Dear Reader, we made it to Hawai’i after a long, arduous packout and move. We arrived yesterday and still have not quite adjusted to the time difference (+4 hours). Jetlag hit us less than it would have if we had flown directly to the Continental U.S. Hopefully by stopping halfway in Hawai’i we will ease into the time transition. Well, so here we are…in paradise. The weather isn’t so good here right now with rain and high wind warnings, but it feels good to me. While the locals bundle up, we’re dressing in shorts and cheesy tropical, floral Hawai’ian shirts. Some homes on the Windward side of O’ahu Island lost their roof, but otherwise, things don’t seem too out of the ordinary to me. A large palm frond landed in the green space outside my brother’s apartment, but fortunately no one was hurt. I’ll take bad weather in paradise anyday over a nice winter day in Korea any day.
What a difference two years makes. Two years ago we arrived here for a week’s vacation on our way to Korea for a two-year tour. Two years ago, we arrived sick and with bad memories of Delta Airlines (check the February 2005 archives to read about our ordeal). Two years later, we feel much best and have a lifetime of memories from Korea. People say that returning from a multi-year assignment can feel like a dream–you lived it, but the memories leave you feeling like you were never there. It’s especially true returning to the same place you left just two years ago. Korea is quickly becoming like a dream; a good and bad dream, but a dream nonetheless. And it’s only been two days since we left!
Dude, whatever, don’t pose. You ALWAYS wear shorts and cheesy tropical, floral Hawai’ian shirts.
Hey, I might be in DC this Thursday night and Friday – will you be around?