The only sound that happened to ring in my ears was the rhythmic ticking of the clock hung high up on the wall. I looked up at it, my eyelids heavy from the lack of sleep I got last night. How could I sleep? Today was the day. 

4:45 AM. Wasn't the bus supposed to be here 15 minutes ago? It said 4:30 on the permission-slip. I grunted softly to myself and turned around real quick to examine the room before turning and slouching in my seat under my coat and luggage. 

All twelve kids happened to be here, and ready on time. Well, in their definition of 'ready' of course. We were stationed in the lecture hall, waiting for our coach bus to the airport down in upstate New York, which was at least a 2 hour drive. 

It was hard to believe that we were all so ecstatic to be going to Korea for a full two semesters with some slumped on top of desks, sipping on coffee in hope of refreshment, and others buried under their sweaters or luggage. It was only the crack of dawn.

The Biology professor and Sophomore World History teacher, Mr. Born and Mr. Hamilton, our chaperones for the trip, sat at a desk before the chalkboard in the front of the room, seemingly engaged in good conversation while from time to time, sipping out of their coffee cups. Wide awake. Adults man.. 

My thoughts began to scramble around in my head as I sat there all toasty under my belongings, eyes peacefully sealed shut. I all of a sudden became overwhelmed. 

The thought of going to South Korea at one point of my ordinary life was something I had cherished forever. Well, since freshman year of high school. The culture had a striking effect on me. From clicking on a video on YouTube accidentally one rainy Saturday afternoon, I soon became infatuated, Korean Hip-Hop being 95% of what I listened to in the three months that followed. Then, things began to escalate. I found myself wanting to learn the language, eat the food, wear the fashion, breathe the history, and soon enough: live the life style. It lured me in by it's contrast to American culture and what I was familiar with. Not only did it bring me out of my comfort zone, but it showed me things nothing else could. It filled in places of loneliness that I once felt. It was something new, something different. And I lived for different.

Now in the given presence of my long desired opportunity, I smiled sweetly to myself, happy that this was finally a reality. On the outside I appeared to be a tired college freshman, sleeping under her coat, waiting for a bus to go take her to an airport so she could fly away to a foreign country. But on the inside, my blood danced with glee. I was an enthusiastic young girl who's dreams were coming true. And with the sound of a voice, my mental praise had come to an end. 

"Bus is here guys, let's get our things and line up at the entrance." Mr. Born said clapping his hands to get our attention, followed by a few hisses. I smiled excitedly, being the first to move without hesitation. 

I had only been on a plane once throughout my whole life, so the feeling was strange yet exciting. The way the dark sky of dawn changed into daylight was breathtaking. It was like being in one of those fancy auditoriums that could change their ceilings into different phases of the sky. The clouds looked like big fluffy marshmallows that we just happened to fly through every now and then. 

The plane itself was pretty cramped. I got stuck sitting next to some nerd from my Media class who kept talking about how Einstein was autistic. But people weren't kidding when they said that Korea Airlines was one of the best airlines in the business. You felt like an heir to the throne on that damn plane, no matter how cramped it was, despite the fact that it was a 14 hour flight. Boy did my but feel good when I got up from that seat. 

We got off at an airport in Incheon. It was incredibly busy, bodies constantly moving from one place to another, some searching for their destinations, others for food stands or taxi's. When I stepped off of the plane, it was like everything around me became muted. It was a moment only between the atmosphere and I. A spectacular moment. It was remarkable how I kept myself composed through it all. On the inside, I most definitely could not say the same. My heart beat with a hard thud, trying to drill itself out of my chest. Excited wasn't even the word. I was in SK, in the flesh! And ready to make it worth while. I wanted to fangirl like a maniac, but there was no one to engage in my glee with. I basically went on the trip on my own since my best friend, Becky, refused to get on a plane. It didn't add up though. She went to Korea all the time to visit her grandparents.. Of course it , but it wasn't going to stop me. I would have to experience all of the greatness on my own, but I was ready. 

The teacher's voice once again rang in my ears, deluding any thought I once had. 

"Hey Elow, you wanna' come over here with the rest of the group? We can't afford to lose you," he said beckoning me with his hand in a fatherly manner. I put my hand over my mouth in embarrassment when I realized I was still in front of the plane, gawking at my surroundings. 

"Sorry Mr. Bornn..," I muttered, walking over to the group, huddled over a big map Mr. Hamilton held in his hands, explaining various areas where we would be and how to get there. After 15 minutes of going over policies, rules of safety, consequences for behavior, and how to act in a foreign country, we were split up into two groups. Of course I was bored to death since I already knew everything there was to know about my dream country. 

We were to be staying at two different boarding houses ran by wealthy families with a full on group of staff that would be at our aid 24/7. They would be taking care of us for our stay. We would all be located in the capitol of the country, Seoul, which I had highly anticipated. Mr. Bornn's group would be staying in Gangnam whilst Mr. Hamilton's group would be located in Itaewon. I, happily, was placed in Bornn's group. 

The groups had said their goodbyes, and we parted ways entering separate tour buses. I sat huddled up in the corner of my seat, my luggage placed beside me. My eyes were pasted on the objects that flashed before my eyes on the other side of the window. I couldn't help but have this small cornered smile on my face. I was in Korea, finally. It felt like only yesterday I was watching tourism videos and contemplating my first trip here. Now I'm on a bus, on my way to a boarding house in Gangnam. I wanted to cry, and cry hard. Dreams really do come true if you work hard for them, don't you think? I felt a slight wetness on my left cheek and refused to wipe it. People walking the streets stared at me intensely, others glared in shock, many waving, or trying to take pictures of my face before the bus disappeared from their sight. I chuckled lightly to myself at their actions. It didn't bother me one bit because I knew the reason for it. 

It was about 7:48 in the morning. The sky was a bit cloudy and gray but you could see the orange glow of the rays of the sun struggling to appear from behind those clouds. This didn't stop the lights of the shops, restaurants and other various places from inviting me into their view. Even in the first daylight, the city still happened to be alive and moving. It appeared to be restless. The people even seemed to be wide awake. Couples embraced in one another, mothers holding the hands of their small children on their way to school, and young people dressed in business casual attire running to the best of their ability to the closest bus station. 

After looking out of the window for what seemed like forever, my body began to ache and my stomach growled. It was like my body was just realizing that it had just gotten off of a 14 hour flight, only being filled on expensive salty peanuts and sparkling bottled water. I shoved my hands in my coat pockets, and rested the tip of my head on the window, falling into a light slumber. 

....

"Alright guys, if you look to your left out the window here, this is the university you'll be attending. If you don't remember the name is Seoul National University," he pointed towards the windows left of the bus. Kids sitting on the right of the bus moved swiftly to the left of the bus while the bus slowed it's pace so they could get a better look. I woke up to the ooh's and ah's right in my ear, annoyed to find that we were still on the bus. I pulled out my phone buried in my book bag and checked the time. 

9:21 AM. 

Damn, what a drive. 

I looked out the window towards the university. It was truly humongous. My eyes hurt just by trying to capture it in my eyes. It had to have at least four levels, and the building shined with it's class windows and it's perfectly painted white and blue colors. It's logo was proudly displayed on it's front exterior and had words written in Latin, which had totally caught my surprise. "VERI LUX TAS MEA." 

Whatever that means. On the logo, the Latin words were placed on an open book. On the very top of the open book stood a strange symbol I couldn't comprehend. Behind the book was a torch crossed by something that looked like a feather. And the book, along with the torches, was circled by a reef. 

My eyebrows furrowed in slight frustration towards the meaning of the logo. It only reminded me that I was here for studying purposes, but it wouldn't stop me from doing what I came here to do. Nothing could stop me. 

I turned to my phone. No service. I forgot that my phone plan meant nothing here. We would have to switch everything in the meantime. 

"Who can tell me what district we are in right now?" Bornn asked. 

"Gwanak district, sir." Answered the nerd that happened to be my seat buddy on the plane. 

"Yes that is correct, we are in the Gwanak district which is a different district from the one we'll be staying in. This means that you will either have to take the subway or bus to school every morning. You guys have two days off before school starts, so you have until then to work it out." 

The other eleven began to chatter amongst themselves excitedly about taking a bus or the subway. I could care less at that moment. I just wanted to get off of the bus. I crossed my arms and leaned on the window once again, taking a look out at the morning before me in my own silence. 

I hadn't realized that I had fallen asleep again until the bus began rocking from side to side, meaning that we had just pulled into somewhere. 

"Alright we're here at the boarding house. It's name is the Hansol Guesthouse. You will treat it and the staff within it with respect. You will greet everyone there with a bow done at a 45 degree angle.." Mr. Bornn said before showing them an example of the bow they should do. The rest of his explanations became nothing but a blur to me since I literally had been studying all there was to know about the culture. 

The bus began to drive deeper into the guesthouse and that's when a roar of oohs and woahs erupted on the bus. I looked back at the window and my draw literally dropped. 

The guesthouse looked more like a big mansion. It was gorgeous. It had about two outdoor pools, two jacuzzis, beautiful sculptures surrounded by fancy flowing water fountains everywhere you looked. It had about three levels, decorated in bright lights, and the glass windows of several rooms guaranteed a breathtaking view of the city. 

"Holy Sh--"

"Alright guys, single file line outside the front door of the guesthouse." Mr. Bornn cut off my words with a clap of his hands, followed by everyone, still in a stricken daze, grabbing their belongings, and scurrying off of the bus in excitement. 

'How could they even move that fast after a 14 hour flight and 2 hour drive..' I thought to myself whilst grabbing my things, then following everyone else off of the bus.

The early September gust that past my face was warm, causing me to breathe in heavily. The air had a different smell. It was foreign. I wasn't sure if it was the boarding house's gazillion plants planted throughout the whole perimeter of the place or my