For every decision there is an opportunity cost involved. So to explain... if you go left you give up going right, or if you go to Florida for vacation you sacrifice California and so on. For me to go to S.Korea the opportunity cost was leaving my friends and family back home. Yesterday when I got onto that plane and left I keep thinking about the high opportunity cost and everything that I would miss while I was away. I thought about my dog Sandy, birthdays, Christmas, lying of the floor in the dinning room and having "mom time" and sleeping in my own bed. I guess the best way to describe my emotions is I mourned for the loss of what was and could have been. My biggest on going challenge and probably will be for the rest of my time away. Not being home for thanksgiving or seeing my Grandpa-clause for a whole still makes me sad when I think about it however there is also an opportunity cost gained through being away.
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When I am away I am making new friends and experiencing a whole new culture I would have never had the chance to otherwise. I am also gaining Independence and proving to myself that I have skills in more areas than I thought. While I am away I am making good money that I can use to pay for myself to go back to school and to study to become whatever I want to be. At the same time I am sad or upset my family is only a phone call away and that is good to know. That even when I can't be there in person no one at home is forgetting about me. That is what makes this all okay.
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SO..... ON TO THE FLIGHT!
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The best way to describe my travels is to give a chronological time line of how things happened.
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SEPT 19, 2008
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05:15am - Wake up and finalize last minute packing things
05:22am - into the shower (cause I like being clean when I travel)
05:40am - Dad tells me he is ready to leave and that I am taking too long (this is true)
05:45am - Changed brushing my teeth and ready to go.
05:50am - make my bed one last time than out the door.
05:53am - A tough goodbye with mom, David and sandy :(
05:55am - on the road with dad
07:12am - Arrive at the Airport Terminal 1 Gate A
07:15am - Realize my flight is at Gate J and take all my suite cases to the other end of the terminal
07:30am - Check into my flight and ditch my 74lbs of suite cases
07:38am - Proceed through airport security
07:42am - forget to take off my shoes so have to redo security again
07:45am - Finally it is determined that I am not a risk to national security.
07:50am - Proceed to Gate 173
08:00am - Grab a bagel and orange juice from Tim Hortons in the airport.
08:30am - Watch to news
09:00am - realize Airport news in on a 30 minute loop and get bored
09:00am - Call my mommy from the airport and tell here I love her
09:10am - Explore the terminal and little over priced shops only get a bottle of water ($3!!!)
09:40am - Finally get to board the plane
10:00am - Take off while almost (missing person holds up plane takeoff)
10:15am - Now flying (I pick a non window seat since I get claustrophobic)
10:20am - Safety demonstration in 3 languages (E,Fr,Kr)
10:30am - Entertainment becomes available so I watch Kung Fu Panda
12:00pm - Some microwave chicken thing is served for lunch it is okay not great
01:30pm - Need a new movie so I watch the sex in the city movie (okay not great)
04:00pm - Getting fidgety so I get up and walk ohhhh and i peek in first class (NICE!)
05:30pm - Soup for dinner good ol' cup of noodles.
06:00pm - watch some TV episodes on demand more tired than anything but I can't sleep
07:00pm - Watched the Helen Hunt Movie than she found me.
09:30pm - Dinner is served more airport microwave dinners but i am too hungry to care
11:30pm - Custom cards are handed out to all passengers.
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THE NEXT DAY - SEPT 20, 2008
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12:50am - AC 065 to S.Korea makes final approach and lands at Inechon Int'l airport
01:30am - Finally get out of the plane and take a Train to the baggage claim
01:35am - Get in line and clear customs no problem because of the visa.
02:00am - Have my baggage and have exchange some cash now need to catch a bus to Jeon Ju
02:02am - put my luggage on the bus and find a seat
02:05am - Get kicked off the bus because I am on the wrong one NOOO one speaks English
02:1oam - Finally on the right bus
05:00am - stop at some really gross rest station in the middle of no where I think I have 15 minutes but I am not sure since they don't speak English
6:10am - Finally Arrive at the Core Hotel in Jeon Ju
6:30am - Rose the Director of the school and Scott a fellow teacher pick me up to go back the my apartment.
6:45am - I meet my roommate Shawna
8:00pm - the 2 of us plus 2 other teacher go out to dinner at pizza hut very different but yummy since I was soooo hungry.
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So Until Next Time I will be sleeping off the Jet Lag
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1 comment:
WOw WHAT A LONG DAY FOR YOU....
I am glad that you arrived and were greeted and Pizza Hut familiarity is good, even though it had a different twist on it.
I hope that you slept well. You will do well and will be liked by all. You have such a friendly demeanor about you, and your smile shows your big heart. I wish that I was there to see you on your first day (a fly on the wall). I would be all smiles and proud of you.
You will be missed at the family gatherings but we can host a talk over the computer from your moms home (second best to being there).
Well gotta run, talk to you later,
Aunt Lori Lei
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