Fasten your safety belts!

I love change. I love adventure and discovery and learning new things. I love moving.

Almost two months ago, I made the decision to move to South Korea for a year to teach English. But while I've spent some time researching, planning, and making arrangements, most of my energy has been devoted to gritting my teeth and making it through another day at work.

I've finally made it out of that stage of my journey and I am SO EXCITED!!! The coming months are going to be great! I feel like I've been waiting in a really long line at a rollercoaster, but now I'm getting on.

Based on my own past experiences, tentative plans, and a little help from some expat resources - this is my outline of the stages of my journey:

Stage 1:The Gritting-My-Teeth-and-Counting-the-Days Stage

This was the first stage. It's pretty much self-explantory. And over. Yay! I can tell that it's over because I'm pretty much in a constant state of excitement for my upcoming adventure. Even on bad days, I don't have to give myself a pep talk and remind myself that I'm leaving soon. My departure day is so close, that I just shrug my shoulders and go back to reading about Korea.

Stage 2:The Packing-Up-and-Making-Preparations Stage

November 17-December 14: My last 4 weeks.

Practically speaking, my main focus for the next month will be making sure I have everything packed up and all necessary plans in place. I have already gone through a lot of my stuff, throwing things away and organizing. Over the next two weeks, I hope to have most of it packed up.* I have an interview this week with the recruiters who will help me find a job in Korea. I'm reading books about Korea and books about moving overseas. I'm going to start studying Korean.

Mentally and emotionally speaking: I'M EXCITED! This month will go so fast, I just have to hang on! It will definitely be stressful at times - but still EXCITING!

Stage 3:The Visiting-DC Stage

December 14-18

FUN TIMES!

Stage 4:The Home-for-the-Holidays Stage

December 18-January 1

This stage will mainly consist of sleeping, hanging out with the fam, hanging out with friends, playing canasta, watching movies, cooking, baking, and all things fun.

Stage 5:The Back-in-NJ Stage

January 1-14

This stage may not occur, in which case, Stage 6 will just start 2 weeks earlier. Hopefully I will know for soon in the next week.

I may be coming back to work for a week and a half to train the next nanny. If I do, I will be staying with a friend for a few days to hang out after I'm done.

Stage 6:The Yes-I'm-Really-Moving-to-South-Korea Stage

January 14-February 15ish

This is me packing up, finalizing plans, getting plane tickets, and going!

Stage 7:The Hello-Korea! Stage

February 15ish-April 15ish

My first weeks in Korea will be full of excitement and wonder as I discover many new things and adjust to everyday life. I'll find certain foods and customs about Korea that I really like. I'll make some friends and find a church.

Stage 8:Culture Shock

I'm guessing this will hit around mid-April. Not sure how long it will last. I'll probably be tempted to hole myself up in my apartment and do nothing. I'll be homesick. I may ask myself and others why in the world I ever decided to come to Korea. I may question my sanity and accuse myself of being masochistic. It won't be fun, but I'll live through it.

Stage 9:The I-Live-in-Korea Stage

After successfully dealing with culture shock, I'll get back to life. I'll do more exploring, learn more Korean, make more friends, and more of a good time will be had. Not sure what will happen after this.

So you can see that the next 5 months or so are going to be chock full of adventure and excitement. Yay! I'm in a state of euphoria right now :) And I'm going to see Dane Cook at Madison Square Garden tonight!**

*To be completely honest, this goes against my nature and really isn't very likely. But I'm optimistic anyway!
**Hmmm..I forgot to insert the Madison Square Garden Stage...

I Am a Rockstar Chapter 2: In which evidence of my rockstardom is provided.

Hey! I just realized that I never wrote this chapter. Oops!

In Chapter 1, I mentioned that if I pass the Foreign Service Officer Test, I can take the Foreign Service Oral Assessment in DC in December. However, I knew that I might not get my test results until early December and it would be tricky to plan a trip to DC during the holiday season with 3 weeks notice.

I discussed possible scenarios with my mom and she suggested that the two of us plan on spending a few days in DC in December. That way, if I pass the test, I can take the Oral Assessment while I'm in DC. But if not - neither one of us has ever been to DC, why not see the sights?

Well, one thing led to another, and Jessica, Jonathan, and Julianna decided to join us!

We tried to get my dad to join us, but he had a valid argument. If we were all in DC and noone was back at the ranch, then everything would fall apart when we segued with, "Meanwhile, back at the ranch."*

At any rate, this is where my rockstardom comes in -

I spent about two hours working out the logistics of the trip and booking all of our tickets (getting excellent ticket fares for all of us, I might add).

This is what we (mostly I)** worked out:

Friday afternoon, December 14th, I'm renting a car and picking up my mom and Jonathan at EWR (Newark International Airport), who will be flying in from Seattle.
Then we're driving five hours to DC (mini road trip - woot woot).
On our way to our hotel, we'll swing by DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National) and pick up Jessica, who will be flying in from Tulsa.
The next morning, we'll pick up Julianna at BWI (Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport).

Then we'll all rock DC, like only the Willeys can.

On Tuesday, we'll all fly back to Seattle on the same flights (no I'm not getting carried away with pluralization - we have a layover).

I had five browsers open and I booked these flights as close to simultaneously as possible. I also selected seats for all of us, so that we're sitting together (and I get the window - shhhhhh...don't tell).

That's why I'm a rockstar.

I suppose I could have just said, "I'm a travel agent." But that's not as glamorous.

So now you know.

And knowing is half the battle.


Added bonus: By renting a car, then flying back to Seattle with four relatives, I have also effectively solved the "How-in-the-world-do-I-get-all-of-my-accumulated-belongings-home" dilemma: I simply throw all my junk in the car, then sneak it into suitcases when people aren't looking. Jackpot.

*I hope he wins the lottery while we're gone.
**What?! I'm the rockstar!