It's So Hard To Say Goodbye

Well, the day is finally here...the day that I leave for East Asia. The past few days have been really difficult emotionally as it really sinks in that I'm leaving for a year. I feel like I have been preparing for this day for so long, but still it snuck up on me. Last night, at bedtime, I wanted to crawl into bed with Mama and Daddy and hold on for all I am worth. You would think that after living away from home for the past 4 years that this would be nothing new, but after being home for the past month or so I really don't want to let go. I don't think that there is anything sweeter than being at home with your family (at least not on this earth!)

The last week leading up to my departure has been chaotic to say the least. I only received the visa papers from the school a week and a half before I was supposed to leave, which meant I had to scoot my booty straight up to DC. I was hoping that I could squeeze in a visit to my dear friends Matty and Mary, but no such luck :-( I had heard that the visa office was no longer accepting expedited applications prior to my going up there, but with much grace I had no problems getting my visa the same day. That was very fortunate since otherwise it could have taken a whole week to process. Also, my car sold 5 days before I left! What a blessing. Father's hand has clearly been on this trip from the time that I was called to go until even now. I have been so busy that I didn't even have time to pack until yesterday evening. It was a packing bonanza! Fortunately, Mama and Daddy both helped out greatly...and a good dinner break at Nina's didn't hurt either ;-) I also have to thank Mary for helping me organize my packing list.

I did not have much of an appetite for breakfast this morning among all of the last minute details to take care of, but managed to sneak in one last English muffin before taking off to the land of noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I think that I talked to everyone in my family before leaving this morning. Allie and Bella called to wish me safe travels. Bella had so many questions...like what was I going to wear and if I was taking all of my stuff with me. She is truly fascinated about what my life will be like living here in Asia. Grandma also called and told me that she would come to see me off. It was so great to be surrounded by my family before leaving at the airport. I even got to talk to Courtney, who called from Germany to say goodbye. I can't believe the great timing since she didn't even know for certain what day I was leaving.

The lady at the ticket counter was unbelievable patient, helpful, and kind. When I put my luggage on the scales to weigh it, my trunk weighed in at 62 pounds. We were going to just pay the price for overweight luggage until she looked up the fee for the other carrier I was using - it was astronomical! She let me take the time to pull some things out and rearrange others since I had a little extra weight in my other bag. I wasn't sure how on earth I was going to remove 12 pounds from my trunk. She told me if I could get it down to 52 she'd let it slide. We got it to 52.5 and while it was resting on the scales it miraculously lost .5 pound.

Since we arrived at the airport 3 hours early (If your not early, your late), we got to spend some time together before I went through security and on to my travels. I spent most of the time trying not to think about leaving and trying not to cry. But, alas, the time for goodbye did come and it was really hard. The security guard took one look at me and asked if I was okay. Maybe he thought I was being sent against my will or something. Despite being sad to leave, I really am excited to return to the campus and see my foreign friends again.

On the plane ride across the ocean I was blessed to have a whole row to myself! I don't think that has ever happened. Originally, there was a lady and her son in the row with me, but because there were extra seats on the plane they moved and I got the row to myself. Two Benadryls later and I was sleeping pretty good stretched out on 3 seats. I certainly cannot complain. Also, I have to give a shout out to Amanda S. for the hook up with the compression stockings...no cankles here! Well, maybe a little, but certainly not as bad as last time I went half way around the world. When we landed I was prepared for the infiltration of the haz-mats thanks to H1N1, but no such luck. I was kind of looking forward to seeing other people's reactions. We disembarked the plane and walked on to customs/emigration and passed by these radar guns to take our temperatures. Rather anticlimactic. I did feel a little like Harry Potter though walking through the airport with my trunk on a trolley. There was just too much to carry by myself.

I met Grace at the airport and we went to the hotel (which also had a radar gun thingy) to drop off my luggage and then went to downtown. I was pretty interesting to get to see the historical sites and walk around the Hu Tong. The Hu Tong is alley ways were the couriers lived around the palace in ancient times. Now it is a bunch of shops and restaurants, but they have kept the traditional architecture which was fun to see. We dined on jiao zi and cashew chicken. The jiao zi was boiled, which is not my favorite method of preparation, and my stomach was NOT appreciative. Grace, however, insisted that I eat half of them. My stomach did enjoy the cashew chicken. That is something that it did recognize from America, and boy, was it good! Even better than what I get at Red Dragon. Whether because of the sleep I got on the plane or because of the time difference I did not sleep except maybe 30 minutes. Even with boring Discovery channel on TV.

I don't know if it is possible, but I think I was homesick before I even left this morning. These next few days will be difficult, but I know that I am right were I am supposed to be...even if I am away from the people that I love and the place I call home.