Hello from somewhere over the Pacific Ocean!

I am comfortably sitting onboard a Singapore Airlines plane with lots of leg room, a soft pillow, a warm blanket and a glass of red merlot. We are only about 15 minutes into a 15 hour journey to the place I will call home for a year: South Korea. Although I am now quite comfortable and at ease, in spite of the outbursts of turbulence every 20 seconds, it was not always so for me. Upon arrival to San Francisco International Airport, I hurried over to the other side of the airport in order to check in for my final flight. At the counter for Singapore Airlines, I was smiling and excited that everything was actually going quite well. Disappointment…my thoughts were interrupted by the airline attendant advising me that my reservation was nowhere to be found. What? Would you please check again? And she did; many times, using different methods to pull-up my information. Nothing. Why did this have to happen? I was hoping for a wonderful, stress free adventure. Alas, not today.

So my next step was to call my travel agent and explain to her the irritating situation. Meanwhile, the airline attendant asked me to wait to the side while she serviced other customers. Oh man! What is going on? Why am I not on the registry for this flight? I have my confirmation numbers and a printed itinerary from my travel agent. I look at the time and it is 10:45am in California. Quick side thought: mmmm….I liked my first 10:45am today. This one is not going so well! On the phone, my travel agent is upset and is apologizing continuously for the problems I am experiencing. Please explain to me what went wrong now and if I’m going to make it to Seoul today…well tomorrow really. She puts me on hold while she talks to another agent. Quick glance at my watch reveals that 40 minutes has just flown by. Customers are coming and going. Finally, the flight crew arrives, checks their bags and is soon on their way. Seems like everyone is flying aside from me.

Hello? Do you have any idea what the problem is now? After 20 more minutes, the problem is finally discovered but no solution is accompanying this last. A form authorizing the airline to charge my credit card was not submitted therefore I was actually never booked for this flight. I can’t help but feel like giving up and going back home. What am I supposed to do now? I have to get on this plane. I call over one of the airline attendants, which are becoming fewer and fewer as the boarding time approaches. I explain the problem to her, yet again, and ask her if there is any room on the plane. Yes, there are plenty of seats available however the fare is a ridiculous amount. I do not have that kind of money in my checking account nor on the credit card I chose to travel with. Note to self: plan for the worst and have readily available money for unfavorable situations such as these. In spite of my strong will to remain calm and composed, a tear escapes; then another and another. I pray God will solve this for me for I am getting upset and can no longer think. The airline attendant steels a look at what was probably a pitiful sight of me and goes in the back. Meanwhile, I wipe away my 3 drops of tears with a napkin already full of dry tears from the morning goodbyes and listen to my travel agent apologize over and over for the inconvenience as she searches for cheaper flights. Time is running out. It is now 12:00pm and I have not even been past security -- for a second time. The airline attendant returns and without looking at me gives me a new rate, the lowest she can offer me. Although it is significantly less, it is still outside of my budget, but I think I can manage that. Thank you Lord. She reminds me that this gate is about to close and I must purchase a ticket now if I want to make the flight. My travel agent is still on hold with another agent so I go ahead and purchase this ticket. I have no more time. I’m in a hurry and I’m not staying in San Francisco. I’m going to Seoul. I’m going to discover the other side of the world. I must go. I give her my card and she expedites everything for me. My travel agent assures me her travel agency will reimburse me the difference of the tickets. At this point, I don’t care who gives me what. I just need to hustle and get through security (again) and run over to my terminal. I have a goal and getting my money back is not top priority at the moment (although it is right now)! I hang up with her and call my mom. I hear her voice and I suddenly become 9 years old. I have to work twice as hard to hold back my tears and refrain from crying to Mommy. I explain the whole situation and stay on the phone with her in order to calm down while listening to her voice. It’s now 12:15pm and I’m standing in line at the security check point. The line I chose is the slow one. Great! I’m going to remain calm and silently pray. I get through security and don’t bother reading the signs indicating where the terminals are. I ask. I ask questions and ask them to direct me to Gate 101. They must have thought me illiterate. I don’t care. I’m in a hurry. I speed walk over to my gate. Boy, I’m hot and out of breath carrying my laptop bag, huge personal bag and my coat: it’s cold in Korea I think =). I finally get to the gate and ask a young man behind the counter whether they have started boarding. Not yet, we will start at 12:40pm. Heavenly words. I find a seat, call my mom again and it’s 12:40pm. I guess they are late boarding. I have time to catch my breath.

So yes, I made it on this flight and I’m on my way to Incheon Airport in Seoul, Korea. We will get served two full meals and alcoholic beverages are included! I’m feeling nice. So, I now know for a fact that Seoul is where I am supposed to be. Nothing good ever comes to me easy. Every time God sends a good thing my way, something always happens that forces me to think on my feet, break down and cry and then get back up again. At this rate, by the end of my sojourn in Korea, I will have enough character to populate a village!