Christmas Suprise... Canada!

I'm in Canada :) Even though the Korean consulate in Vancouver couldn't guarantee to process my visa in such a short space of time, I found a cheap flight and booked it three weeks ago... but only told my sister and some friends in Korea! It has been such a fun challenge to keep the secret! I had to avoid any Facebook spoilers and skillfully post misleading comments without ever lying.
I was, in fact in Japan on Dec.20th, but I was not in Fukuoka for the visa run, I was in Tokyo transferring to a flight to North America. Later that day (or earlier, actually), I arrived in Vancouver, dropped off my visa application successfully and managed to buy a Greyhound bus ticket that afternoon (with cash so that my mom would not see strange charges on my credit card or bank card). Seven hours later, in Kelowna, my uncle (who I had called the week before) picked me up and I stayed at his place.

I first surprised my Gram who, in the dim light, thought my uncle had showed up with friend until she realized it was me. Then when my uncle and I returned to my Gram's house after a day of skiing, my aunt was there. She simply said "hello" without looking up from the newspaper then when she did look up could barely believe her eyes. My six-year-old cousin ran over to give me a big hug and I got to meet my nine-day-old cousin :) After a quick tea I drove to Summerland where my aunt and grandma were waiting for me to appear on Skype from Korea. When my aunt answered the door, I said "Sorry I'm late!" - she nearly collapsed! The picture she took of my grandma and me is shaky from the shock.

The next day, I drove the five hours with my sister and Gram to Nelson to suprise my parents. I got out of the car before arriving at our house and as my sister and Gram distracted my mom by taking the dog for a walk, I snuck into the house and sat under the Christmas tree with a bow on my head. My sister told my mom there was something she should see in the living room and at first she thought I was my sister and then it registered! Later, I surprised my dad when he came home from work.

Lastly, I stopped by my best friend's house not even an hour after she had arrived home from university. Her mom answered the door and said "It's Kim" and Lisa said to her dad, "It's not Kim - Kim's in Korea." Of course she couldn't believe her eyes when I came up the stairs. Then today we went to our friend's house and she said, "Oh, hi Kim!" as if it was unexpected, but nothing unusual and then a few seconds later said "wait..." and it hit her that I wasn't supposed to be there.
No one had any idea I was coming :) It is so much fun to surprise people and it is great to be home for Christmas!