I'm supposed to catch a flight tomorrow. I'm supposed to see my best friend in a day. I'm supposed to be reunited with my parents on Sunday. And all next week I'm supposed to travel about Wisconsin visiting friends. All these things and more I will do. Or rather, I hope I'll do.
It hasn't snowed in Korea for a month now. The fluff from the first storm in January vanished two weeks ago. The temperatures even got to the 40s. I got out my spring jacket. And the ajumas got out their hiking gear. Warm weather was nigh and we were all readying ourselves.
Then today I wake up. I throw on my spring coat and rain boots and head out to join the brown grass and gray sky with a smile saying, "You'll be green and blue soon, trust me." But while stuffing my current read in my bag I glanced up. I glanced to see white flakes resting on my boots. Melting quickly but just as soon being replaced. My eyes darted to the road, the sky, the rooftops and car hoods. White. They're all white.
At first I'm excited. I love snow. It's pure, it's cleansing, I can eat it and it warms me and cools me at the same time. I love to look at it and dream those marshmallow and chocolate castle dreams with handsome princes and talking horses. My mind goes adrift, over the mountains to ski chalets and snowball fights. I remember the fun I had during recess so long ago now. I turn into the mush beneath my feet, and I am happy.
I began to walk, I let the happiness sink in. I'm still excited and begin to purposely step in puddles with my rain boots. SHLOP SHLOP SHLOP. The muddy ice water hits my rubbers to no avail. I win this round. Next puddle. SHLOP SHLOP SHLOP. A bit makes it to my knee this time. A dark stain appears on my leggings. It's cold and I feel the chill travel up my spine. I quit for the time being. I become distracted by the sights and sounds around me.
The stoplight is green, my walk light red. I wait and rock slightly, my galoshes making smaller slurping noises as to and fro I go. The Korean lady to my right glances at me. No doubt curious about this weird foreigner gal in the heart covered rain boots. I don't look at her until she looks away. When I do I snicker to myself. She's obviously fallen into the sorry and lonesome stage of adulthood. I think this then feel a pang of pity. I want to help her find childhood again. I yearn to make her laugh.
The light changes. Mine is green. I walk. I see her veer to the right. Heels clopping and sloshing in the mush and snow covered lane. She glances my way one last time and disappears down the alley. I begin my puddle hop. Today is a good day, I think. I'm alive.
The walk continues like this. I get distracted by the everyday nuances turned magic by frozen water droplets. I marvel at everything. I'm still so excited about the day. For not only is it snowing AND the day before I leave for home, but it is also graduation day at my school. It is the sixth grader's final farewell and also my head/co-teacher's. I have her gift under my arm. I hold it close. My excitement peaks as I take me final steps towards the school, my hellos echoed by small, accented voices. I head to my room and begin my day. The lightbulb still dormant of spark. Realization not yet attained. Future travels forgotten in the instant I saw snow. I head to my desk. I await my co-teacher.
She arrives forty minutes late. Her hair soaked, her shoes emaciated. She looks tired and warm from walking. "Where have you been? Did you have car trouble?" DING. Small spark in my bliss. CAR trouble. "No, no. I didn't drive today. I took the bus." Ah, I see. The bus. Not fun, but better than nothing. "But the traffic was so horrible," she continued, "so many accidents." Hm? DING. A second spark, larger and more sustaining than the first. "Yes, you know Korea we do not get snow usually. We get a little and it is very dangerous to us." DING DING DING. We have lift off.
Dreet, shit, damn, gah! Where was my head this morning? I think. Why so delighted with pretty white stuff when the same stuff may spell your doom? Hello in there. You TRAVEL tomorrow. You are supposed to FLY, did you forget? Why are you happy with snow when it's most likely to either delay your plane for hours or cancel it all together? Where is your head?
I ran to the computer. I searched for the weather report. I found the USA Today flight website, it's lead story the record setting cancellations in Washington D.C. Shit, I think again. This is not good. It's not Chicago, but it's too close for comfort. Search: Chicago, IL. The information relays. A few delays but no major cancellations. At least for anywhere but D.C. and the northeast United States. Whew. My heart rate lowers a bit, heaves become real breaths. I was about to puke for a bit. But this website says I'm okay. It says I'll come home. I check my flight. No delays. I check Incheon airport. Few delays, no cancellations. I check the weather three times.
I'm coming home.
I hope I'm coming home.
I am right now typing this the night before my departure tomorrow morning at 11:40 AM. I need to catch a bus that should only be an hour to the airport. I'm guessing with three inches of snow, and a country incapable of clearing said snow without the suns help, that hour will turn into two. Then there's the airport with the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day four to five day weekend. It's a scary thought, what I'll be facing tomorrow. Lines upon lines. Pushy Koreans. Stop and go traffic. Delays and ice. More ice, snow and delays. I only hope some power will hear my cries. Will see how much I need this. How important this is to me and my loved ones. I just, I just hope. I hope tomorrow goes well. I hope to see my family and friends. I hope to sit at my piano the same time next week, and then let my fingers fly. I hope to hug my friends, my mom, my dad, my grandmother. I hope to play with my little cousins. Maybe get my butt kicked in air hockey. I hear the kid's got a fierce game. I hope to see my family and be with them if only for a day. I hope my flight takes off tomorrow, I hope it lands in one piece in Chicago and I hope the connection from there to Minneapolis does the same. I hope to see you all very soon. And I hope I won't hate snow if all fails. Like I said, I hope. Just hope.
Video taken before my revelation. Notice my naivety. I should have taken one during my enlightenment. It would have been much more entertaining!
Stair cover. I pretended I was stuck beneath a glacier. Or like in the movie "The Day After Tomorrow", in a mall underneath meters of snow.
View out my classroom window. Lovely Christmas cards to brighten any day.
Window ledge.
Our poor parking lot/soccer field/track/play ground.
Was so worried about snow taking over my plane and life that I forgot to take many pictures of graduation. That was until my co-teach told me that this lovely lady is leaving our school. "Oh, you didn't know?" How am I supposed to? I really don't read minds. I was just kidding. Please let me know these things! I just about cried. This girl is the Kindergarten teacher. She is amazingly sweet and kind and loving and happy. I just love her so much, and am so sad I probably will never see her again in this lifetime.
