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Leading up to my departure date, I tried my best to spend as much time as possible with my parents. I made myself available to accompany my dad to a few doctors’ appointments. We spoke on the phone more frequently and we had a few dates. On February 17, 2023, The Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a Marvel Studios Production was released. As a recent DC and Marvel fan, I made every effort to see the movie. Since I was a little girl, going to the movies was one of the main activities I did with my dad. Even as an adult, I enjoy going to the movies with him. As a kid, I always selected our movie and he always complained about my movie choices. As an adult, this did not change. I knew that my dad would be displeased with watching a “cartoon”, his word choice, not mine. But I just wanted to spend time with him.

All day, he complained about everything! He complained about my tardiness, the cost of tickets (but I paid for the tickets), the cost of snacks, the seats I selected, the temperature of the theater, and the length of the pre-show. Then he took a two-hour nap. Yes, he slept through the entire movie!

Following the movie, we had a bite to eat, and he complained about the temperature in the restaurant and the menu prices. But, during our meal together he asked a ton of questions about my upcoming volunteer service. His questions showed me how supportive he was of my decision, how concerned he was about my safety, and how proud he is of me. Even with all the complaining, it was one of the best days with my dad.