August 24, 1996

Tomorrow, Friday, August 24, 2007, I will finally return to Washington State after spending nearly two years without leaving Vietnam. Whether it is coincidence or not, I happened to check my flight log book (which I brought to Vietnam, just in case...), I noticed that my last flight in a Cessna 152 was recorded on August 24, 1996.

(N6394Q from Wings Aloft - Boeing Field, Seattle)

Wow, I still remember that last flight. Originally I had taken off on a solo practice flight to review some maneuvers for my upcoming Check Ride with the FAA. When I had flown over the Puget Sound just west of Seattle, I decided to forgo the maneuvers and enjoy a one hour flight around Seattle. For some reasons, I had sensed this would be my last flight in a long while.

I was right. . .

That week, I had just earned my Double Degree Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington and just applied to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. I was accepted and a year later I found myself serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Karatau, Kazakhstan (1997-1999). Three years after that I served as a Program Recruiter in the Kyrgyz Republic with ACCELS/ACTR (1999). After spending three years in graduate school at Indiana University - Bloomington, I found myself in Saigon, Vietnam.

(Forward Slip unto Runway 13L at Boeing Field, Seattle)

(Final Landing on Runway 13L, Boeing Field, Seattle)

Things have changed so much in the 11 years since that last flight. After August 24, 1996, I saw the world. From August 24, 2007, onward, I want to see who I really Am :-) Then, maybe, someday I can finally earn my Private Pilot's License.