There and Back Again

Somehow it is already February 12th and I am started on my looonnngg journey back to Pohang.  My 11 day vacation from all things Korean is over and I am trying to get back to the right frame of mind to teach the itty bitties come Monday morning.

Now what did I do during my almost 2 week of bliss?  It all began at the Indianapolis airport.  After my combined 20 hours of traveling I looked down the tunnel to the public area to see my family with a huge balloon boquet.  I did that ever so cliché run that you see on the sappy romance comedies where the woman runs and cries from the gate into the arms of her husband/mother/father/complete stranger.  I didn't really believe I was home until I ran straight into the arms of my family.  There's just nothing quite like it. 


The next part of my trip was of me trying to cram as much western food as humanly possibly into my previously western food free stomach.  We're talking Subway, sloppy joes, homemade cookies, more fountain diet coke than any human being should drink, obnoxious quanities of real cheese and so much more. Oh, and did I mention this was all on the first day?!  Let's just say that even though my tastebuds went into overdrive...so did my digestive system.  Not fun but utterly worth it.  Mmmmmm cheese.

After a proper and fantastic haircut done by someone who speaks English as a first language (Thanks Jason!) I was able to spend time with a few of my Muncie friends.  A relaxing night at the Chug, one of my favorite bars during college, with my girls and crew from Chilis was definietely a highlight of my trip.  It's nice knowing that even after not seeing some of my dearest friends for a year, nothing has changed.

Just a few of my crew that made the visit so amazing

My first weekend home was spent in Michigan to see my little sister Angela.  We ate tons of food, with cheese as the main ingredient (naturally), played Mexican Train (if you don't know how to play it learn as soon as humanly possible) and played a years worth of catch up.  One of the biggest pieces of news I received was that I was going to be an Auntie!  My older sister Stacey is going to be a mommy and is due in August.  We're still not sure if she's having a girl or a boy (I think it'll be a boy) but I'm just so excited.  It's been decided that i'll be the cool auntie that takes him (or her) on fun trips.  Okay okay, when I say "it's been decided" I mean that I have decided this.  Let's face it people, i'm not exactly the disciplinarian.  Fun Auntie Jenn it is.   Let's just hope he's not like Grandma Joan and doesn't have an intense aversion to intercontinenal flying.  Fingers crossed.  Congratulations Stacey and Ross.  You will be amazing parents!

The family finally together again

Another extended part of my family, The Brewers.

The rest of my trip passed without much excitement.  I got to sleep in, eat whatever I wanted (whenever I wanted), go shopping (I may have developed a shopping problem) and got to see as many friends from around the city as I could.  Looking back on my whirlwind trip I realize that my favorite parts were the ordinary ones.  Starbucks and shopping with Mom.  A dinner with Dad, just the two of us.  Taking family pictures with the whole family.  Getting hugged by all the little daycare kids.  Having hundreds of channels at my disposal and having all of them in English.  All that beautiful cheese. Clearly it doesn't take a whole lot to thrill me.

One of my favorite daycare kiddies, Connor

And another one of my favorites, Jake, in his Korea soccer jersey.
Ya think I got it a little big?

Well, now I am in the Detroit airport waiting on the big flight that will take me home to Pohang.  While leaving my parents was hard, it was so much easier than the first time.  This time I knew what to expect and how to handle it all.  If the next 9 months (almost to the date) pass as quickly as the first year did I will be home again before anyone realizes it.  

Farewell Amurica.  See you in November.