When the constant familiarity of characters I couldn’t understand only read fade into understandable words, the open fields fly by in the car, and the piercing sunrise lightens the dark fall air, I know I am home. Or stated Back in the States. The battle of letting people know I am not on vacation…doing projects at home and sorting myself out can be well…not sure what the word is to describe the melancholy daze I’m in; I need this time to sort myself out. So many thoughts going through my head I know I’m still in a whirlwind of excitement and jet lagged thinking. Happy to be back, but still sadden by the thought of being outputted to a different country in a matter of 40 hours. That’s all it took to be back to the place I’ve known for the past 24 years and then my 25th year I knew a different country. The whiny KPOP blaring over the loudspeaker of a too brightly lit Lotte Mart always gave me a sullen headache, but now somehow I wish it was here. Or that was there. Or this was that and that was this. Will I always have these thoughts? Knowing other worlds and my own so well. I know what I have and I now know what they have. The Walmart bill beat the cost hands down to the Korean grocery store. But there are no 5 day markets with fresh produce here. Recent musings of being back in America….
First breakfast: pumpkin bagel and vanilla chai spice coffee
Amazing night sleep
Shower with curtain
Sitting on comfy couch watching the news with over 200 Channel choices
No construction sounds…so peaceful and quiet
Instead of English being the language translated, it’s now Spanish
Whole Foods Salad
Homemade Ice-Cream
Cooked Meatballs- my first dish to make at home!
Bathroom size- almost half the size of my Korean apartment.
Pumpkin EVERYTHING- pies, bagels, breads, lotions, body wash, candles, decor…coffees and lattes…
Wifi is not convenient…ha! No more walking down the street connections!
Five days earlier…
Opened my window and saw my first sunrise in the states after a year. Colors strike the cloud lining as I look down pink fluffs zoom by and further along the horizon yellow beams peak through a split in the straight line ahead. I’ve never been so happy and bittersweet. Or excited to fill a United States customs form. I know I’ve said before and it rungs true especially today that my heart lives with so many people in so many places…
I haven’t let my jet lagged sleep deprived headached heart write for the 12 hours for fear of it be some blabbery tear filled mess of a frustrating complaint session of the annoyances I’ve dealt with on this flight. Reason to hold off until the last 2 hours. All I will say is there should be a quiet rule in the plane at all times. Conversations taking places over rows of people in loud voices should not be happening.
My clock on my iPod says 12:13 A.M. I’ve been traveling for 25 hours already. Bus ride to Seoul, Waiting for checkin/departure to Shanghai, Flight to Shanghai, layover, and now flight to LAX. About 12 hours to go.
Oh whatta day. Got through customs and immigration fine. Turns out my Seoul to LAX and LAX to OMA flights were booked separately so when I went to check in to US Airways the lady told me I could upgrade to first class for 100$ then proceeded to tell me it would be 60$ for my bags to be checked. When I went to weigh my bags one was 10 lbs overweight and China Eastern didn’t charge me that fee. So I either had to rearrange my suitcase or pay 90$ over charges. I opted to be bumped to first class with no baggage fees. Amazing. Though my first flight there were no open seats and sat in the very last row… I am currently in first class is this amazing chair and nice people. Finally. Great last flight. So glad I also opted to leave LAX early and sit in PHX for a longer amount of time- love that airport- clean, variety of restaurants, and free wi-if. Eyes are burning, throat is dry and stomach is doing flip flops. So sick and desperately need sleep.
Arrived to the airport and was surprised by my cousin, my friend soon arrived!! Amazing!!! Saw grandparents and friends, sisters, Timmie drove up from Missouri and surprised me too…Feel so loved.
Fabulous first weekend home…so much laughter and hugs and tears, hair and nails done, and new clothes too…Soaking up familiar sites and sounds and smells that have been absent from my sense for 13 almost 14 months…it really does feel like home.
More to come about being back in good ole Nebraska!!!
Words from a Traveler 
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