Strawbearies: #10000miles

Yellow!!!!
I would like to inform you that
1. I am officially jobless... since I have no intention to extend my contract as a school teacher, not because I don't like it but mostly because I want to try something else, aaaand I got an offer in other field... still education related, details will come soon IF only IF everything works as planned...
2. I am on my LONG BREAK! I called it 10000 miles trip because yes! it's 10000 miles journey hahaha...

I am going back to Minnesota baby... yup! Minnesota, USA...
Reminiscing...
Relaxing...
Recharging... for next steps... to keep going... :)
I am feeling like taking a step back to move 10 steps forward... at least that's my goal..
Oh well... I just tell you about my flight for now...

First thing first, it's all about my ticket.
One week before my flight, I just REALIZED that the ticket has been canceled... In fact, I bought it in April which was 2 months before I left, but I never paid attention to the confirmation status until the day I decided to print it out. I know... stupid right? HOWEVER! it ended up giving me 100 bucks off from the price I got in April balahahahahahahhaa....
I am grateful it happened! WHY? Because, to be frank with you, I don't really like the route I took previously. In spite of fancy All Nippon Airlines (ANA), I was not really happy with the transit schedule. I needed to change airport at New York, JFK to Newark, and with crazy traffic of New York, I didn't think that 4.45hr was enough for my next flight... AND when I came back, I needed to wait at Narita Airport for 17 HOURS!!! Please deh hahaha... So, I was back with safe route. CGK-SIN-OHD-MSP (Jakarta - Singapore - Chicago - Minneapolis) with United Airlines. Still, it didn't turn out smoothly.
I just realized that United (the airline that I have after changed schedule) only allowed ONE baggage!!! Lalalalala, I brought 2 suitcases with an intention to bring back my stuff that I left in MSP. Kudos to Garuda Counter Man...with his brilliant idea I could get my 2 suitcases wrapped with plastic; and counted as ONE baggage... the fact that I will still go home with 2 suitcases was saved for later to think about haha...
Oh yes... Rewind----- to the flight I had from Makassar to Jakarta... I met Jaxith (one of my former students in kinder 2) and his family. His mom asked me whether I needed help since she saw my 2 big suitcases. For your information, weight limit for domestic flight is 20kg. I think I had 3 kg more than it should be. To play safe, I agreed to join them since they were 4 people and their stuff were not that many. And... THank you to Jaxith's mom, I didn't need to pay for airport tax... thanks thanks thanks...

ok... BACK to United.
All was well until the United - Counter - Man told me that I needed to pass the immigration, got my bags, and checked them back in, AND caught my flight in ONE AND A HALF HOUR!!!!!! GaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHHHH
When I first arrived in Chicago, OF COURSE I was half running toward immigration... everything looked good until the officer said... "do you bring your i-20?" I said no, why should I bring it while I am not a student anymore... he insisted that I would be asked, because they needed a proof... GAAH. I got my Traveller visa already... PLEASEEeeeeee! I ended up waiting in the immigration office for 1;25 hr. YES 5 minutes before my flight to MSP... I wanted to cry... T__________T. 30 minutes before the flight, I already tried to let it go... I prepared myself to change my schedule (and... :( bought another ticket perhaps?)
Then, the nice officer made it all better... He said to me that I needed to go to here... there... and there... after I got my passport back with a sad face.
Such in a nice tone... It did make me feel better...just as simple as that...

Then... the United counter woman gave me help as well. She tried to find another ticket for me... Then! I got it. To MSP at 7.25PM arrived around 9PM by Delta... I said it's fine, and I asked if I needed to pay or not. he shook her head... LALALALA... So, I got a couple hours to cool my self down. I checked in at United counter and they said one baggage is $25. Yes baby, domestic flight (for some airlines) - we needed to pay for checked in baggage. However, they said that my baggage was already checked in 20 hours ago, when I was in Jakarta, so they let my beautiful baggage in without paying anything... Pheeeewwww
So, what I needed to do was only passed the security check point and then waited for my flight.
For little tips to pass the checkpoint in simpler way and fasteeer,
"don't wear complicated shoes" - because you needed to take them off...
"if you need to wear belt" - please take them off before you entered the checkpoint.
"if you bring water in a bottle" - drink it up or empty it. There are plenty of water fountain inside the gates.
"if you bring more than one gadgets; ipod, iphone, blackberry, galaxy tab, galaxy note, ipad, sanitary pad (?)" - you better put them all together in one bag. Don't forget to take out your laptop from your bag.
I passed the checkpoint without any problem
After everything was done... I felt like every muscles were broken down, shouted out loud, asked for rest!!!
I was on 'air' for about 23 hours with around 20 hrs lay over in total!
48 hrs without proper sleep
Needed to run
Needed to rush
Carried baggage up and down...
Then, I felt it...
the night breeze of Minneapolis Summer...

I am here...
and it's all good.
Already met good good friendsss and ate Sebastian Joe's ice cream TWICE, ate korean porky bulgogi, dduk boki, and Sechuanese... I still have a long list... and 2 weeks more to go... :)
I don't know what's the outcome of this semi impulsive trip. Well, I already planned this trip last year. I got my visa last August, my original plan was going in December last year, but it turned out that my cousin's wedding, relatives visiting, and it was my last christmas with mambo (who knew). Then, I got my contract ended in June 2013; thus, I decided to take a long break.
I hope you can understand... :)

Here some pictures ...
D-1!!!