First week in Korea

What a whirlwind! In this post, I'm just going to post what I wrote in a few emails...it's easier than writing it all again, because, let's be frank, I might still have a little jet lag....
We've been running around A LOT and are all so tired. We went to the 'Ville today and walked around. It's the area right outside of post where all the soldiers go to. Everyone speaks English and it's like a little 'America'. We bought some movies (4 for $10) and the girls watched Ringo this afternoon. Libby is having a super hard time with the time change, but I guess that's to be expected. We have about 2 roosters that crow all day and night (kind of annoying) and I've even heard a cow??? One morning, when I was up at 4, I looked over our balcony and saw a couple of old Korean people working in their garden. I'll have to take a picture of it sometime. It's very quaint.:) I'm enjoying it all so far and hope I continue to like it. Each time we leave the apt, I feel more confident. I'm really looking forward to our stuff getting here! I've tried ordering a few things online, for the house, but whatever I was ordering, apparently wasn't allowed to be shipped here? I've gotta run. I hope you all survived the storms OK. We heard about them on the news and on facebook. We really don't miss all of that. Love you all!

I can text now! Our router came through the mail yesterday (well, that's when we picked it up-we had mailed to ourselves last week), so I can use my iPod to text now. BUT, I'm getting an iPhone next week! Woot!!:) I looked at them yesterday, but decided to wait to 'think about it'. They have them at a booth at the PX on post. It will be nice because I think they have a GPS on them so I can download Korean maps. It's quite intimidating thinking about getting lost. Dan, of course, knows his way around, but it makes me nervous because the streets are NOT on a grid and I get so turned around and of course, not much is in English.
We are living in an apartment off post. It's on the 8th floor of a high rise complex. The place we're at, didn't allow families until two years ago, so there's no on post housing. They plan to move all this stuff some day, so there are no plans to build any family housing on post. Of course, they've been planning this for 10 years now, but whatever. It's a good-sized apartment, but I am already looking forward to the older two going to school-on post. They do have an elementary school, which sends a bus to the apartments that have Americans in them. Our neighbor is American-there are only two apartments on this floor in this building. So, when we get off the elevator, there's only their door and our's. BUT, she homeschools her girls. Did I say that they're the same age as Abby and Ava?? They played together on the playground yesterday, but I was napping. Dan said that she just sent her kids down there and then yelled at them to come back up when it was time. I don't know if I feel comfortable with that? Maybe later. They've been here 2 years and will be here until February. I dunno. Crime rate is pretty low here...and mostly caused by soldiers.
Everything is so foggy to me. I am SO out of it and Libby gets up about three times a night for 2 hours. It's exhausting. Dan and I have been taking turns with her, but she's so noisy and whiny that it wakes up the entire household. PLUS, I wake up and feel like it's the middle of the day, which it WAS just a week ago! ARGH. It'll get better, and it does every day, but this part sucks!
Dan goes back to work next Thursday and then I think he goes to gunnery on the fifth...UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH! So, I need to get my license. But, I'm so intimidated to drive here! But, I get more confident every time I go out. I think we're going to go to a big commissary on Tuesday with his hoopty car and I'll stock up on food so we don't HAVE to go out. I'm so thankful that I met my neighbor because she's so willing to help and I know if I need something while Dan's gone, she will help me! The commissary and PX here are pretty small because they were built for just single soldiers. We'll have to go to Yongsan, which is in Seoul, for the bigger shopping.
Isn't it all so crazy?
We went to a Korean 'Wal-mart' the other day. It's called Lotte Mart. It was so neat!!:) We got a Korean hair dryer, toaster, and vacuum because they go off of the different wattage and their plug-ins are WAY different. Anyhow, we asked a few questions, and the people had to run to get people that spoke English...which they did fairly well. Anyhow, we needed hand soap and bought two bottles there-for $6 each! It was a bit pricey, but very clean, very nice people, and so much fun, for me! We would have stayed longer, but Libby was whiny and really needed to sleep.
Ok, Dan just ruined the only cable we have here (Armed forces network-10 channels) and I promised the girls I'd take them to the playground.
May 28,2011 ^^^
Libby has slept through the night the past few nights...well, until about 5am or so, but we'll take it! It has been almost necessary to have Dan here to help me with it all. We've been having to run around to get my important stuff taken care of. I had to get registered in 'the system' the other day to even get on post. They scanned my fingerprints!!! I also had to get a rations card so we don't sell stuff on the black market here. I did find some Coach purses for about $30!!! I just got the purse I have now, but will be going back.
I think the girls start school the end of August. We walked past their school last week and saw their big playground. They're so excited (and so am I!)
We weren't looking at regular food, but they do advertise, on the Korean TV, for Oreo cookies and Abby saw some Twix candy bars at the Daiso store we went to yesterday. It's kind of like a dollar tree, but some of the stuff is up to 3,000 won (which is about $2.50?). They have a small commissary here and are able to get our groceries there. We just wanted to go to the Lotte Mart to get a Korean vacuum, hair dryer, etc because of the plug ins.
We went to a restaurant with a friend of Dan's yesterday. It was called Little Prince. When you walk in, you have to take off your shoes. I didn't know and wore flip flops. I asked the wife, Mitzi, and she had too, but she got us some 'house slippers' we wore. I think I got two left shoes, but it wasn't a huge deal. Anyhow, they put stickers on the back of your kids and then they have this HUGE play area and watch your kids for about $5 each for two hours. We were able to go eat without kids! Well...I ended up going to get Libby, but she ran around a lot to play. I got a salad that was so yummy and Dan got a pizza that had corn on it...BUT, it was so good. We were pretty surprised. They had Korean food there as well, but...I was hungry and wanted food I had a chance of liking!ha:) It was in an area called New City and it's about 3 blocks from here. There's tons of restaurants and shops. The friends showed us where to get good pizza and where we'll go to the dentist. They also have this huge park there, where it turns into a water park on the weekends. They also shut down the streets on the weekends (or just Saturday?) and they have like the Barbie Jeeps. The girls will be able to take their bikes down there, once they get here. There's a Baskin Robbins and I saw a Pizza Hut too.
I think I'm going to take the test to get my license tomorrow. EEK! Pray for me. Some of their rules are a little different and then the way it's written it's obviously by a Korean, so some of it makes no sense (Dan had a study guide). They are kind of crazy drivers here-Angie, you would fit right in!!:) I'll probably walk as much as I can.
We'd talked about walking down to this bakery that is super close today, but it's drizzling rain today. So, hopefully it'll clear up because I've been eyeing it since we got here. WE drive past it every single day!!:) Mitzi said they have delicious stuff.
Dan goes back to work on Thursday and then we'll find out what's going on with him going to the field. Hopefully, it won't be for a while yet and for just a short while, although I know of three women now that know what they're doing and are very willing to help.
Dan got me an iPhone yesterday. Woot!!:)
May 30, 2011^^^
The weather has been BEAUTIFUL here! The warmest has been about 80 degrees, but there's a wonderful breeze all the time. The past few days have been rainy, but just for a little while. Last night was a bunch of light thunderstorms...just thunder and lightening. I don't mind those.
We're feeling much more rested with Libby sleeping through the night. So hard to believe we've been here a week. It's gone by quickly.
I think I forgot to tell you all. We went to Yongsan Army post on Saturday(?) or Sunday. Anyhow, it's south of downtown Seoul, so we had to drive THROUGH the city to get there...of course, there's an easier way, but we only had a subway map to help us get there, and Dan, who I should never trust...just looked at Google maps before we left and said we had to take hwy 3 to hwy 6. I won't go into details, but we can't exactly read ALL of what every sign says, and just follow when we saw a 3 or a 6. We got there, but it took us like 45 minutes longer than it should have. We bought a detailed map and made it home in an hour and some change. Much easier when you have a map to read and can take expressways.:)
Anyhow, we walked into the Yongsan PX (much bigger post), and I had to wait on Dan for something. This Korean lady approached me and said that I had beautiful children and wondered if I was interested in them modeling. I just had to send her their picture via email and she'd get in touch with me. In the states, I would be leery of this (and still am a little), but we'd been told that they LOVE blonde hair, light eyed kids here and they do all the modeling for catalogs here. Dan's co-worker (a Korean) saw a picture of the girls and told him that they'd probably do modeling once they got here. So, we'll look into it and Dan's going to ask the Koreans at work about her-she gave us her business card, but what a great way for them to get college money. I was prepared for it, but couldn't believe we'd been in country three days and were approached!
I got my license today! I even drove on post. I'm still not super confident about driving in the city, but I'll get there. The test was pretty easy. I got a perfect score...of course.;-) Dan had a study test and it was pretty much the same as the test. I guess they just pass it around. The thing is...they have pretty much the same rules, but NONE are followed. They run red lights (after stopping first), stop on the side of the road (and block the right hand lane), and do illegal stuff ALL OF THE TIME. So, when I read the manual, I was pretty surprised at some of the laws.:) Anyhow, I have one now...it's in Korean and English. I have to carry a SOFA card with me (something of forces agreement) so I'm somewhat protected in case of an accident.
Tomorrow, Dan goes back to work. I'm not looking forward to that, but he's going to pick us up in the afternoon so we can get the girls registered at the CYS (children and youth services). It's so they can go to the CDC AND they have summer camps the girls can go to! I was so excited. They go on field trips at the end of the week and they're gone from 8-5 M thru F. It'll be great for them to get out of the apartment and give me a break in the middle of the summer.
We had Pizza Hut last night!! Woot! It's just two blocks away. Dan and the older two walked down to get it.
My iPhone is broke. It doesn't ring when I have a call. So, we took it back today and she has to send it off to be fixed. Said it should be gone a few days. NOT happy about that.
Dan went to pay rent today. It's 1,622,000 won! AND, we have to pay in cash. So, we went to the ATM today and they gave it to him in 10,000 won bills. We had a wad of 165 won bills in my wallet today while running errands. It would barely fit!
June 1, 2011^^^