Random Thoughts from Incheon

1. Awesome movies and short features, as well as “more than special”s for viewing on the plane (kara told me to treat it like a day on the couch, and that's exactly what I did! What a great reframe!). Next time I won't even bother with a carry on, I'll just plan on with laptop or e-reader or, phsaw, WORK...I didn't get a thing done!
2. greeted by Pierce Brosnan for Paradise Casino
3. Incheon wouldn't be so bad to navigate, for a super huge city airport...if a computer glitch that failed to read my passport didn't get me hauled into the “examination room” and grilled about my citizenship; then me to report in all honesty the length of time I will be spending in Korea, only to find out that, without government ID, that was the wrong answer (90 days is the right answer...always); thus, I received my first Korean scolding on fixing my immigration status as soon as possible upon receiving my ID card. And apart from needing to fill out about a dozen mini slips of paper all asking for my name and declarations, I only had to go through about 5 lines twice and just miss my luggage before enjoying Korean style customs (seriously, enjoying it as they did not check one single bag/thing/really even look at all those mini slips)!
4. Rethinking the wisdom of a black sweathshirt dress when traveling with my cat...
5. Who knew they would make me/her endure being taken out of her carry-on bag TWICE to go through security, or else, as the lovely woman in Chicago put it, “she'll be fried”. YIKES!
6. Samsung and LG OWN this town/this airport, and as I watch a big screen TV at my gate to Daegu (and mouth-wateringly imagining the TV set up I'm soon to purchase), I'm already falling in love with the commercials.
7. Realizing that the extreme thinness of these people means they keep their airport terminals and planes a ridiculously hot temperature. Seriously?? Its 31 degrees outside and I'm dying to be in flip flops inside?? That's just wrong.
8. What happened to all that wonderful Asian efficiency I have long heard about at the domestic terminal check-in? Only three attendants for coach class, and seriously multiple families of like 6 ppl ea to check in, WITH luggage?!?
9. The “Total Pillow” (as seen on TV) appears not so total for a small person like myself.
10. Again, these commercials are EPIC!
11. I really must start memorizing characters, especially the ones for Daegu! That would be helpful.
12. Without a cellphone, I am dead in the water here. I not only have relatively little to do here, but I can't call my superiors to get help in said Examination Room, and I can't FB status update, and I can't look all cool with my Samsung phone...
13. People are staring...
14. FREE AWESOME WI-FI IN THE AIRPORT??! I love this place...but it comes with some explanation:

15. and finally, my first quirky english t-shrit: "Polham...Justifiable" :) 

This is going to be fun!

Ok, last flight, off to Daegu!  

Last Few Days in Chicago

I hope this blog will be a good way to update everyone on a regular basis! To my family, I love all your enthusiasm for me, and I know you want to be a part of this process and support me, I'm just sorry that I can't always respond or update too frequently this week, as its so crazy hectic busy. (Yesterday's move was an exception, as I had HOURS to sit around and try not to get in the way:) Still, I was trying to work in my hallway just outside the door!)

Anyway, Yes, I am still strangely calm, at peace, not panicking. I know it hasn't hit me yet, and it will at some point...probably about the time I get off the plane...or maybe not until I'm in the hotel on base for the 5th day in a row and I start to realize "Hey, this isn't vacation!". Until then, I'm just going with it, and having a lot of fun. 

Its the logistics that's getting me. I have to keep reminding myself "You've never done this before!" because it really does feel so familiar; its kind of a combination of heading to camp and my move from a few months ago. So that's helpful! But I need to send off a few packages in the next two days, then wrap my mind around getting to the airport, etc. 

So, here's my to do list:

Today: say goodbye to one client this AM, have a wrap-up research meeting with DK, have an afternoon of fun with Maria (lunch at the Atwood, shopping, drinking, getting our makeup done), find time to hit my lawyer's to SIGN MY DIVORCE PAPERS (oh yes, we've reached consensus!!!), meet with my research assistant to review whatever DK and I talk about in our wrap up meeting, meet up with Ian to drop off keys bc he's going to sell the car, say goodbye to my second client, head home to workout and clean the place, go to bed, breathe. 

Tomorrow: drive to usda office to complete Furgie's certification, my last personal therapy appointment, lunch with CBM colleagues, last hoorah with two good friends, home, bed, breathe.

Friday: say goodbye to last client, clean office, send packages to self, drive car up to old neighborhood and say goodbye, debate on spending the night at a friend's place or in my apartment, last hoorah with book club girls, bed, breathe. 

Saturday: wake up, work out, hail a cab around 8a, check in at airport, sit and wait, anticipate delays (it IS O'hare, after all), board plane, tuck Furgie comfortably beneath my seat, breathe...

Sunday night: arrive, look disheveled, meet my colleagues, plop on hotel bed with Furgie and watch mindless television while trying to escape jetlag. Want to call people but noone will be up yet:) Probably won't have a working phone. Find an internets connection and skype???

I have no plans and can't anticipate anything after Sunday evening. That's when the fun begins! 

So, I'll keep you as updated as possible and will send notes as I can!!! For now, I'm going to enjoy the time I have left here in this city I absolutely love and will miss very very much:) But, as mom and I discussed this past weekend, South Korea is where I'm supposed to be right now, it feels good, and maybe that's why I'm so calm about all of this right now! 

More later!