Thank you Apple, for inventing the Ipad

We're home!

RCP and I arrived back home in Seoul late this evening, after a very pleasant six hour flight from Kuala Lampur. I must add that we were upgraded to first class. I am only bragging because I'm never upgraded and six hours is enough to warrant a wish for an upgrade, along with hopes that the roomier accomodations would come with a more appetizing meal, as the Seoul--Kuala Lampur leg boasted traditional chicken and dry pollock stew. Not my favorite, especially when served in those old-school heavy foil "airplane food" containers and for breakfast. Sure enough, with the extra room came some tasty beef bulgogi (and a giant dragon fruit that I took from the hotel buffet the night before, in the event that the in-flight meal would again be inedible).

It is in the wee hours of the morning now here in Seoul and I'm experiencing a little insomnia, I think due in part to the anxiety, excitement and question of whether or not S. Korea was actually going to let me back into the country after Malaysia barely let me out of theirs. Long story short: My visa is a single entry visa, as opposed to a multiple-entry visa, because RCP's employer accidentally checked the wrong box on the paperwork that was completed months ago in New York. Technically, I should not have been allowed to re-enter the country after September 1. I also don't have an alien I.D. card that shows I'm a resident, but I couldn't apply for that yet because we were going on vacation and you can't leave the country while it's processing. Everyone asked said the single-entry part shouldn't pose any problem. "Enjoy your vacation! No need to worry about the visa! We'll get her all set up with her alien I.D. when you return!" they all said. Well, as you can imagine, the visa DID cause quite a delay at the check-in counter in Kuala Lampur on the way home to Seoul this morning. However, I must hand it to the Air Asia employees for doing an excellent job of questioning someone who has a one-way ticket, the wrong visa and a different last name than her husband. Homeland security is working, even in a "discount airline terminal" on the other side of the world. (The term "discount airline terminal" was actually used by the airline as we taxied to the gate after landing in Kuala Lampur from Langkawi.)

And thank you Apple, for inventing the Ipad. How else would one be able to pull up a copy of their marriage certificate when asked for it in a foreign country, when one must prove that she is married to the person she's traveling with in order to be let on a plane? After a little searching in past email attachments for a copy of the marriage license and a call from Air Asia to S. Korea (I'm guessing), we not only had our boarding passes, we also had a hard copy of the marriage license, just in case there were any other skeptical security guards or gate attendants (which there were).

Even though Malaysia had let me out of their country, it was the impending arrival six and a half hours later that kept me up on the plane and pumped me full of energy, causing my current insomnia. What if the S. Korean immigration agents don't let me out of the airport? Is there some sort of quarantine for people like me, that you have to stay in until you can get a hold of your embassy to come bail you out? Do I explain the whole craziness of the wrong visa, whip out the marriage certificate or just keep quiet and only go into detail if asked? I chose the latter method and success. **Stamp** **Stamp**  "Kamsamnida!" 

No, thank YOU S. Korea for allowing me to come back into the country I now call home. Thank you for thinking I am not really that illegal. Although, it probably would not have been TOO awful of a situation if quarantined overnight; Incheon was rated the second best airport in the world to sleep in.

(And Mom, I have an appointment on Monday to resolve the Visa issue and to apply for the I.D. card, so no need to worry. I won't cause any international incidents.)