I wake up from my nap that felt like hours and looked around and there wasn't even a ray of sun rise, I turn on my phone to find it's just 12:00am. Me leaving from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and I'm supposed to land at Incheon South Korea, that takes minimum 15 hrs 21mins. I honestly thought I'll sleep for the whole flight but I just slept what?...2hrs, really. When I feel like sleeping for 24 hrs I'm not able to and now I can without question, my body refuses to comply.
Since my brain refuses to sleep, I decided to watch a movie..., I couldn't find one interesting movie or something I haven't watched before I decided to continue binge watching ' modern family'
2 and a half seasons later I started feeling kinda hungry and luckily I had some brownies in my bag, so I got up to collect them and see that everyone is sleeping except for a guy that has his laptop on and it looks like he's working, I look at the time and it's 4:00am. I just shake my head and eat my brownies while watching the family sitcom.
I didn't exactly realize I fell asleep until my head slide of the head rest and I woke up to the sound of the characters talking and then I realise I could stay beside a freaking speaker and still sleep. I open the window and the sun is so bright, I guess it's past sunrise. It's just 8:am, wow.
After eating the food they served us, I really miss my mom's food ahh. It actually is very boring being on a plane with people you don't talk to, and I can't even use my phone there's no wifi.
I decide to take plane photos to send to my family and invest my time in movies and series I've not watched cause of how busy I was in school.
I'm monitoring the time so closely that it feels like it slowed down, it's just like 10:30am.
My excitement to get to Seoul doesn't allow me watch the movies. I keep looking at the time and wondering when we'll land, until I hear that we are in Incheon finally. I check the time again and it's 12:30pm and we were landing, wow so exciting.
I was excited to land that I forgot I was in a foreign country that I don't know their language and I still needed to get my luggage. So now I was looking around to find a sign or someone that could direct me to my luggage, I suddenly remember I need to call my mom and tell her that I'm in Korea or she'll kill me. I stand by the steps looking down at people strolling around, some with their bags and some without. I grab my phone to dial her number when someone bumbs into me knocking my phone to the floor
"Hey, can't you see where you're going" I say to the person without looking as I pick up my phone, when I turn I realise it's a guy holding two big luggages. He just stares at me, looking up and down then brings he's hand to his ear and talking. He's tall.
"appa eodiseyo eodiseodeun chaj-ass-eoyo (where are you dad, I've looked everywhere)" he says and I know that's Korean but the only I pick is 'appa' meaning dad and then he walks away without saying sorry or sparing me another look, so it's either he couldn't understand what I said or he was just rude ass.
I call after him "hey you, you dropped my phone and you just walked away" but he just keeps on walking like it's only him in the entire airport
I check my phone and it's not broken, thank God. I dial my mom while walking randomly around the airport until I see a man that looks lost on the phone, mom isn't picking on the 5th ring so I pocket my phone and move closer to him
"jim-eul chaj-euleo ganeunde god galge
(I'm trying to get my luggage, I'll be there soon)" he says, man I know nothing of what that man just said but I walk up to him with my Google translator and say to the translator
"Hey, I'm sorry. I need to find the place to pick up my luggage, can you please direct me " I say and the translator reads out
"ibwa, mianhae. suhamul-eul chaj-eul gos-eul chaj-aya habnida. annaehae jusigessseubnikka?)" But to my surprise the man laughs loudly
"You don't need translator to speak to me, I'm very fluent in English" he says still smiling
"Oh thank God, I've been looking for someone that understands me for such a long time now"
"Oh dear, you didn't ask anyone then. Most of us speak English well miss"
I smile sheepishly
"Well, you were looking for the section for the luggage, to be honest I'm looking for that as well" he says chuckling, and I notice he's eye smile, "I've been to this airport so many times but i still get lost" he completes
"Maybe, we could ask someone" I say looking around and find a woman with a little girl holding her luggage. "Hey sorry, can I ask where you got your bags from" I say to her
"o ileon, naneun dangsin-i malhaneun geos-eul ihaehaji moshabnida (oh dear, I don't understand what you're saying)" she says smiling
I don't understand any word she said
"Wait, don't worry. I'll talk to her." The man says as he turns to the confused woman and speak to her in Korean
"Suhamul-eul chaj-eul su issneun gos-eul allyeojuseyo (can you please tell us where we can get our luggage please)" he says pointing at the bags in the woman's hand
"o mian. dangsin-eun igeos-eul uimihabnida, geunyang ijjog-eulo jigjinhago oenjjog-eulo dolmyeon jega issneun gos-ibnida (ohh sorry. you mean this, just go straight this way and turn left that's where i got mine)" she says smiling and pointing somewhere. We thank her and walk that way.
After the wild goose chase, we finally get out bags and that's when I decide I have to learn Korean.
"So, are you a tourist Miss...?" The man trails off
"Rubie, just call me Rubie. And no I'm not a tourist, I'm actually here for a job" I smile
"Ohh, that's good Rubie. Are you going to hotel, do you need help?" He asks as we walk out to where the cars are parked
"Ohh no, I don't want to bother you and someone is coming to pick me up too" I say looking around for someone with a possible sign with my name on it
"Not a bother, my son is driving so he won't mind. But if you're sure, I'll leave you to it" he says stepping a few steps away
Huh, a son, that drives already. Just how old is this man, he looks like he's in his thirties or maybe a little younger. Wow.
"Ah, yes. It was nice meeting you, goodbye sir" I say bowing a little, he just chuckles and waves walking off.