Week 7 - Future Goals

Hi.

Can we take a minute to talk about my host family? Particularly, my host parents?

Because these are the lives I want to have.

They are happily married, sixth sense, and doing the happy couple thing. That's great and all things cute.

But. It's this next part that is, in my opinion, the best part.

Despite being extremely happy with their jobs, fully employed and well off, they live like they're retirees.

Not a care in the world, but completely determined. (Only retirees can be so paradoxical.)

They have a cabin. In the woods. Not just any woods. Up on a mountain.

Where they spend just as much time as they do in their town home. Pretty sure they'd rather be in their cabin on the mountain than in their town home. Not that it's a crazy bad town. It's cute and relaxing.

You can see the whole town from their apartment. I love it!

So hi. I'm Toya. I'm 24 years old and want to be a retiree.

Moving right along...

My host parents have been very nice to me, and quite funny. I want to say that they've gotten comfortable with me rather quickly and I with them.

Well, let me rephrase that. I don't feel hesitant to ask questions or to stumble through our language barrier.

That language barrier? It's there. There's no way it'll just disappear. Fact is fact.

But, I try here and there to add what little Korean I know, so that I can lessen the burden on their side.

What I do worry about is that I hope they're okay with me being a quiet person. I tend to be on the more quiet side until I'm comfortable and relaxed. Who knows when that part of me appears, but that'll happen at it's own time. And hey! Maybe by then, my Korean will be better?

They have been so kind to me, fixing my Korean whenever I stumble through or teaching me new words. I've learned how to say, 'what a waste'. Sounds like something my retiree persona would say all the time...

What do you guys think are some other phrases I should learn how to say?

Also! Before I forget, I wanted to show off the beautiful mountains that surround my little town! Please enjoy them~! (The last three are pictures from up on the mountain!)

당동	당동	당동

#SaveOurToya

Bye Bye UCF

It is 7:46am as I write this post and all because this morning, it really hit me. 😕

This is my last day at the University of Central Florida. I've been here for so long (7 years!) that it's kind of surreal. In the summer of 2011, I started working part time in the College of Sciences' Dean's Office. In the fall, I started undergrad. A year later, I was working full-time and going to school. By 2016, I had my B.A. and started graduate school, while still being employed at the university.

I've worked in three separate and vastly different departments on campus. And from each area, did I learn something new about myself.

These last seven years...I really can't put a word to it. I am thankful and honored for all of the people who I've met and while some of the experiences were less than ideal, I am better for it. There are so many people I want to give shout-outs to, but you all know who you are. If we've ever interacted, even as little as 'hi', thank you!

Now, it is July 2018, I am a two-time graduate of UCF, about to move abroad, and am only 24 years old. I think I'm doing this 'adulting' thing right. We can compare notes^^

It's been an adventure UCF, but gurl bye. 😘

#SaveOurToya

Not Goodbye, but See You Later

This morning, I had the chance to drop my parents off at the airport. They're on their way to a 3 week vacation in Germany. I'm totally excited for them and miss the Fatherland quite a bit, but this trip will be good for them. They work so hard and do so much! It's their time to relax and recuperate. Hopefully one day I can make it back to Germany too.

And while this wasn't the first time I was sending them off, it was the first time that I'm sending them off where I won't see them for almost a year again. I was okay, until Ma started crying.

Dad (to me): Why are you crying? Stop that.
Me: It's mom's fault!
Mom: I don't regret a single tear!
Me: *chocked sob*
Dad: This is what you want to do. You're gonna be great!
Me (wiping away tears): I know!
Mom (sniffles): Be a good girl and have fun!

If this isn't an accurate representation of what it's like to be with my parents, I don't know what is. Well...actually, there are a few more examples. BUT! This is what they all come down too.

It would've been better if my older brother was there too, but he's not exactly accessible from Florida. But the four of us, we're gonna be okay. I'll be okay.

This opportunity is my journey to take, but I know that while I won't see them, my family will still support me.

#SaveOurToya

My Vacation in Hawaii

Aloha!

It's been a while since my last post. I have a reason for that! And it's not because I forgot. But because I was on vacation!

For two weeks, I got to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. It was my second visit and just like the first, I felt charmed and thankful to be on the island. There's a culture there that has survived one way or another on the island and hearing/seeing it never got old. And the food! Oh my gawd. I had the best banana bread on a street-side fruit stand. It was ono.

If you ever get the chance to visit, don't hesitate! You won't regret it. (Just make sure you have a jacket with you for when you go into Safeway. XD)

That being said, this trip started off...interesting. Living in Florida, it would have made sense for me to fly to the west coast for a layover before heading all the way over to Oahu. BUT! My cousin was flying in from Germany. So we tried our best to meet at one airport like we did last time and then fly over together. And like last time, we tried for the Seattle airport. Silly me, flew to Los Angeles to Seattle to Honolulu. I thought it would be okay. Since my cousin would be with me for the last leg.

Come to my surprise as mother-dearest drives me to the airport, my cousin messages me and says that her plane was delayed. Then later, once I get to L.A. and turn my phone on, she says she got taken off of our Seattle flight. She tried to get sent back, but apparently her seat was taken already.

Now, while disappointed, I was still kinda hopeful that my flight to Honolulu would go well.

Silly me.

The person who ended up next to me smelled badly and kept leaning toward me. For six-ish hours I sat there, wishing the plane would go faster...or something.

Had to wait an extra hour for my cousin to finally land, but once there, we whisked her to my brother's car and left for his house!

The next week was so relaxing and low key. Pool visits and a few trips to the beach were very nice. We even had a catamaran ride where there were All-You-Can-Drink drinks. The best kind of drinks with a beautiful sunset on the ocean. We made it out to the Dole Plantation where you can find Dole Whip. You have not yet lived the pineapple dream until you've had Dole Whip.

I'm not joking.

Moving on...the second week started off, well I really don't know how to explain it. To put it bluntly, I fell into a dishwasher and got stabbed by two steak knives. The ER trip was quick and painless (pun intended) and didn't slow us down one bit on our vacation.

In fact, a couple of days later, I was stuck in a car for practically eight hours (give or take). The four of us decided to use the Shaka Guide app that uses your GPS location to take you on a tour with your own car. It was loads of fun and took us to places we wouldn't have thought to stop at! I strongly recommend the app! To my understanding, they have an option for quite a few of the islands. (Unpaid recommendation :))

But before we went on our Shaka Tour, we found ourselves in a theater watching Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonators after our luau. I'm still not sure what Michael Jackson has to do with Hawaii...

And to ensure we ended the trip with a great time, we did Harry Potter trivia night at Honolulu Beerworks. I shined like a lightbulb crafted by our very own sun in Round One.

So yeah. Hawaii was a blast. It had it's high moments and its low ones (and I'm not talking about my trip to the ER. That was actually a rather amusing time!!), but Hawaii is definitely a place worth visiting.

Good luck with the H-1 and mahalo!
#SaveOurToya

Paging my Life

For the last 3 weeks, I have been running around getting myself ready for my move. I'm pretty sure the staff at the Health Clinic know me pretty well by now. At first I was "the girl with the pretty eyes". Now, I'm "Toya".

There's a lot of stuff that comes with moving abroad. And I'm overwhelmed by the medical checks...

But! That's because I'm going on vacation next week and I want this all to be done and ready to go before I leave!

So, here's what needs to get done (still):

1) Medical (like 2 more appointments before I can submit it, but one more vaccine left)
2) FBI - level background check (finger prints too)
3) Visa (there's no fee, so I'm shook)
4) TESOL Certification  (Even though I already have a TEFL certificate????)
5) Flight (👍✈)
6) Miscellaneous  (For whatever is missing)

So!

While I'm running around getting the rest of this stuff done, I'm also getting prepared for my trip to Hawai'i next week. A personal graduation present to myself for finishing my Master's.

#SaveOurToya