Notes from Detroit International Airport

I need to update my blog. In the time since my last post I traveled back to the US for one full month and then back to Korea, which is where I am now. So, in catching up on things I must first start with my trip back to the States for my sister's wedding. During my two-hour layover in Detroit I wrote this:

Back on American soil, after 8 months abroad. What I notice right away are the many different colors, shapes, accents and attitudes of the people around me. In fact, as I scan the crowds I keep thinking that I see someone I recognize or someone that I know. Who is that? She looks so familiar! Where do I know him from? I recognize that face! Oh, I know ... America! Obviously I don't know them, they are all strangers to me, yet, I feel I know them more than the strangers I left in Korea – those strangers that all look alike – those strangers that don't look like me. There's just so much variety here in the States.

Skin and skin and more skin. Breasts nearly falling out of pushup bras and low cut shirts, butt cheeks dropping out from under super short shorts. Skirts that are so short they restrict natural body movement. These Americans are not modest. There is something shameful to me to see these body parts publicly exposed. It's obviously outside of my comfort zone to dress that way.

After departing my plane in Narita (Japan) and while on my way through the airport to my connecting flight to Seattle, I saw an airline representative holding a small flimsy paper sign with about six different names handwritten (more like chicken-scratched) on it. I almost didn't even glance at it because it seemed so non-related to me. Well, my name was at the top of the list. I approached the representative and said with a bit of an unintentional scowl, "My name is on that list." His response was without emotion – no nonverbal clues either. I could only rely on his broken English, which I thought to be a message of regret ... "We've overbooked the flight so we have to send you to Siberia instead for a few days". Did he just say what I think he said? What I did hear clearly was that I should go to Gate 26 for further instructions. Okay, I can do that. One step at a time, Susan. The world isn't going to fall apart. Deal with whatever comes your way and just make the best of it. ... Isn't it cold in Siberia? (So I guess I can be a "glass-half-empty" kinda girl in some situations.) Turns out, I was wrong ... about the Siberia part. They did overbook the flight to Seattle and therefore they were asking for volunteers to take a direct flight to Detroit, Business Class. Hell ya! "Ahem, yes, ma'am. I'll be your humble volunteer."

For 13 hours from Japan to Detroit I enjoyed traveling in the Business Class. And you know what people, Economy Class sucks, period! It's not fair. It's like life between the haves and the have-nots. In Business Class you get to board the plane first, and you get your own transport ramp that leads straight to Business Class seating. Economy has to stand there and watch Business Class get priority treatment (why when they have different walk-ways?). In Business Class you get free alcohol, Economy has to pay for it. Business Class has enough legroom for two refrigerators while you can't even cross your legs in Economy. The seats in Business Class are like those beds they sell for old people with about 10 different ways to adjust the head, neck, lumbar, knee, leg and foot support; and chair positions ranged from completely flat (for sleeping) to seated upright (for when you're ready to dismount). In Economy the chair positions are: seated, and seated with a slight backward lean. They give you a nice crisp white tablecloth for your tray table in Business Class ... at each meal! In Economy you eat right off the naked tray table. Each member in Business Class gets a complimentary toiletry bag (with toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, comb, ear plugs and eye mask) as well as slippers. Economy, a complimentary back ache and stale traveling breath. BTW, the telltale sign that I was a Business Class newbie? ... I took a pass on the slippers. What was I thinking? (It was so freaky how everyone in Business Class took off their shoes and put on their slippers at the same time. I mean really freaky.) Anyway, most of the passengers (16 in the section of Business Class where I was seated) were old white men but there were 2 other women.

Did I mention that Economy sucks? Let's hear it for overbooking: Hip, Hip Hooray! Hip, Hip Hooray!