Homekoming

My flight to Canada is finally booked after an interesting ordeal. Last Thursday, while I was getting my 6th dixie thimble cup of coffee, my school manager asked me, "So, have you booked your plane ticket yet?"

*PHHHHffffttttttttttt* (me doing a Jack Tripper spit-take)

With coffee drenched lips, I sputtered, "W-what??"

"You know, your plane ticket to Kanada?" she said (She accents the first letter, thus the capital 'K').

"I thought you guys were taking care of it?!?"

She stared back at me blankly. No sound. This is so not good I thought.

"Well, I guess I can look online..." I said just as the school bell went off, thus abruptly ending the conversation. I taught my remaining classes for the day, though I was preoccupied with my stunted exodus from Korea.

Fortunately, my friend & co-worker knew somebody who works at a travel agency. I asked her... begged her...to use this resource. What a pal she was. The very next day she had it sorted. Her friend found a round-trip ticket for 1.9 million won ($2,130 Cdn). The reason for the high cost was because: a) the short notice; and b) many Korean students are returning to Kanada to study.

No problem. The school's paying for it.

But alas, when I presented this to my manager, she nearly did a spit-take. "W-what?? That's too much!!"

I gave her the reasons and then she asked me if I could go later in the week such as Sept. 3rd or 4th instead of the 1st and still come back on the 15th, thus cutting my vacation time shorter. The rationale was that it's cheaper to fly on weekdays. I tactfully and gracefully explained the need for the full two weeks and wanting to go by the 1st.

Somehow it worked.

Yesterday, I was presented with my plane booking. *PHEW* was the big sigh of relief. I am now leaving the morning of Aug. 30th. It's Busan-to-Tokyo-to-Detroit-to-Toronto. Through the magic of time travel, I will arrive in Toronto on the same day: Aug. 30th at 7pm.

I go back to Korea on Sept. 15th.

So after all this turmoil, I got my plane ticket and an extra couple of days than originally planned. Nice. But for my fellow teachers, they must now cover 12 days instead of 10 thanks to my school's logistical prowess. Sorry guys.

Well Kanada, here I come!