For All Those Who Don't Know...

... Taylar is no longer a Manning! She is an Evje. Pronunciation is hard. Don't worry about it.

I recently journeyed all the way across the Pacific back to the vast and unpredictable land of opportunity to celebrate with my friends Taylar and Tim at their wedding.

Wait, wait. Did you catch that?

I WASN'T IN KOREA.

What?!?

I know, my reaction too.

Yes, after 8 months of being on a little penninsula-more-like-an-island-because-of-our-northern-neighbors, except for Christmas in Thailand and Cambodia, I left the land that I lov... well the land that I have strong and mixed feelings about for the smoggy, wonderful, vibrant, intoxicating, sunny place that is southern California - which I also have strong and mixed feelings about. I realize this was a long sentence. You made it through, well done you.

The kindred, Heidi, met me at LAX, where I was worried because no one was looking at me and I could understand almost all the conversations around me, and we drove straight to Chipotle. Oh, how I've missed you. Of course from there it was only a short walk to Target, my other love, for a little sight-seeing. Yes, walking through Target is theraupeutic, what with it's simple signs and well-organized abundance. It was a great time. But alas, too little time with the kindred. That's for sure.

Only a few short days in LA. But I also got to see my parents and my seester, Bethany. Which was great. They're great. Seester got me caught up on the word of choice, nugget. It used to be tiny. I took the fam to Venice Beach to see the sailboat I lived in, and the beach that I walked to nearly everyday this last summer.

Wednesday of my week home my parents drove me out to Palm Springs where I met up with Taylar and some of the other girls for spa day. It's a rough life, but someones got to do it, right?

It's hard to really explain how much fun the wedding was. The whole 3 days of being a part of something so special. I loved getting to be a part of it all. I loved being great friends with both Tim and Tay, so that the day was like a double celebration. I loved dancing to songs I didn't know the words to because the only music I'm caught up on is the K-Pop that my students show me on their phones during class. I loved laughing so hard I nearly peed my pants. I loved watching Tay, who looked stunning, and her dad walk down the aisle and being so excited and nervous my knees were shaking. I loved crying at John's speech and laughing at Sam's. I loved getting slapped in the face 3 times during the Ninja game at 4 in the morning when I was supposed to be driving to LA. I loved getting lost in Palm Desert with Sam-u-lous and hitting up the nearest gas station for Bubbalicious and other stuff for the Wang. I loved the drive back to LA with Canis, talking and laughing waking up to her punching me because I fell asleep for 2 seconds.

I loved so much about my time home. And I loved coming back to sweet friends here in Korea.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Evje! Love you both like whoa.
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