned the lady and she asked where I was staying, I told her and she couldnt believe it, she actually worked on the reception of where I was staying and was just 200yds up a passage.

The meetings were only held in one place and were a 45 minute drive but she took me to 2 of them when she was off work.  The rest of the time she was a phonecall or a very short walk away.  What a difference that made.  My Higher Power was certainly looking after me.  It was my first sober holiday too and I had only been sober just under 6 months. 

The fellowship of AA and my Higher Power have made my life good today.

great post Glen.

Hi Glen,

When I came into AA, I had no idea at first how many members it had, nor that it was global.  But as I started traveling for vacations or going on job related trips, I started finding meetings everywhere.  I've had to move several times in the past as part of job requirements and find new meetings in new cities and states. 

In 2005, I volunteered to go to El Salvador to help put up a retainer wall around an orphanage, in a terrorist war stricken area, and was pleasantly surprised that there was an AA meeting right around the corner from the orphanage.  AA in El Salvador!

One of the best things about AA to me is the friendliness of the members when you are new in their meeting.  Hands outstreached and hugs from strangers who instantly become friends or family.

I agree with you, AA is an AWESOME fellowship and I too love it dearly.  :)

About a year ago, someone sent me this e-mail and I loved it.  I am including it in my message here to share with you.

Love & Hugs,
Stephanie

A FLIGHT ATTENDANT'S STORY

"Anybody know a guy named Bill W.?"

     Grace was a flight attendant and had been suspended from her job with a major airline due to her untreated alcoholism.  She had been stealing the little miniature liquor bottles and drinking in airport bars in uniform.  Her employer, realizing she needed help, sent her to treatment.
     After the eight week program, it was suggested to her it might be a good idea to solidify her foundation in recovery before returning to work as she would be working in a high-risk environment (service alcohol, being out of town alone, etc.).  Grace did, however, return to work shortly after completing outpatient treatment,  One day while she was departing from a plane at the end of a long day a major craving for alcohol overpowered her.   There she was, in the Los Angeles International Airport pulling her roller-bag behind her when this massive craving to drink came over her.  She tried to just "think though it" or "just forget about it", but it was way too powerful. It was so powerful, in fact, that she had resigned to herself that she would just go drink.  Grace thought, Oh, the heck with it, I'll get another job; or maybe no one will find out anyway.  But deep down inside Grace did not want to drink.  She truly had wanted to stay sober, but she was in trouble.
     On her way to the bar in the airport, Grace had a moment of sanity.  She stopped, picked up the airport paging phone and said, "Will you please page Friends of Bill W.," she paused, quickly looking around for an empty gate, "to come to Gate 12?"
     Within minutes, over the paging system in the LA International Airport came, "Will friends of Bill W. please come to Gate 12.  Will friends of Bill W. please come to Gate 12".  Most people in recovery know that asking if you are a friend of Bill W. is an anonymous way to identify yourself as a member of AA.
     In less than five minutes there were about fifteen people at that gate from all over the world.  That brought tears of amazement, relief and joy to Grace.  They had a little meeting there at that empty gate, total strangers prior to that moment.  Grace discovered that two of those people had gotten out of their boarding lines and missed their flights to answer that call for help.  They had remembered what they had seen on so many walls of meeting rooms:  "When anyone, anywhere reaches out their hand for help, I want the hand of AA to always be there and for that I am responsible"
     Grace did not drink that day.  I would venture to guess that none of the people who came to Gate 12 drank that day either.  Instead Grace had a moment of clarity, realized she could not do it on her own, took the action of asking for help and received it immediately.  This help is available to all of us if we want it and sincerely ask for it.  It never fails.

Hi Glen

Thank you so much for sharing your story, its to good hear from you and welcome to this Board.  I am very grateful to the fellowship of AA, like yourself, and the others here, I really am overwhelmed by the love we, recovering addicts have for each other.  I know that where-ever I go, I am truly never alone. 

 

When I used to drink, and I would travel, I would always go to bars because I was comfortable there, once I had a drink in my hand I knew how to start the bs conversation going and make a new friend.  Being in recovery has shown me that my motivation to go in the bar wasnt for the drink, it was the fellowship.  I love that I have found fellowship and connection with my Higher Power and people in a healthy way and I dont have to drink anymore to feel comfortable.  I am truly comfortable in my own skin, yes, a miracle in process.

Stephanie, thanks for the flight attendants story i have copied that, brought tears to my eyes