See Ya Later Parties

I've attended a lot of going away parties. I'm at a fairly transient age, and my friends are hardly content staying in one location for very long. There was a summer during college that my roommates and I were literally in five different states, and a semester a year later that found us taking up space in three countries. I currently have at least six friends I've only seen via a backlit screen all year long. We're pretty good at keeping in touch, but it is a little rough to not get to spend real time with people you love.

None of the going away parties I've attended have every been focused on me - until now. This weekend I found myself the center of two such parties, and I have one more looming sometime in the future. It's a strange feeling knowing that the people I spent my weekend with - the people I've spent every weekend with for the last year or so - aren't going to be immediately accessible to me very soon. I don't like it one bit. But in the midst of the sadness (wow that's one of the cheesiest phrases I've ever typed), it's so beautiful to know that I'm sad to leave my life behind purely because I've led such a good life here in Cincinnati.

Also, I'm planning to shrink all my friends down and put them in my suitcase. Seems reasonable.

As far as updates go, I realize that this one doesn't contain a wealth of information. Here are the facts as they currently stand:
- I'm scheduled to leave on Friday (as in, four days from today). Nope, my suitcases aren't packed, but thanks for asking!
- I don't have a visa yet. I'm waiting to hear back from Korean immigration, and that can take anywhere from one to four weeks. We're on day 8.
- As soon as I hear from immigration, I have to take my passport to Chicago and interview with the Korean Consulate. I have no idea when that's going to be yet, but I know it has to happen.
- After I get back from Chicago, the school will book my flight. I'm predicting it may not actually happen until late next week, but really it could be any time after Friday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to leave until after Mockingjay comes out so I can read it on the plane. (I know, I'm embarrassingly nerdy.)
- I don't know where I'll be living yet, but I pinky swear I'll tell you the second I find out. That may not be until I arrive. No, I don't think that's shady and I'm not worried about being kidnapped, but (again) thanks for asking!
- I do actually have some friends in Korea. I have no clue how I'll find them, but there are four people currently in Seoul or the surrounding cities who care about my well-being. That's phenomenal, in my opinion.
- My mom says she's going to put a box cutter in my carry-on so I can't make it through security. Apparently her reasoning is that I'll be safer in prison than in Asia. Suffice it to say, I'll be checking my bags a lot in the next few days.
- Yes, I'm very sad that I'm leaving. No, that unfortunately doesn't mean I'm going to change my mind. (Sorry!)

Finally, for your viewing pleasure, I've uploaded a little clip of my Friday going away party. These are the friends I made my freshman year of college and are a handful of the most amazingly funny and loving people I know. I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: if I can find friends half as great as these, my life in Korea is going to be something grand indeed.