Saturday, February 16, 2008

Relief Be Mine!

Today Dad and I drove down to Chicago for my interview at the Korean embassy. We left the house at about 7:30 AM and managed to arrive at the NBC Tower a little before 10:00 AM (Chicago time, which is an hour behind us). By the time we made it up to the 27th floor, where the Korean embassy is located, it was 10:00 and I was fifteen minutes early for my appointment. Victory!

The trip to Chicago was interesting, as is usually the case when my dad drives. He has an odd quirk: he never listens to whomever is navigating (in this case, me). So we got to take the "scenic tour" and go through Chinatown on our way to the embassy.

The NBC Tower is a huge, gorgeous building with a very intelligent layout. We had no trouble finding the embassy, which is also quite attractive. I had some paperwork to fill out, then I waited to be escorted to the interviewing room. The man who interviewed me was very friendly and kind, which soon made me relax. Up until then I was a nervous wreck! My stomach was tied up in knots and my legs were actually shaking, as I was convinced that I would either be told I was missing some crucial paperwork or would just be rejected for a random reason. Fortunately, none of that happened. I had more documents than I needed (when was the last time that happened?!) and my interview went swimmingly. I am now completely approved to leave for Korea on the 23rd (only 8 days away!).

My documents will be ready on Wednesday, so I made the very wise decision not the trust the postal service to get them to me in time. Instead, I made arrangements to pick them up on Friday when Mom and Dad drive me down to Chicago. We're going down a day early, and we'll spend the night at the Marriott there. That way we don't have to get up at 2:00 AM on Saturday to make it to the airport in time.

I feel so much more relaxed now. Everything is completed, so all I have left to do is a little bit of shopping, the repacking of one suitcase, and the packing of my second carry-on. I am so excited about leaving that I feel like I'll burst!

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"Passage—immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins! Away, O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut the hawsers—haul out—shake out every sail!
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough?
Have we not grovell’d here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?
Have we not darken’d and dazed ourselves with books long enough?

Sail forth! steer for the deep waters only!
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me;
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go, And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

O my brave soul!
O farther, farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! Are they not all the seas of God?
O farther, farther, farther sail!"

~Walt Whitman, "Passage to India"