Miss You

Dear Wikipedia,
Homesickness is not JUST something kids at summer camp experience.

There's been numerous times this week where I've sat down at this computer and stared at my screen trying to decide what to write. I had a pretty eventful week last week, but since I am still playing catch up for when my sister came, I've had to dig down into my memory for the events of the second week in January. I always try to write lists during the week so I won't forget what to write about, but I can barely remember what my list from that week even means. So, all this said, don't expect anything spectacular or deeply educational...pretty much I'm saying, "stop reading now." :) Anyway, this is what my sorry memory has come up with.

I was so sick. I think I remember at one point the previous week when I watched this little girl sneeze all over her hands and homework. Then she proceeded to come up to me, hand in her homework, and touch my arm and hands, and I thought, "oh no. Not again."

Having this cold really got me feeling homesick. Of course I miss my mom saying to me as a high schooler, "just stay in bed, Natalee, I'll call you at my lunch break and check up on you." And as a college student I miss coming back to my apartment, feeling sick and emotional about something, and laying down in my bed when Zipporah would come in and lay on her bed across from me and say, "Naaaaaaaaat, what's wrong?"

But recently, I come home, lay in my one room apartment, listen to Lily run in her wheel and drink louder than any animal that size should drink, and finish off the evening with a little cup of Nyquil. (Don't worry mom, just this past week, I made sure to ween myself of it...I know you know about my past addiction..what can I say? Nyquil not only helps the sick sleep, it also helps little girls who have scary dreams get a good night's rest)

Anyhow, as this week was dragging along, I'd talk to friends here and there. I love talking to friends from home. But I realized something, I've never understood the meaning of the phrase, "I miss you." until now. I think I've misused the phrase many times in my life or at least never truly meant it so deeply as I do now. I think the sickness sometimes blew things out of proportion too, but I've also been told around the 3rd and 4th month of living abroad, it's the hardest.

Don't get me wrong, I've met so may great people here, and the church has seriously become like family to me (and I am sooo thankful for them!), but I just missing being surrounded by those who really really know me, (with all my faults, quirks, misused phrases, singing totally wrong lyrics, untimely/inappropriate comments) and still like me :) I don't think this sudden feeling of really really missing people is just a "Korea thing" I think this is a "growing up" thing.

Anyways, I can tell your bored with my whining ;) Well, I recently joined a gym. Going to this gym, I think, will provide a good amount of material for the blog. It's located in the same building as my school, so that's convenient. I'll tell you what's unconvenient about it though, the lack of changing rooms or separate shower stalls. The feel of this woman's locker room is much like going to the YMCA at 7 A.M. on a weekday only to find yourself in a room full of old woman who let it all hang all out. I mean seriously, can't you put on something (anything!) to blow dry your hair and apply makeup?

Other than that, the gym is pretty nice. Of course it's nothing like Anytime Fitness, but there is a good amount of machines and weights. The first day I went I was just checking out all the machines..surprisingly all the machines I've used so far are in English.. I was on one of the weight machines when the owner of the gym came behind me, stuck his knee in my back, and yanked my shoulders back and said, "breathe!" I was a little startled, but I appreciate him helping me out with proper posture.

On one of the other days during the week, I was walking to work, and on the sidewalk was this tall, red headed foreigner. He was trying to get a cab, but not succeeding..I gave him the "hey, we're both not Korean" nod and as I was walking away and he caught his cab, he yells, "Good morning foreigner." I just waved and smiled. It totally made my week.

The weekend was even more uneventful than my week. I literally did nothing but read, sleep, and eat lunch at a restaurant for a bridal shower. Apparently it helped though because come Monday, the nose was cleared out and the throat only had a slight tickle. Nothing a few more nights of Nyquil couldn't fix :)

Well, this post is fairly short, and lacking in pictures but there were no pictures to take, unless you wanted to see me in an apartment full of snotty Kleenexes and Lily almost suffocating in her own dwarf hamster deposits. I hope you are having a great day or night and I hope all you Dixonites are taking full advantage of the new Wendy's in town..go eat a Frosty for me :)