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Subject: i got the cds
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:13
Dear mom and dad,

yesterday i got the box with my cds and the Ashirts, thank you so much!!! mom, i love the card, i read it over and over again, i love when you write to me. i get the sense that it was difficult foryou to part with the cds :) You shouldve told me you wanted to keep them, i wouldve asked for something else instead! Well, thank you for sending them,and in exchange, is tehre anything i can send you from korea? maybe candies to give to the neighborhood kids? chopsticks? anything? let me know.

oh, mom will love this: i just finished reading Angela's Ashes, and all those descriptions of flowerly white potatoes triggered a craving. so yesteday i came home w/a bag of potatoes really excited to cook, and then realized i didnt know how to work my stovetop. it's a gas stove top, unlike the electric at my old place. i odnt konw if something isnt connected or what, i just know taht i turned the knob and nothing happened. ah well. maybe the cleaning lady can help me.

i went to japan last weekend, but only for a day, actually. b/c my visa expired, i had to leave the country and then come back and now i have 3 months to get my paperwork together. many teachers have to do this, it's called a "visa run." most stay for a day or so, walk around the town, etc, b/c their job pays for it. my job DIDNT so i stayed for a day and didnt leave the airport. jinny helped me find the ticket to japan for only $188. i had the money to stay longer and properly see the sights, but im cheap. it's cool, b/c it rained the whole time. i read 2 books and watched 3 movies on my mp3 player (loaded on my mp3 by my good friend/tech genius Ed, btw.) i spent my day wandering around, getting the layout of the north and south terminal, finding which chairs were most comfortable to sleep in, browsing the airport mall. there were 10 other foreigners with me who stayed the whole night in the airport, none of them were teachers, tho, just people who missed a flight, or awaiting a morning flight.

at the airport/check in/etc, none of my bags were searched tho during my day there, i was stopped for a random passport check around 5 times. each time, i'd smile all stupid and point out to the police/security guard taht i was born in japan. most of them gave me a slight smile, one pretended to get excited to humor me. The reminds me of one time when i brought Brother Dave with me to some shop, and when i found the sales clerk was from eritria, i happily blurted, "Oh, ive been to ghana!" She did a slight smile. Brother Dave says, "uhm, yeah, how is that connected, b/c she's east africa, you went to west africa, on the other side of the continent, Dummy." Well, yeah, i guess... i just really wanted to feel worldly and important:)

it wasnt much of a trip, but i for sure want to go back when i take a proper vacation. the plane ride was a short 2 hours which was awesome. loveyoumissyou. ~daughter.