On Leaving Home to Go Home

So, here I am, on my big trek back to America for my high school reunion. I know most people think this is strange, but I graduated with less than 90 fellow students, so I knew most of them rather well. I have spend the last few weeks thinking about all the people I used to eat lunch with, hang out on the stage with, sleep through global studies with, and I really miss them. I was really fortunate to go to school with some really awesome people.

I know most kids have lots of tribulations in their high school career, but I was lucky. I mean, of course I experienced my fair share of drama but I really enjoyed the time I spent there, and am really looking forward to seeing people.

I have to admit, having two homes is strange... especially when they are so far apart. You don't know if you should be excited about leaving either place to go to the other or if you should be sad... Either emotion brings a certain amount of guilt with it. I guess this is just part of growing up.

--- I started this blog entry when I was sitting in the Tokyo Airport a week ago, and here I am, back again... this time on my way... home... even though both times I was on my way home... well I had a wonderful trip. Even though there were about 4-5 people I had hoped would be at the reunion that weren't I still enjoyed seeing most people again. There were a few people there that I wished were not there (I expected they would be incarcerated!) But fortunately we never talked.

I think the trip was worth it... I know its a far way to go, but once you get where you are going you completely forget about the travel (at least I do) and just enjoy your time. I was really lucky on the way back, I had a row of three seats all to myself... actually, since so few people are traveling these days there were a lot of lucky people on my flight! :) Now is the perfect time for a long dist flight :) I laid down and slept for the first 8-10 hours and then I was up for the last 2-3 watching a movie... Actually I didn't go to sleep for about the first hour or two cause there was dinner and snacks and the benadryl hadn't kicked in yet.

I do wish I didn't have to work tomorrow, but that's just the way it goes. At least I will have a lot to talk about with my students.
What did I do on my vacation?

Friday
- Fly on Korean Airlines to Tokyo(they wouldn't give me veg food cause they said I never told them LIES) but all they had was rice and beef stew... ewww
- Fly on Continental to Newark, I sat next to an Indian-American archaeologist who had an arranged marriage last year, he specialised in hand axes, it was really interesting... we were both vegetarians, so that's how we started talking
- Fly on Continental Connection to Rochester... so many open seats and I was stuck in the window seat next to this HUGE guy... I didn't want to be rude, but what should I do?
- get into America
- meet my parents at the airport
- wait for a long time at the wrong baggage carousal
- go pick up Carbones pizza
- hang out at home with Gracy, she was very excited to see me, she pee peed on the floor two times (for those of you who don't know she is a dog)
- Gracy slept in my bed all night

Saturday
- Joan came and picked me up for breakfast
- As usually I got a #10, yummy, I think Joan and I sat there for 2 hours talking
- Went to Joan's house to play with kitties then back to my parents house.
- decided to visit Joan at work tonight
- hung out at home with my mom and dad (or did we go shopping?)
- Went to reunion, saw lots of people I love and miss, and a few I didn't miss
- After the reunion I waited at home to see Joan
- Went to the hospital at 2AM to visit Joan, tried to get donuts on the way but Tim Horton's would not oblige us 12 donuts (jerks), she showed us the ICU and the patients, I watched her change the food that's pumped in through the feeding tube, she also showed us where they take the burn victims to hydrate their skin. Also, there is a toilet in a cupboard that swings out in each of the ICU rooms, really cool.
- Went home and chatted online with John and went to sleep at like 4 AM

Sunday
- Woke up early to go to Kelly's Apple farm with my parents.
- Went to my aunts farm and saw her new chickens
- Made apple crisp with my mom
- Carved two pumpkins and roasted seeds
- Had lasagna with my mom and dad
- Met my Aunt Gwen's new man and won my first game of Monopoly EVER! We had a lot of fun.

Monday
- Woke up early again to go to Panera bread with mom, had a soggy breakfast sandwich
- Did some shopping
- Started to feel sick so I went to the doctor at 12, he was really nice and thorough, that's what I expect for $110+ dollars. Turns out I don't have strep throat, just sick... again
- Went to Cheesecake factory with my fam, they gave my pasta that wasn't fully cooked so I sent it back and it never came back out. But I had a REALLY good lemon cake thing there... wow
- Went to see Changling with fam and had popcorn with real butter... I was feeling kinda sick at the onset of this night, but much better after the movie
- Sleep over at Joan's where we watched TV shows and played with kitties all night. Had some graham crackers and rice milk :):)

Tuesday
- Woke Joan up, had more graham crackers and rice milk!!! Yummy
- Went shopping with Joan, Old Navy, Dicks, Mall... I wanted jeans but didn't get any, I wanted Mirror's Edge but it wasn't out :( But I got a Sigg water bottle and NorthFace jacket (two things I really wanted)
- Go eat at Chili's, black bean burger :) Yummy
- Get home at about 3Pm, take a nap till 7ish
- Go visit Noel and Jay, hang out and talk till about 11PM... then go home.
- Stay up all night talking to mom :)

Wednesday
- Start packing at about 3:30AM of course I'm not good at this, but the suitcase was too heavy so I had to pack some of it in a box again.
-Left for the airport at 5:45AM, mom drove
- After being dropped of I moved through security very fast
- Got some McDonald's breakfast and hopped on the plane
- Fly to Newark on Continental Connection, no one next to me, the flight wasn't even half full again, almost all business guys.
- Hang out in Newark Airport, bought Twilit at the Boarders Bookstore in the airport, and I read the first 4 chapters before I even bought it... for a kids book its pretty good.
- Fly on Continental to Tokyo - I had my own row of three seats all to myself! I took some benadryl and had my dinner and passed out for about 8 hours! I got to lay down! Awesome!

Thursday
- still flying, crossed the international date line.
- Had a snack, slept again, woke up with about 3 hours left, watched CSI and a movie with Queen Latifa with breakfast.
-Now I'm at Narita Airport about to board another flight.
- Soon I will take JAL to Korea and John will meet me at the bus stop and help me bring my bags home. I cant wait!

I know I went to Kohl's with my mom, just cant remember when, I bought two pairs of pants, regular black ones and awesome green corduroy ones :)

That's what I did on my vacation... of course there were more things I wanted to do, but as you can see I did a lot :) its a good 4 days!