This hopefully won’t be SUPER long but I reckon it’ll be pretty long. I’m already forgetting details since it was basically 24 hours of traveling and I slept in my bed last night. But here goes nothing:
Okay so I woke up in the hostel around 10:00AM I think. After getting ready and packing my stuff, I took the sheets/pillowcase off my bed and put it in the basket then checked out of my room. Then I hung out in the basement until Kayla got here. But in that time, I met this guy from Germany named Robert. He was confused as to why I was watching a kdrama on mute but listening to my iPod. So then we started talking. He’s only going to be in Korea for three or so days then he’s going to Tokyo (for work, I presume). So he was asking me all about Korean culture and history and that was nice. Then Lin (Sophie) came downstairs and joined us and the three of us were talking. Then finally Kayla came (after momentarily getting lost) and since I wasn’t sure how to get to the subway from here, Lin and Robert acted as our guides. So I said goodbye to Ailee and set off. When they took us down to the subway (we were going to a special line–the line which is the AREX, the airport railroad express) we hugged some more. Robert is like lost in the times and doesn’t have a Facebook and nearly forgot he had an e-mail address. And instead of typing his e-mail address into my iPod (since he couldn’t really use a touch screen) he wrote it down on a piece of paper lol. Cutie. So I waved goodbye to them and promised Lin to see her again someday. Then Kayla and I went on the train.
The train wasn’t so bad, it was 45 mins tops and it was a pretty nice setup. But Kayla and I were both starving (having not eaten all day). We got to the airport around 1PM then literally got lost in the hugest airport I have ever seen for 2 hours until we finally found where I could check in my bags. But this airport (ICN–Incheon International Airport) is SO BIG that it has an orchestra (that was playing “Let it Go” by the way), a bowling alley, and a movie theater. Probably more but we didn’t explore much. People thought it was weird that I got to the airport so early but like I’m glad I did because I got so lost. While in line to check my bags in, I saw Emma and Ryan (Emma is on my flight, except in business class, but Ryan was just helping her like Kayla was helping me). So I waved at them. But like I wonder why she’s on business class…it’s not like she needs the leg room. She’s seriously the tiniest person I’ve ever met. =P After checking my bags in, Kayla and I went to Lotteria to get something to eat. I should’ve been eating there instead of Burger King. I much prefer the burgers. Well then Kayla walked with me to my gate. But there were these guys in front of us: one white guy and two Asian guys; they all looked the same age (nearly our age if not a bit older). But the white guy was hugging them and sobbing. It was so sad and pathetic. Kayla and I wondered about their relationship. I assume they met while studying abroad and made a really good bond and now he has to go home. But he ended up being on my shuttle and he was still tear-stained. Poor baby.
The flight to Dallas wasn’t actually as bad as I thought it would be. It kinda flew by. I think because I took it 2-hours at a time. (It was 11 hours in total). 2 hours I would sleep, then I’d watch a 2-hour movie, then sleep, then movie. So I watched “Jersey Boys” and then the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. And I beat my record. Last time I only used the lavatory once but this time…not even once. I’m skilled, bruh. Or weird. Either way. However, I managed to sleep through 2 of the 3 meals served on the plane and that wasn’t good. Oh well. But hey look at this beautiful picture of mountains when we were flying over Washington state:
Oh, and the girl that was sitting next to me was this sweet, very quiet Korean girl. She didn’t speak that much but I noticed that she really sucked at sleeping on planes and she didn’t have any neck pillow. So I finally lent her mine and it really helped and she used it the rest of the flight. I’m glad I could help. =) When I got to Dallas, Customs took freakin’ forever. And there was all this racket about this little grow-your-own-strawberry kit I had gotten for one of my aunts. They sent me to agriculture and there they confiscated it. Like do you really think the strawberry kit is going to be the downfall of the United States? I don’t. But whatevs. So then I met up with Sasha and her mom drove me to my gate again. Sweetheart. Then Sasha and I exchanged gifts. She gave me this jar full of notes on popsicle sticks which I thought was the cutest thing (considering usually it’s me who gives those kind of gifts)! I love gifts that are from the heart. We then sat and chatted for about an hour and that was nice. Then finally we departed. The flight to Tampa seemed much shorter. My eyes were really tired so I just slept, no problem. It seemed like time flew by and we arrived. Then I took the shuttle bus and voila–there was my mom, sister, and a great family friend! I felt bad for not being enthusiastic but I think they knew how tired I was. So we went to baggage claim and then got in the car. They had gotten me food and omg it has that American taste. That savory taste. So lovely. xD
Then we drove home and I got the cutest welcome from my dogs! Even the oldest one, Dopey, who’s usually not that excited to greet me came and made some excited wheezing noises and got all excited. It was the cutest thing! Then of course, Caleb, my baby, was just whining and grumbling up a storm. And Roxy was jumping all over me. I stayed out with them for a while until I was sufficiently covered in black fur and dirt. (They’re farm dogs). I’d also hugged my dad. Then I said hi to the dove, Mandira, and our last surviving cat, Pamela (who actually seemed happy to be pet by me–I didn’t think she’d miss me). Then I went and said hi to our umbrella cockatoo, Noah, who is always the cutest to say hi to. Then I took a much needed shower. Then I ate some home food and sat on the couch with my mom, half-watching some Lifetime movie on TV, half-chatting. She also rubbed my feet which was really nice. Then I finally went to bed.
And that is the end of my journey.
There will be one more blog post that is like a sum-up but I don’t know when I’ll bother to write it lol.