Synopsis
Piper is a college graduate who is going to work for a school in Korea. The school is not everything she thought it would be but Korea offers an adventure that she won't forget.
Excerpt
Beep. Beep. Beep”, goes my annoying alarm clock. I smack the snoozes button for about the fifth time that morning. Although who can really keep count in the morning? I can barely remember what day it is or if it is say….my graduation day or not when I first wake up. Today, it about 9:30am and I have to be in an auditorium wearing all black to be recognized. I only hope that I do not fall on my face and embarrass my professors and that my parents do not go out of the way or do anything too embarrassing.
Graduation morning….sigh. I should be up super excited about graduating, but I was up all night. Sleeping had become impossible. After rolling out of bed, I slipped on my graduating attire. After only entering the living room and nearly tripping over three boxes, I hear a knock on the door. I can barely recognize my apartment of the last two years. It is completely filled with boxes that are ready to be moved out once my parents come by later. Four years of my life was wrapped up in cardboard. In one week I would be leaving it all behind and on a plane to the other side of the world for who knows how long. Today though, I was walking across a stage and receiving a bachelor's degree in Cultural Anthropology.
Jenny stood outside the apartment with a bright smile.
"Can you believe it is graduation today?! Almost time! Are you ready? Did you even brush your hair? What about make-up? You have to wear make-up today!" exclaims Jenny.
"I will be ready in a second." I yawn and walk towards the bathroom. “errr…where is that make-up case.” I only occasionally wear make-up, like really special occasions. I guess graduation qualifies. At least it’s guaranteed that these photos will end up in the history book of Piper Kingston. Therefore I shall apply some face-perfecting crap on. I can’t wait to be on the other side of the world where I don’t need to wear make-up.
“Ok Jen! Just a sec! I need to grab my purse!” As I ran into my room I notice my paper that I had submitted last week in my Anthropology class. I had written about leg-shaving in cultures. My intentions were to open the eyes of the readers that leg shaving is merely cultural. It is not unhealthy to not shave your legs as many would believe, but the professor noted that the paper was more of a gender study and I was taking a very negative view of leg-shaving, rather than informing the audience from an outsider’s unbiased view….blah blah blah blah blah….I am biased. That is true.
“What time will your parents be here?” asked Jenny. She reaches in her purse to pull out a mirror.
“They should be here already. I should check to see if they have called.” Grabbing a pre-made cold coffee drink. “All ready to go.”
They head out towards the auditorium for the ceremony. The lines were visible below Piper’s eyes from her late rise in the morning. “Piper!” A familiar voice from behind sails clear through the air.
“Hi mom.”
“Are you all ready and excited to graduate?”
After shrugging, I respond, “Ready as can be!” forcing a half grin back. The truth is…I hate these ceremonies that involve standing on a stage in front of so many people and having your name called out for everyone to stare at you. Not that everyone cares enough to stare at me JUST because my name is called out and I walk across the stage, but I don’t enjoy attention being brought to me. It’s bad enough that my family is all staring at me, let alone a thousand strangers.
