Last Day in Michigan

Tomorrow morning my parents and I leave for Chicago. We'll pick up my paperwork and passport from the Korean embassy, then head over to the Mariott, where we'll swim, play cards, and enjoy our last day together. Then, in the dark wee hours of Saturday, my parents will drop me off at O'Hare airport, where the adventure will begin at last.

I have managed to complete everything I needed to complete. My room and car are clean, my bags are packed, and I've said all the important goodbyes. I am about as ready as I can possibly be to depart the country.

The Butterflies in My Stomach Are Doing Backflips

I can't believe how fast the time is flying. Only three more days left here in Michigan, and only four more days until I finally leave for Korea. By this time next week, I'll have completed my second day of teaching. Oh please, God, let me be good at this!

I am really getting nervous now. Not bad nervous, just an "oh my gosh, my life is changing so vastly" type of nervousness. It's a workable nervousness, similar to the type I got in college before one of Dr. Saxon's exams, albeit much more intense.

On top of the nervousness, I am really stressed. I still have so much to do, and not nearly enough time to do everything well. People keep making requests and demands of me, wanting me to go hither and thither with them. They all seem oblivious to the fact that, as much as I want to spend time with everyone I'm leaving behind, there just isn't much time to spare. I really need 40 hours in a day!

A Short, Much-Needed Rant

Here's a question for you: What is a four-letter word for an institution that takes your money and then apparently exists for the sole purpose of being as inconvenient as possible for its customers? Answer: a bank. I am astounded at how much work banks put into making things harder than they need to be (particularly my current bank).

Today I had an obscene amount of things to accomplish. I needed to repack both suitcases (I am still really concerned about the weight issue), cash two checks, get travelers' checks, buy new shoes, clean, and finish copying all my favorite CDs to my MP3 player (with 23+ hours of travel, good music is essential to my sanity). When I pulled up to the bank, it said "open." Once I parked, I learned that only the ATMs were open, as the bank had decided to close for Presidents' Day.

Okay, what the heck is that all about?! Presidents' Day?! Schools are still in session, businesses are still open, and colleges have classes, so why does the bank feel they have the right to close? They already have hours that are completely inconvenient for most working individuals. They close early two days a week and all day on Sunday. They take off every major holiday. They let you get overdrawn without saying a word until you rack up sizeable fees (okay, so I didn't keep a very accurate balance a few years ago). They call at annoying times to offer services no one wants. And then they take off a pointless holiday that almost no one observes (except for stores that want a silly excuse for a sale).

It also annoys me that my bank always claims to be open, enticing me to risk my neck getting into their parking lot while discourteous (and dangerous) drivers try to hit my car, only for me to find out that, once again, only the ATMs are open. The least they could do is admit to being closed.

Sorry to rant on such a minute subject, but I'm stressed, and the bank just put me over the edge today.

So Eager to Go, I May Not Need the Plane!

I just can't wait to leave! I keep looking at the pictures of where I'm going to be living for the next year, and reading over the final advice from Marilyn, and it makes me giddy with anticipation. I'm so excited that I feel like I could fly over there without the plane!

I am especially eager to meet my director. She has been beyond wonderful through this whole confusing, frustrating process. I think the two of us are going to get along famously. She's even offered to take me hiking when I get there. I've worked well under every employer I've had owing to a good work ethic, but I find jobs so much more enjoyable when I'm privileged to have a good boss. I just hope I can exceed her expectations.

My biggest worry right now, besides general fears concerning delayed flights and lost luggage, is that I won't be a good enough teacher. I adore kids, but I have limited experience in teaching them, and zero experience in teaching children who don't speak the same language as me. I want more than anything to be the sort of teacher who not only instructs, but inspires. I want these kids to enjoy being in my class and to enjoy the English language. It has its quirks and faults, but overall it is a very vivid, descriptive, and fun language. I just hope I can keep things fresh and interesting for my students so that they, too, can relish the delights of the English language.

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!

Only Ten Days to Go...

...and I'm still sick. Argh! I'm still worn out from flu (aka plague) and I now have a nasty little sinus infection. Will I never get well?!

Today is a cleaning day. I'm attempting to leave both my bedroom and my car in immaculate condition so that I won't have to hear my parents complain about my sloppiness at every family reunion for the next twenty years. I'm donating most of the clothes that I'm leaving behind to the Red Cross. I figure it'll be good karma if I help the needy by my leaving.

I have made one very important decision finally: When my year in Korea ends, even if I don't stay overseas, I am not moving back to Michigan. I thought about putting off the decision, but then I realized that I was just prolonging the inevitable. The economy here is lousy, I miss having mountains around me, and I have no opportunity to use my history degree here. I have a great group of friends, my family, and my church here, but I can't put my life on hold any more.

I have decided that when I get through living overseas, however long that may take, I am either going back to Virginia or to Tennessee. I wouldn't even mind living in Boston or Washington, DC. I loved living in Lynchburg, VA more than any other place, so I'm hoping that by the time I get back Liberty will have their history MA up and running. It would be fantastic to go back and get my MA at Liberty.

Well, break's over. Time to put on my Idina Menzel CD and get back to sorting through the stuff I'm leaving behind. I have high hopes of getting rid of lots of it.

Who Laughs at a Funeral?!

I don't know what it is about my family, but we're such a bunch o' nuts that we always seem to laugh and joke at inappropriate times. Like at funerals, for instance.

Today was my Uncle Vern's funeral. It was a blast! I think Uncle Vern would have loved to see how much fun we had. It may seem wrong to some people, but Uncle Vern was a man always up to mischief, and he loved a good joke, so I'm sure this is how he would have wanted his funeral to go.

It started out solemnly enough, with all of us gathered together, listening to Uncle Vern's favorite Hank Williams song. Then my cousin Scott gave a short, touching eulogy, ending with the heart-wrenching words "Goodbye Daddy." Uncle Clyde spoke next, remembering a humorous story from when he and Uncle Vern were boys, followed by a few fishing stories. I sat next to my second cousin Loretta, with whom I'm close, and the two of us behaved very well through all of that. We were asked to write down memories of Uncle Vern, which I did. Then the good behavior ended.

The main speaker was a pastor who had never known Uncle Vern. His nearly-half-hour speech had Loretta and I laughing our heads off, as well as my sister Jennifer, my cousin Laurie, my parents, and a few other relatives. We honestly couldn't help it. The guy was doing such a terrible job!

He told us almost his entire life story, occasionally giving space to short remarks about Uncle Vern. He got Uncle Vern's occupation wrong, gave a short speech on the importance of the American military (Uncle Vern was a veteren who served in the Korean conflict), quoted the most random scriptures possible, and spoke at length on the flood of 1937 (which had nothing to do with Uncle Vern). He also gave us a discourse on the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, reminded us repeatedly of our own mortality and the possibility that we could all die at any minute (my sister loved that part), and even told us about his three recent trips to the hospital (his, not Uncle Vern's). It was the most confusing, hilarious speech I have ever sat through at a funeral!

Naturally, several of us spent most of the speech laughing as quietly as we were able to laugh. We also felt the need to share various insights with one another throughout the speech, resulting in even more laughter. Oddly enough, I think our laughter and jokes were more appropriate than tears would have been. Uncle Vern would have loved to see us enjoying ourselves. That man loved a good laugh!

Following the funeral we got together for dinner and shared even more laughs. It seems that no one can remember Uncle Vern without at some point smiling and/or laughing. I think that says more about my uncle than any eulogy ever could.

Packing (aka Mission Impossible)

You never realize just how much stuff you have until you try to cram 100 pounds of it into two suitcases!

I spent yesterday and today doing my packing for Korea. I've been accumulating things I thought I'd want to bring, but have put off the actual shoving into suitcases. Dad decided to help inspire me to complete my packing by threatening to throw everything into the snow if I didn't finish the job. So, I rolled up my sleeves and got it done.

Having to limit myself to 100 pounds really made me stop and assess every item in a new way. It's amazing how many "essentials" suddenly seemed frivolous and found themselves in the "staying in Michigan" pile. I found myself musing on how beneficial it would be if emotional baggage, worries, and even memories could be sorted through and discarded in the same manner. If only my mind had a weight limit for how much it could carry each day. I think I'd waste a lot less time and energy on the foolish concerns that often preoccupy me.

Rest in Peace, Uncle Vern

My Uncle Vern died yesterday. He had Alzheimer's and pneumonia, so his death wasn't much of a surprise. Still, I guess it never really hits that you're about to lose someone until they're actually gone.

Uncle Vern was my oldest living uncle. When I was a little girl, he was loads of fun to be around. He was always smiling and full to the brim with jokes and funny stories. I fondly remember the way he used to pop out his teeth and tell me never to take up smoking or I'd lose my teeth, too. He was a warm, loving man and an all-around good uncle.

It was heartbreaking to watch Alzheimer's steal Uncle Vern's memory, turning his entire family into strangers. The past few times I saw him, he was as sweet as ever, but he had no idea who I was. I didn't visit him in the nursing home, as I didn't want to make him feel bad about not knowing me. Alzheimer's is one of the cruelist diseases.

The next family reunion will feel somewhat lonlier without Uncle Vern. An empty chair will remind us all of the smiling man whom we'll only be able to visit in memories from now on. We'll all miss him, I'm sure.

Rest in peace, Uncle Vern.

The Dread of Anticipation

Don't get me wrong; I'm still excited beyond belief about moving to Korea. The trip over there is a different matter.

Thanks to the embassy screwing things up, I am now leaving for Korea on the 23rd of February. My flights have all changed as well. I'm still leaving from Chicago, but I now leave two hours earlier. In addition, I am changing airlines in San Francisco instead of Seattle, which is quite a bummer. I really like the airport in Seattle, but I am not fond of San Francisco's airport. If I recall correctly, my last experience there was an unhappy one involving lots of walking while dragging heavy luggage, a desperate search for my gate, and some rather rude airport employees.

The worst part of the change in plans is the travel time. While before I was only to have twenty-one hours of air travel, I now have twenty-three and a half hours to look forward to. I'll be getting into Busan at about 9:00 PM local time, then have about an hour of travel time getting to Gyeongju. Since I start teaching the very next day (jet lag and all), I am anticipating being one very tired, miserable girl for the first few days in Korea. I only hope my students don't suffer from any exhaustion-induced stupidity on my part.

Through this whole ordeal, I at least have the comforting knowledge that I will be working for a very kind, considerate director. In addition, I can also remind myself that this hassle is well worth the opportunity I am being offered. Finally, when I look in the mirror, the reflection of a failure will no longer taunt me. Instead I'll see someone brave enough to travel over 8,000 miles in order to pursue a dream. I can't wait to be that person.

Embassy = Migraine

My plans suffered a traumatic blow again today. Dad and I had the train tickets purchased and were all set to go to Chicago tomorrow for my fifteen minute interview at the Korean embassy. Thwack! Those plans got shot out of the ballpark!

The lady at the embassy informed me that there are no interview times available until Friday the 15th and the paperwork will take two days to process. I will not be allowed to set foot on the plane until that paperwork is complete. So, guess who isn't leaving on the 16th, even though her ticket has already been purchased!

The more I pleaded and begged, the more obstinate the woman became. There is NOTHING that the chicago office is willing to do to help. It's ridiculous, but there's nothing I can do about it. That's the frustrating part. I keep doing everything right, and other people keep messing me up. It is really hard not to get depressed, furious, or both.

I e-mailed Marilyn and Cate (the director of my school) immediately, and heard back from both of them in a matter of hours (both women are excedingly nice and very prompt at responding--I really appreciate that). Cate is now going to move my ticket up another week, having me leave on the 23rd. I hate the idea of having to wait an extra week, and even more I hate having to further inconvenience my poor director, but this is apparently my only option. I am going to work so hard being the best teacher possible to make all this up to Cate!

Tips to anyone considering employment in Korea: Be prepared for your plans to frequently shift around, and learn the language of diplomacy. Also, be like me and pick a school with a REALLY sweet, understanding director. I also strongly recommend World English Service. Marilyn Innes is one of the nicest, most helpful people I have ever come across.

Houdini and the New Luggage

I went to Shipshewana, Indiana (Amish country, USA) with my parents yesterday and what a blast it was! We had dinner at the Blue Gate Inn with my aunt, uncle, three cousins, one cousin's wife, and one cousin's fiance. While we were down there, I was able to get new luggage:


They are actually both the same size, but I zipped one down so you can see how small I can make them for strorage. They're Route 66 themed, which is about as American as you can get, so I'm figuring people will think they're pretty cool in Korea. Best of all, they were cheap and they are light. Also, I figure they'll be a piece of cake to spot in a luggage claim!

I had really nice luggage a few years ago that I got for Christmas, but the airlines managed to murder both pieces on a trip to Hawaii. I bought really cute new luggage in Hawaii that was blue with flowers on it and was easy to spot and easy to drag, but an airline managed to rip the big one to shreds on my last trip to Mexico. So, I thought originally that for Korea I would use my remaining Hawaiian suitcase and take my HUGE blue duffel, but then I discovered the duffel was ten inches too big (which explains why I haven't used it before). Hence the desperate need for cheap new luggage!

I also picked up a new friend in Shipshewana. I have been looking for a puppet as a teaching tool, and I finally found a great one. My cousin Mike thought I should get the military puppet, but it seemed in rather poor taste! So instead, I got Houdini:



Isn't he adorable? I think the little kids will just love him!






Only thirteen days left until I leave, and I can't wait!

The Person I'll Miss the Most

I am really going to miss my mother. She drives me crazy sometimes, but the truth is, she's my best friend. She's been there for me my whole life as a guide, a companion, a cheering fan, and especially as an inspiration.

Back in the sixties, when most women became nothing more than wives and mothers, my mother went to college. She spent her childhood dreaming of becoming a nurse and when she grew up, she did it. She has saved countless lives through her work, and made even more lives better just because she was there. She's in charge of several services now at Bronson, and she has served as president of her chapter of AORN. The woman's accomplishments could wallpaper a room.

When my mother was pregnant with me, she was also working full time, raising an eleven-year-old and a husband, helping to open a new surgical center, helping to maintain a farm, and carrying sixteen credit hours at Western Michigan University. I'd love to see any man attempt all that! And she not only did all that, she did it well. That's what astounds me even more about her.

My mother is an intelligent, hilarious woman who is artistic, loving, and creative. She can do so much! She not only knows a ton about everything nursing-related; she also gardens, sews, decorates, cooks (well, has the ability to anyway), and keeps the house in order. She also used to be an exellent shot with a gun, as I recall from the days when we lived in the country! She's amazing!

As an independant young Christian woman of the twenty-first century, I've seen so many other girls battling for identity, wondering exactly what we as women are capable of. Most of these girls have been hindered and limited by their mothers' perceptions of a Christian woman's place in society. I, however, have been liberated by the wonderful example set by my own mother and her vast understanding and intuition. I don't have to flounder about in lost confusion, or settle for an unfulfilling life as a man's doormat. My mother has kept me from that.

Every time I've lived on my own, I've found it an adventure. Great things and even some horrid things have happened to me. Through it all I've grown, matured, and become a better person. But each time, I've had to face the same pain: leaving Mom. I carry her with me in my heart, my mind, and even the way I greet each challenge, but I still miss her every time. I know that in Korea, I'll have the time of my life. But I also know I'll miss my mom every day, and that even with time, missing her won't cease.

Missing Mom is just a part of living. Loving her is, too.

Departure Date

Now that I have officially announced my departure date to my family and closest friends, I feel right about posting it here on my blog:

I am leaving the USA on Saturday, February 16, 2008.

Only fifteen days left until I move to Korea!

I Have a Date!

A travel date, that is. At last, I know when I am leaving for Korea. And the really good news is, I get a little extra time to recover from this flu before I leave the country. Oh, and my visa number has just been issued, too, so as soon as I'm well enough I can hop on down to Chicago and have my interview with the Korean consulate (another adventure!). :)

My itinerary is quite reasonable. I'll be flying out of Chicago O'Hare airport, which I'm quite familiar with. My first layover is in Seattle, which is great since I love that airport (it is REALLY cool--I was there three times when I visited my friend Brittany). It is also very fitting that I get to be in the birthplace of Starbucks one last time before leaving the country! From Seattle, I'll be taking Korean Air to Seoul, and then to Busan. Someone will pick me up from that airport and drive me to Gyeongju. Exhausting, but not too bad.

I am really happy about getting to fly Korean Air. I was on their website the other night and their airline looks great. The in-flight meals have won Mercury awards for being the best in the world and the seats in economy have just been enlarged. Plus, each seat gets its own LCD monitor. If I have to spend many, MANY hours on a plane, I prefer to do it in as much comfort as possible. I'm glad for the layovers, too. It'll give me a chance to walk around a bit and stretch my legs (well, as much as I can with the two heavy carry-ons I'll be lugging).

It is such a tremendous relief to finally know exactly when I'm leaving!

Fun with the Flu

I went to the doctor today and it turns out that my "plague" is actually influenza. As my mother nagged me for three months to get a flu shot, she couldn't wait to say "I told you so!" I guess I deserved that.

Luckily the doctor prescribed some good meds that should knock this thing out of my system. She assured me that I'll be just fine for flying in a week and a half, which is probably about when I'll be leaving.

In the meantime, this really puts a damper on things. I feel so lousy that I can't pack or clean, and spending time with friends and family is out of the question. I can certainly think of a lot of ways I'd rather be spending my last days at home.

I guess the moral of this story is, you should probably listen to your mother. (I just hope mine doesn't read this post!)

One Thing I Am Not Going to Korea for

I have noticed that aside from pointing out things that they think I should be afraid of, the most popular comment people keep making is something along the lines of "you'll get an Asian husband/boyfriend while you're over there."

While I realize that people mean no harm in saying this, I feel I should make one thing perfectly clear:

I am NOT going to Korean to find a man.

I am an independent single woman, and I am enjoying my freedom and lack of "significant other." While much of the Christian community seems to think that a woman's goal in life ought to be to marry and produce offspring, I beg to differ. I do not want to be married right now, I do not want to date, and I do not want to "hook up." I am content being single. I like being able to come and go as I please. I like being able to pack up and move across the world. I like not having to worry about someone else's goals/desires contradicting my own.

I am not saying that I never want to marry. I very much want to have children someday. But I wish people would stop trying to plant me in some bygone era and realize that a single Christian woman is not necessarily looking for a man every place she goes.

Good News During the Plague

My paperwork was approved by the Korean immigration office in Daegu yesterday. I am supposed to be issued a visa number by about February 4th or 5th, after which I have to proceed immediately to the Korean consulate in Chicago for final paperwork and a brief interview. I am on countdown to leave by about February 6-9th as things currently stand. Apparently there was another unforeseen delay.

I'm actually rather glad about the delay as I am sicker than yesterday. I now have a rasping voice that would be the envy of Jimmy Durante or Bette Davis in her older years. I am going to the doctor tomorrow, so hopefully this "plague" of mine will clear up before I leave.

I definitely do not want a repeat of the experience I had coming back from Mexico a year ago. I was so sick and miserable then that I completely lost my voice and hearing, which made going through customs a bit more interesting than usual! Then I wound up in tears on my final flight because the pressure made me hurt so much. The only nice thing about that trip was the friendly French lady next to me who gave me wonderful cough drops that worked so well that I suspect they are illegal in this country.

Anyhow, at least I have a rough idea of when I'm leaving, which is something of a relief to me. I just hope my health comes back soon. This new voice of mine is most unpleasant to any listeners, and would certainly make things miserable for my students.

Down with the Plague

This would happen to me! Any day now I'm leaving for Korea, and here I am sick and miserable with some dreadful virus. I'm coughing like a chain-smoker, my lungs feel like they have a California wildfire blazing in them, and my entire body feels like a village that has just been pillaged by the Vikings.

Please pass the cough syrup.

Introducing Darcy

Allow me to introduce the new dragon in my life:



His name is Darcy (yes, after Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice) and I fell in love with him after we met at Hobby Lobby. Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted a pet dragon. Particularly a blue one. Ah, a dream realized!

Darcy will be journeying about with me while I'm still in Kalamazoo, and then will be going carry-on to Gyeongju. So get used to seeing his cute sparkly blue face; he'll be posing for quite a few pictures in the future.