We all know how extremely nervous I was to be flying across the world alone, but once I got on the plane all of those insecurities seemed absolutely ridiculous and I remembered that I actually do enjoying flying, just not alone. I mean it's so awkward to talk to the stranger sitting beside you on the plane. Lucky for me on my flight to Atlanta I was sitting in between an old man working on some business crap and a younger guy who kept hacking all over the place. Eww. And there I was sitting trying not to catch those germs with my carry on bag shoved under the seat and my purse in my lap since the flight was so full. Thankfully that only lasted for about an hour. Once I was in Atlanta I had to play the waiting game and navigate my way to my next gate. I was so glad that I'd been in there a few times so I didn't get lost like some people thought I would (J's mom has so much confidence in me). When I found my gate this is what I saw waiting for me at the window.
Super cute plane, right? So, the flight to Seoul was crazy. Or maybe I was crazy. There's nothing like being halfway through a fifteen hour flight and trying to remember if you packed your hairbrush. I mean I couldn't even reach the overhead compartment to put my bag up there. I was climbing on the seat and still couldn't reach. I quickly learned from the earlier flight that overhead bin space was a hot commodity and I was going to let someone take it away from me. I was so glad when the guy sitting next to me put my bag up. I felt bad for him, he was fresh out of AIT and heading to Korea, leaving his fiance' back home. Hmm that sounds kind of familiar. I have to say that I was pretty much miserable on this flight. I mean the whole flying thing wasn't so bad, but having a wild child sitting behind you kicking and punching your seat nonstop is pretty awful. I'm pretty sure I was sitting in the screaming baby section of the plane. And it's safe to say that this spot was reserved for me for laughing at that baby that fell down the stairs at the movie theatre, when I went and saw The Lovely Bones. In my defense, that kid was like 2 and screaming and babbling during the whole 10 o'clock movie. Why would you bring your child to a movie that late? That's not the point though. I understand that kids are uncomfortable on planes and what not, but it was really unnecessary for that little rugrat to abuse my seat. I could've slept peacefully if it wasn't for the "massage" setting on my seat.
There was a shining moment on this flight unlike any other. A male flight attendant I like to call "The Enforcer." That's such a Jersey Shore nickname, it must have something to do with watching reruns at three in the morning before I left home. What can I say, it was three a.m. and I was lonely. (Nice matchbox twenty reference right?) Anyway, The Enforcer was awesome. He came by and yelled at the kid kicking me and told the parents of the screaming to children to walk them around the plane, saying "You take care of baby. Walk now, walk now. People need sleep." He was my own personal hero. The rest of the flight was kind of hazy since I spent my time watching the free movies on the headrest tv and sleeping.
When we finally landed I couldn't have been happier, or more terrified that Jason might not be there when I got off the plane. I loaded my bags onto a cart all by myself. That was a struggle because my bags were so heavy. Heavy, but not overweight since I had pulled some things out before I left Raleigh. I wasn't trying to pay for that extra weight. I made it through customs which was confusing because I came on military orders without my actual military sponsor. So I still had to go through the military/contractor section instead of the regular section for everyone else. Once, I made it through I had to walk all the way back to where I could've exited earlier. That's when I saw a Baskin Robbins and no Jason. I was so tempted to just buy an ice cream and sit on my bags and cry. There was no way I came all this way only to be stranded at the airport and no way to tell anyone where I was supposed to be going. Mainly because I don't speak Korean, and I didn't know where I needed to go. So, I kept walking and there he was. Only he wasn't looking at me, so he didn't see me. And my cart was so long I ended up hitting him before I could pull it to a stop. That wasn't exactly how I pictured this moment going, and it definitely wasn't like in the movies, but it was still perfect nonetheless.
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