brown corn...and pig companions

Last day at LHF was last Monday.  Since then I have been spending my time here:

The Texas Panhandle.  Sun. Heat. Oil. Drought. Brown corn.

It sure does make an Iowan like me appreciate the beautiful, lush, green corn growing in the fields in the Midwest. Oh how the brown corn in the fields makes me cringe.

One benefit to sun and heat is that I got to spend an entire day at my friend's pool and get rid of my 19th Century-white skin. I loved my job at LHF, but it did nothing for my tan. 

My travel companion, William, made the 10 hour drive down from Iowa just fine.  He doesn't like the brown corn, either. Once we got about half way through Kansas he started to get depressed.

He sure is excited for the plane ride, though! Just over one full day left before it is time to get on the plane.  It is hard to believe that in a little over 48 hours I will be in Korea, embarking on the next part of my journey.

My packing is done, for the most part.  I do have laundry to do, and need to finish packing my carry-on.  That is more last-minute, however.   If I have forgotten anything, then it must mean I can live without it.  I hope.

Cheers to my last 48 hours in the U.S!

steps in the right direction

Another item for the list:

I will miss watching thunderstorms develop.

I got my flight info a couple of days ago.  Flying out of such a small airport, you never know how many layovers you will have to endure.  I was pleased to see that I fly into Dallas-Fort Worth, have about a 3 hour layover, and then a direct flight on Korean Air to Incheon International Airport.  Flight reservations means one step closer to taking the plunge!

Today, I received my actual visa back in the mail from the Korean Consulate in Chicago.  Also a huge relief! Everything seems to have been taking longer than I expected, so this is a great burden lifted.  Should be smooth sailing from here! (ha...ha)

I spent today with a few good friends from college at Adventureland.  It was a fun day, and my friend won a stuffed pig for me.  I named him William, and plan on taking him to Korea with me.  I have to stay connected to my Iowa roots, and (aside from sweet corn) what better connection is there than swine?  Who knows, you might see and hear a bit more about William on the blog in the future...I have plans.

In the midst of all of these goodbyes, all I can say is I am so thankful to be living in the age of technology.  Communication is instant! Can you imagine being a pioneer and moving across the country and sometimes going a year without so much as a letter from family members?  Many times it took months and months to learn a family member had passed away.  It is nice sometimes to step back and realize how far we have come and how much we take for granted!

Back to work tomorrow. It is the start of my last week at LHF.  It is definitely bittersweet.

a list

...of things I will miss:

family
sweet corn
fields full of corn and soy beans
fountain pop
weekly...sometimes bi-weekly phone dates with friends
understanding conversation around me
my job
crappy TV shows
good TV shows
drinks and good conversation with good friends
ease of finding peacefulness
bonfires

...of things I will not miss

car problems
understanding conversation around me (it truly is a double edged sword)
driving everywhere
crappy TV shows
being asked daily if I am hot at work

This list is sure to be added to, and maybe even subtracted from.  I know there have been things I have thought of in the moment that escape me now.  I wonder what other people's lists would look like?

it's july....?

First off, I cannot believe that it is July 4th weekend.

One of my favorite holidays, and even more so since working at Living History Farms.  It is such a fun holiday to work and share the history of the event and how it was celebrated in the 19th Century.  In the 1870s, it was one of the most popular holidays.  I can't wait to try my hand at the tri-colored National Day cake and support the Women's Suffrage movement in the parade. Who can say they've done that? I mean, really??

Over the weekend of the 17-20, I spent some time with family in Texas.  It was nice to see siblings and nieces and nephews.  When we got back to Iowa I was pleasantly surprised to find my Apostille from the U.S. State Department.  They said it would take 15 days and it took a month. The best (read:: most frustrating) part was that I had emailed the day before we left for Texas asking about it.  It was dated the exact day I emailed. Which means it sat on someone's desk until I emailed to complain about how long it was taking.

Leave it to the feds to not care about pleasing the American people.

But, regardless of how long it took, my documents are now in Korean Immigration.  I should have a visa issuance number in 8-10 days, and then my plane ticket should be purchased.  It should take about 4-5 days to get my actual visa from the Korean consulate, if I FedEx all of my documents to them.  It still makes me nervous, but no one else seems to be.  I take solace in that.

I told my job today.  It was not fun. At all.  However, they were all very supportive.  Regardless of how much of a bind my leaving early leaves them in.  I do love the people I work with, and I love my job.  I just have to take this opportunity at this time in my life. 

My two summers at the museum has really hooked me.  I feel like it's in my blood.  To the point that I'm not sure if I'll try and go back to the classroom after Korea.  Museum work and Educational Planning for museums is something that has really started to pull at me.  I think it would be a job that I could love forever. 

That is the future, however, and this is now.  The good Lord knows how fast things change. Especially, it seems, in my life.  That's why I love it.

I'll be leaving Iowa on the 19th to make a stop and spend a week with my parents in Texas.  Not to mention seeing a few friends that I have missed dearly since I left for college.  It will be a bittersweet (and busy) next few weeks. 

"You have to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was." ---Abraham Lincoln