I walked into the airport feeling sad that I was going back to Seoul. I said bye to my new friend Kayla whom I met 3 months ago on this adventure to California. She waved to me from the inside of her car. “Have fun! I’ll miss you!” she said. I was going to miss her dearly.

3 months ago, on my trip to California, I seriously had no idea what I was doing. “What am I doing here?” I thought to myself. I didn’t know anything about this place, nothing about the culture, the people. I walked out of the airport and waved for a taxi, the driver zip line through streets, like a maniac. I was use to crazy driving in Seoul but this was just too much. I clenched to my passport tightly thinking if I let go it would fly away somewhere. He dropped me at a giant shopping mall when I clearly said to take me to the Sheraton hotel in Downtown, Los Angeles. I gave him is money, bowed my head and forced myself to say “Thank You,” but he drove off before I had the chance.

I stood at the curb still in surprise that I was even here. I took out my guide book of San Francisco and looked in it.

There was a whole bunch of streets I didn’t know. I watched a couple of American movies before I came and there was one word that stuck out to me like a sore thumb. “Hollywood.” And right then and there I saw it, “Welcome to Hollywood.” The sign said. I breathed a sigh of relief that I didn’t get lost and I put my book inside my bag and lugged my luggage around. It was heavy, really heavy. I promised myself I wouldn’t over pack, but just in case.

I was walking around feeling like a rebel. Like a teenager who just escaped from their parents and didn’t know exactly where they were going. No plan, no nothing. Just going with the flow.

My stomach growled and I realized I didn’t eat in the last 6 hours. The airplane food was something I wasn’t going to take a chance for. I walked into what seemed like a nice small supermarket. I looked around the aisles and grabbed a sandwich and a coke. Paid for the food and sat on the bench and munched down on my food.

About 10 minutes after I was done I realized I was screwed. I barely have any money and no way of getting anywhere. I walked back into the supermarket and I figured that I should go back to my hotel where I would be safe and that this “adventure” thing should start tomorrow.

I asked the man behind the counter where the Sheraton Hotel was and he just stared at me blankly. I got out my paper with the address on it and pointed anxiously. He just kept on looking at me. Did he not understand what I was saying? My English was pretty good, well I thought. I did pass with a C+ and that was good enough for me. I wasn’t a expert at it but I did know the basics.

Again I continued to point and say “Hotel, Sheraton. This. This. Building with rooms? Big. Tall?” I did a couple of hand gestures and an occasional pointing but he would just look at me all confused. After about 15 minutes of frustration, he said, “Me, no speak English.” I stood there dumbfounded. I was now tired and I didn’t know what to do know. It was now 10pm and the man told me to get out he can close up. I was scared now. Really scared and I just realized what a mistake I did to come here.

Then out of the corner of my eye I see this girl, about my age, maybe older, walking towards me. I ran to her and pointed at the paper with the address on it. She looked at me and saw the fear, confusion, and a hint of sleepiness in my eyes and smiled. “Are you Korean?” she asked. My eyes lit up. “You Korean too?” (In Korean) She smiled and told me that it was going to be okay and she was going to take me to the hotel. I thanked her for her kindness and we were off.

We got into her car and she drove me there. I was already getting tired and this jetlag was killing me. She dropped me off, handed me a paper with her phone number and address and told me to call her anytime if I needed help. I bowed my head with sincere thanks and waved her off.

I walked into the hotel and it was amazingly beautiful. I got into my hotel room and jumped on my bed. It was a long day…..

I found out her name was Kayla, she came to California from Busan when she was 10 with her parents. She’s lived here ever since. She took me everywhere. I went to my first American concert, ate a real American hotdog and discovered everything about this amazing place.

“I’m Korean too.” (In Korean)

“Ahh really?” (In Korean)  I said. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“The attendant asked if you wanted to eat anything but you were sleeping so I just got you whatever.”

“Huh?” I said very confused.

He pointed to the tray.

“Oh, thank you.” “Soooo, where are you from?”

“Busan.”

“Oh really?”

“You?”

“Im from Seoul. I’m going back to start my first year at University.”

“I see. Me too.”

“Really? What univer-“

“Please put your seatbelts up and put your chair up. Thank you," said the flight attendant. I nodded at the flight attendant and put my seatbelt on and pulled the chair up. I looked to my side and he did the same. He took out his headphones and a pack of gum.

“Want one?”

I stared at him. He smiled and said,

“It helps with the ear popping.”

He then pointed to his ear.

“Ahhh… Thanks.”

I took the stick of gum and started chewing on it and before you know it we have landed. I walked out of the airport feeling really happy. I was sad to leave California but I was glad I was back to see my boyfriend.

His name is Myungsoo and we have been dating for over 2 years and I could never be happier. There is no one in this world that makes me as happy as he does.

I looked around and saw his cute face standing right next to his car waving madly at me. I ran over and gave him a big hug.

“Have fun?”

He looked at me with those big puppy eyes. I held on to him a little longer.

“Yea…”

He dropped me off in front of my apartment. He opened the trunk and took out my bags and helped me take them inside. My roommate, Hara wasn’t here today. We met 3 months ago, a few days before I was going to California. I was really excited to have a roommate and she was too. We quickly agreed to our side of the room and that was it. I barely had a chance to talk to her because I was leaving so soon but she did tell me that she would be living at her friend’s house until school started. I didn’t mind, I liked having the apartment to myself.

“Let’s go out and celebrate later.”

“Celebrate what?”

“You coming back of course.”

He kissed me on the forehead and walked out.

“Call me.”