Last week as I spent some time in Ames helping with recruitment, everything for this trip finally came together as I was e-mailed my plane reservations. I leave for Korea this Wednesday, the 25th. (I leave from Cedar Rapids at 7:25ish, and arrive in Seoul (via Chicago) at 5 am Friday morning.) With everything in place, including a last minute degree printing and apostille session in DSM on Thursday, I am all set to leave for my big adventure. It seems a little surreal that after all of the planning, preparations and research, I am actually doing this. I am moving to South Korea. This is the real deal.
Do I have everything I need? Yes, save a last minute toiletrie run. (They do not sell deodorant in Korea. Target may need to restock their shelves by the time I'm done with them...)
Am I all packed? Are you kidding me? If you know me at all, you know that I'll probably wait until Wednesday afternoon to even start.
Am I nervous? Uh, SHYEAH! I've run the gammet of emotions this week. I'm nervous as hell, but then I hear words of encouragement from the director of my school or get a Facebook message from Liz, a girl that I met at the Korea consulate in Chicago, get words of encouragement from family and friends around home and I get super excited. I've felt a myriad of other emotions too. As I was driving home from DSM on Thursday, I heard a song called Wally by Aslyn (check her out. she's legit!) that reminded me of my grandparents and I started to cry. This morning, during offering in church, Mom leaned over and said, "By this time next week, you'll be in Seoul." We stared at each other for a a little while with bewildered looks on our faces and it was all I could do not to cry then, too. It's starting to sink in that I'll be gone for a real long time. Of course, through the wonders of modern technology, I'll be able to communicate, speak and even see most everyone back home, which will make being away much easier. Don't get me wrong. I'm sooooo excited for what lies ahead and I know it will be the experience of a lifetime. I have prepared myself in almost every way I can conceive to make this trip go as smoothly as possible and I've always been "a kind of fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants-gal" (props to you if you know which movie that is from...) anyway. Now comes that part that I can't prepare myself for. Saying goodbye.
This weekend, we were able to have some family time. It was so nice to see Nick and Jess and Grandma and Grandpa one last time before I leave and to enjoy the typical Plueger fish fry as well. We squeezed in a family photo or two for the annual Christmas card and enjoyed a nice bike ride in Cedar Rapids on Friday. Then, last night, Kirk, Lu and I saw Eat Pray Love (so good!) and ate dinner at Perkins (fo' free! thanks to some VIP coupons I snagged through my work with the city of Cedar Rapids!) What an awesome way to spend my last weekend in Iowa! Today we're journeying to the much-touted Stone City General Store to enjoy open mic night and some good food.
Next time I post, I'll be across the world from most of you reading these words. I'll have several stories to tell, I'm sure (I always do...), and I would LOVE to hear from you, telling me stories of the things I am missing at home, in Ames or from wherever you are. My e-mail address is nplueger@gmail.com, my skype name is noelle.plueger and I'll post my address in Korea as soon as I know what it is. Thanks for your excouragement, excitement, and support!
What an incredible adventure you are embarking on! Mad props for not letting fear or nerves overcome you. I'm starting my junior year now and the prospect of having to partake in "adult life" after graduation is starting to really make me apprehensive.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, Pretty Woman was on television this weekend. Marathon style. I may have watched it more than once as Julia Roberts is amazing!