It was the last weekend in June; the sun was beating down on Kate’s back making her sweat profusely. She felt disgusting, but she needed this last paycheck before she headed out of the country. As she shoveled the feed into the trough, she heard Farmer Jim’s tractor in the distant, chugging away in the field.

           Just another 30 minutes, she thought to herself, 30 more minutes, then I can go home, and pack for my next great adventure!

             Kate finished shoveling the feed, put the shovel aside, and picked up the two baskets in the corner of the rickety barn. As she walked away from the horse stalls and headed towards the chicken coop to collect eggs. As she passed the entrance she picked up the bag of chicken feed, and began spreading it around. As she did so, the hens shot out of the coop in a hurry, pecking the ground greedily with their sharp beaks. Kate tiptoed around the chickens so she wouldn’t step on any of them.

              She stooped low and entered the coop. It smelled of hay and bird , and made sure not to sit on her knees as she gently took out the eggs one by one, and placed them in the baskets.

                All I have to do is pack when I get home, since I already got everything ready last night, she thought as she shifted slowly to the next nest. I have my passport, suitcases, extra underwear, Ranch (since they don’t have any in Korea), and I’ve already exchanged my currency and travelers checks, she shook her head as she shifted to the other side of the hen house, and began gathering eggs from the other side.

                She didn’t know why her mom was so worried about it. She had planned this for years, and now she was finally able to live her dream! She was going to attend the prestigious YoungHwa University in Bucheon! But her mother was paranoid beyond belief.  

                “What if you get kidnapped?” she asked, as she picked up her coffee cup with shaking hands, as Kate sat down across from her at breakfast that morning.

                “Mom, don’t worry, I’ll have my roommate Veronica Mejia, and she’ll be with me! I won’t be alone!”

                “But what if you get lost? It’s a foreign country, Kate, You could be lost for weeks, and I wouldn’t know about it, do you know how to hail a taxi, what about the railway system there? Do you even know how to use it?”

                “Mom, I’ve done my research, I know how to navigate the railways, I know how to hail a cab, and I’ve done my research-“she put her hand up to cut her off in mid-sentence.

                “Kate, watching Eat Your Kimchi videos does NOT count as research!” she cried, then took a tentative sip of coffee.

                “Mom, please! Trust me for once will you?” Kate pleaded as her mother averted her eyes, trying to avoid what was coming. “Mom, listen, I’m not a little girl anymore, and I’m 20 years old for Christ’s sake!” her mother shot her a cold look. Kate had never taken this tone with her. She was quiet spoken and well behaved; this was not like her at all.

                “Mom, please look at me,” She slowly shifted her eyes towards Kate. “Mom I love you, but I need to grow up and be on my own!”

                “Half a world away, Katherine?”  She said as she put she cup down with a smart tap!

                “Mom, I can do this! Trust me! I’m more than capable of taking care of myself! I have prepared for this for years mom! Years! I know what I’m doing and it’s what I really want to do! I’ve finally figured out what I want to do with my life, why can’t you be happy for me?”

                “Why couldn’t you pick something in America, where people speak English? How am I supposed to see you anymore? Will I ever see you again? “Kate was taken aback by her mother’s remark. She had never heard her mother say these kinds of things before. She always thought her mom thought the way she did, everyone was equal, no matter race, religion, language, ual orientation, etc. but since she started community college in Mason City, her mom’s attitude had drastically changed since then. She didn’t recognize her anymore. All her mother thought about was what she wanted, not what Kate wanted, or what was good for Kate.

                “I’m going, whether you like it or not,” Kate said stiffly. She picked up her wallet, went outside and got on her bicycle to go to work.

                Kate snapped back to reality as her phone alarm began beeping. Her shift was finally over. She brought the eggs to Farmer Jim’s house, and put them on the kitchen counter. Jemma, Jim’s wife, rounded the corner, holding a dish towel and a spray bottle.

                “Hey, girlie! Heard you were headed out of the country!” she said excitedly as she set down her things and wiped her hands on her apron.

                “Yeah, my flight leaves tomorrow around 6 pm, I’m a little nervous, though, it will be my first time on a plane, let alone out of the country.” She said, as she blushed heavily.

                “Oh, really? What about your mom?” she asked, as she went to write out Kate’s paycheck. Kate looked at her feet in shame.

                “Ah, I see. Here you go then.” She handed Kate her check, and smiled. Kate took it, and smiled back. “I hope you’re happy with your decision, don’t do anything that you’ll regret.” Kate nodded, put the check in her wallet, and turned to leave.

                “Wait!” Jemma ran to her, and embraced her tightly. She pulled away and looked into Kate’s eyes. “Be strong, my dear. If this is what you truly want, then there is nothing in this world that can stop you, not even your mother.” Kate gave her a quick hug, and ran out to her bicycle for her last ride home.

                She relished her last bike ride home through the Iowan farmland. The wind whipped through her hair as the sweet scent of grass and earth filled her senses. “This is the last time I’ll do this for a while,” she thought as she turned the curb to go onto the main road into town.

                As she pulled up to her house, she saw her mother standing on the porch. Kate hopped off her bike, and hesitantly walked up to the house. Her mother walked up to her, and immediately embraced her.

                “I’m sorry about what I said, Kate,” she said as she sobbed into her shoulder. "I didn't mean any of the things that I said," Kate embraced her mother back. 

                “I know mom, it’s okay, I’m not mad at you.”

                “I just don’t want to lose you, I’m afraid I’ll never see you again!” she hugged Kate tighter.

                “Mom, I will always be your daughter, no matter what, and you’re not losing me,” she pulled away from her mom and looked into her eyes. “I may be moving away, but it’s a new chapter in my life, a new beginning, but that doesn’t mean I’ll forget you or where I come from, and I’ll always remember and love you, your my mom!” she wiped away her mother’s tears and continued. “Besides, I taught you how to use Skype, you can see me every day you goofball!” they laughed halfheartedly, and walked into their house together.

                That night, Kate went to sleep, much more comfortable about her decision than she had been for a while. That night, she slept peacefully.

                The next morning, Kate rushed downstairs, hauling her three suitcases down the stairs one at a time.

                “You’re going to break your back carrying all those in the airport!” her mother exclaimed as she helped her load them into the car. She ran up to her room to grab her backpack, and took one last look. Her bed was pushed into the corner away from the window. Her desk was right next to her bed, the stereo she had been given on Christmas when she was six sat there, right next to her CD’s, her closet emptied of its contents, had its door wide open, its shelves empty, as if crying out from loneliness. Her night stand that held her TV and DVD player was now empty, as were her movie shelves. Her room felt desolate, as if she would never come back.

                “This is the beginning of a new chapter in my life, and I won’t regret it.” She said aloud, she turned around, and walked away, leaving her old life behind, and beginning her life anew.

                About twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Mason City Municipal Airport. Kate went to get a dolly (cart for luggage) for her luggage as her mom took it out of the trunk of the car. As she passed through customs she became very aware of her decision.        

                I’m leaving, and I won’t be back anytime soon, will my mom really be ok? she thought as she was passed through the metal detector, and took her place in line to board the plane. She turned to her mom.

                “Are you sure this is what you want?” she asked, her eyes pleading Kate to say no, but Kate nodded, and smiled.

                “I’ll be okay, mom, don’t worry about me.” Her mom shook her head.

                “Never tell a mother not to worry, she’ll just worry more.” She said, as she hugged Kate for what felt like the millionth time that day.

                “I’ll call you when I get to the University, okay?” Her mother nodded, as she turned and left for the tunnel that led to the plane. She turned back once more, to wave goodbye to her mom.

                This is what I have been waiting for. She thought as she passed the threshold. You’ll see, this is my new beginning.

END OF CHAPTER 1