So, I spent a week at home

One of my best friends from college asked me to be in her wedding two years ago, so it wasn't like it snuck up on me. After a chat with the principal telling him I loved working at his school, and I promised to come home. I got the green light.

I will split this blog into three parts: flight home, duration of stay, flight back to Korea. Please feel free to pick and choose your adventure.

Flight home:
After a ridiculous folly of taking the long way to the airport, I showed up to my international flight winded hot and only one hour before my flight. Let me break this down: when I was a child, my father flew about the country and my mother is absurdly early for things. They raised me with the mentality of being at an international flight at least three hours before boarding. So, arriving at the airport subway stop with a meager 57 minutes nearly gave me a heart attack. I sprinted towards international departures, only to find myself in the international arrivals floor. I gasped and gaped around for five minutes until bellying up to a help desk to explain my situation. The woman printed my ticket and pointed me upstairs. I hustled upstairs expecting hoards of people jockeying to get through customs and found this wide open expanse. No customs, very little security,   No lines. Just space. A giant sign for my flight. I sat down at my gate completely baffled with 51 minutes to spare.  All of that fretting all for naught.  I hear my boarding number over the pa system. I boarded this little jumper (my layover was in Japan). I glance over at the man sitting next to me. Honest to God, Brother had a legitimate Walkman, fuzzy headphones and all. About halfway through the flight, I see him push a button. EJECT A TAPE. Flip it over and press play. This was my thought process: “oh, man oh man oh man oh man. I wish I had immediate Internet access. All of my friends need to hear about this.” But alas, I devoted a Facebook status and a blog post to it, so I feel delayed gratification, which fits really tight and uncomfortable on my skin. I am, if anything, a spoiled youngest child.  If you would like a play by play of the most high maintenance person I have ever seen or the witty an mildly inappropriate banter between Captain Marine Pants sitting next to me, please email or Facebook me and we can set up a time to Skype, because these things need ridiculous facial expression and melodrama.

Time spent home:
The wedding was beautiful. Amie was absolutely stunning and Kyle was debonair. We danced the night away like crazy fools.  I loved spending time with the party, and our transporation was a school bus, so I call that a life win.

On Sunday, I went hiking with my sister and brother in law. It was a beautiful park, and lo and behold, I saw some members of my church hiking at the exact same park (300 miles away from where the church is). PS I love and miss you, Congregation. You are in my thoughts everyday!

I saw the movie Brave, which was awesome despite my complete inability to understand animated Scottish accents. There are some skeptics that suggest that the main character is a lesbian based on the assumption that she wanted to make her own decision on her life partner, and she didn't want to marry a man that just won all of the Highland Games. That doesn't make her a lesbian, that makes her a progressive woman. However, if there was a left field lesbian experience in any Disney-esque flick I would be completely and 100% in favor of it, lesbie honest.

I went to Wisconsin Dells, which is the water park capitol of the world. I spent the day amongst family and friends, soaking up the sun and loving my life. I went camping and started the fire with only one match, because I am part girl scout, but mostly rock star.

On Wednesday, I relaxed and recovered from jet lag, camping and sleep deprivation.

Thursday I spent the day with my godson, his sisters, my beloved, Gabe and Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul. We went swimming and hung out. I found out that my dairy ingestion was no longer as strong as it once was. I could no longer finish a bowl of Wisconsin Mac and cheese, and that made me real sad.

Friday was just a mish mash of stuff. I had brunch with my dad, went for a walk and then saw Madagascar 3. Then, I hit the dusty trail.

Plane ride back to Korea;
Super grumpy flight attendants.  This woman looked at me and said, “Whaddya want?”  I politely asked if there was shellfish on the noodles, and she responded, “I don’t know that.  You can’t expect me to know these things.”  Actually, yes, I can.  But, maybe she’s having a bad day. So, I took the high road and decided to vilify her behind her back over the internet.  Sounds mature.  Meep, oh well. 

This is the actual cool part.  So, I left Chicago just after the sun had set.  We flew north through Wisconsin.  I saw Milwaukee, Fond Du Lac, and Green Bay, then just expanses of water.  As we flew west, we chased the sunset.  Out of my window, I could see the sun setting ahead of us, the moon rising behind us and the northern lights were seriously right outside of my window.  The river changed green to blue to purple, and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.  I watched the lights dance and stars come out for about 40 minutes.  One thing I do not like about Busan, is that I do not see stars.  

This post is ridiculously long, and rather unnecessary.  But, I thought it would be nice to recap some of the week.  There is a pretty good story about me almost being kicked out of China and catching a cab with a Russian man I’ve never met (imma call him Dmitri Vladimir Raskalnikov).  Don’t worry.  I didn’t end up dying or even a little scathed.  But, I do not have room, and you do not have time to read it right now.  But, if you want to know facebook or email me, and we can figure this business out!