In Between

My vacation has been streaming along great. But with just two weeks to go through I feel like it is so short. I am now at just one week left, but I have accomplished many things. I have spent quality time with the folks and got a lot of shopping done.

Here is a little tour of the house. My father rents a house with a huge yard.

These are the stairs leading to the front door.

This is the guest bedroom, and the bed is super cozy.

My Dad has always had the hobby of miniature craft.

This is my Dad's room.

The kitchen, which is just about the size of my home in Korea.

The living room.

What is this? I had my tea leaves read by an old lady in town. I won't reveal what she said but it was a fun experience.

I had my hair cut on Thursday.
On Thursday evening we went to a street market in Grass Valley.

When we got home one of the cats was having fun rolling around.

The sunsets in these neck of the woods are gorgeous.

There you have it...more to come. But in some small ways I miss Korea and especially JH.

Water and Dollar Flowing

It has already been five days and it feels I have fallen back into place here in America easily. However, it is an odd feeling to fit into my surroundings. I have been so use to having to think ahead before I leave my house in Korea. But to me this isn't a downfall or makes me want to never leave America, just something I find intriguing.

Last Tuesday I went to the Yuba River to meet my friend and her 3 sons for a fun time. As a child I went to the Yuba river whenever I visited my father during the summer, from Florida. As a teenager when I was living with my father I spent a lot of time at the river exploring the mystical side of life. What can I say? I have a bit of a hippy style past.

The drive down to the river brought back good memories of the times I drove out there in my beat up Mazda.

Northern California in the Sierra Foothills dries out in the summer time, due to that there isn't any rainfall for 4 months.

At the river we had a lot of fun swimming and relaxing.

I hadn't swam in the Yuba for a very long time so it felt refreshing to splash around and swim against the current.

Shopping:
Wednesday I woke up from a long night's rest with the energy to go out shopping. Forty-five minutes up the highway here is a great mall and shopping area. I hate to say it but America really designed their mall and shopping areas thoughtfully.

At the mall I was taken aback by the amount of clothing on sale for cheap prices. In fact I had a hard time trying not to buy everything I saw. So I picked up the essential things on my list and plan to go back and stock up on more clothing.

Lunch in the food court...taco and limes.

After I went to the mall I needed to stop at an Electronics store and Wal-mart. I still didn't get everything I want so will go back again. Before I came to Korea for the first time I didn't really know what to buy. Since I have lived in Korea I know what they have that is similar to American stuff, so this time I can shop for the exact things I know Korea doesn't have.

The electronics store had a train coming out of the building. It was a great gimmick.

Over at Wal-mart I was blown away in the cereal isle. Something more than Corn Flakes is always welcomed. I took home a box of Rice Crispies.

Well today went all right too and I will post more about that. I guess I am kind of in the middle of my vacation knowing that soon enough I will be back on the plane and facing what is waiting for me back home. I heard a typhoon is coming to Korea so I hope everyone is doing okay.

Computer is in the Pound

I don't know if you recall but a few months ago I accidentally let water leak into my Macbook. Since then the battery has been shot and I can only operate the computer using plugged in power.

So I took it to the Mac store today to see what they could tell me. It turns out they were overloaded with people needing help with their Apple products. I took the option of leaving it there for 3 days while the check to see what is the problem. I should expect a call when they are finished to get the verdict on what my options will be. If the cost of repairs equals the cost of a new Macbook then why would I bother repairing it? I could possibly just keep operating it as it is and when the day comes that it completely dies I guess I could buy a new one.

Also my iPod touch has been dieing very quickly and so I handed that in too for a checkup.

So updating my blog without pictures will be a harder task now. However I can use my parent's computers but I am not sure whether they want me uploading pictures or not. I will check on this.

It has been great to roam free here and go shopping. You wouldn't believe the sales stores are having. I guess with these hard economic times they are really trying to get people to buy their stuff.

I got a pair of jeans for just $20. I am doing a lot of shopping so I may have to buy another suitcase before I go back to Korea. ^^

Alright I will update on more when the time comes.

The First 24 Hours

It is 11pm here and 2:46 pm tomorrow time in Korea. I don't feel too jet lagged since I am trying to go by American time...that is go to bed when the sun is down. Yet I know I am tired still I feel the need to blog.

In so many ways I feel like I am the puzzle piece that has been placed back in the big puzzle that is America. Yet each experience feels kind of new.

Today I picked up my rental car and took care of a few things. First I went to UPS and got my live scan background check done. I need a fresh background check to get my next job. Then, since I was downtown, I went shopping.

Basically my part of America is broken up into two small towns that live next to each other. You have Grass Valley on one side and Nevada City on the other. My family's house is on the Nevada City side, which is a smaller town with more hills and less space. Grass Valley is bigger and has many stores and parking areas.

Each city has their own quaint downtown, which looks like it is from the Wild West. This is because back in the 1850's this was gold mining country.

So it was great to come back to this nostalgic little piece of land and see what has changed over a year. Therefore I have for you now my pictures from the 24 hrs of being in America.

San Francisco

Housecat~

Pool~

Downtown Grass Valley. A used bookstore.

Inside the used bookstore, which was like stepping into Heaven.

Walking around town~

After my visit in Grass Valley I came home and tackled the boxes I have stored in my Dad's garage. I am a pack rat and have saved so much throughout my life. My Dad may move out of the house someday and I don't want my stuff to be a burden to him. So I consolidated everything to less boxes. Now there is a huge garage sale pile. Anyone want some Tarot books?

Meanwhile my Dad mowed the lawn.

This was a puzzle I put together when I was a little girl.

This one I put together during high school when I was too lazy to go.

Time for bed! I am meeting my friend tomorrow and we are going to the river. ^^

Back Home (Arrival)

After a few complications with checking in at the airport (needed to get a re-entry permit) I boarded the plane and managed to get a window seat.

Ten hours on a plane isn't so bad if you spend most of your time trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. I sat next to two ahjusshi's who were going on a business trip to San Francisco and I told them about the sights to see and the dangerous things to look out for in the city.

Arriving back home, in America, felt like I was in a dream. You could feel the American attitude and atmosphere everywhere, of course. English was easily available on signs and heard all around me.

On the drive to my Dad's house, which is three hours north from the airport, we stopped at a few places. I felt as if I were seeing my home country as an outsider. At the gas station snack shop I was wowed by the variety of snacks and peanut butter treats. When we went into a supermarket I gushed over the cheese stand. I wanted to eat it all. What I also noticed was that Americans were talking friendly to each other. "Excuse me" and "Thanks, have a nice day." Were on the lips of everyone it seemed. Had this always been the way? I wondered if since the Obama election if people have returned to a friendlier state.

Coming back home to my father's mountain home, with a huge yard, pool and jacuzzi I couldn't help but feel like I had just gone a few miles from Korea and stepped back into comfort. The guest bed is as soft and squishy as anyone could ask for.

It feels great to be back in my country and feel at ease with my surroundings. Although jet lagged and weary I don't want to waste a minute of a my time here. I hope to bring you more updates and pictures of my vacation back home.