Autumn

Fall has always been my favorite season, but I haven't had a really good fall for the past 5 years. This year I was hoping for a great one, and Korea is not letting me down.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Before we came here, a lot of people asked me if I was worried/scared. I think most people were referring to North Korea when they asked me that, perhaps thinking of the "Dear [unstable] Leader", Kim Jong-il. My answer was always No, I wasn't worried. I wasn't worried because I had already lived here, and I knew what to expect. I wasn't worried because Joe wasn't worried - I knew that he would never bring us over here if he was worried. I wasn't worried because the military does take care of it's families, and there is a really good exit strategy (on which we've already been briefed, including how to wear our gas masks, etc). And I wasn't worried because I knew that Heavenly Father had directed our path in coming here, and that He would take care of us.

That being said, Joe and I worried just a little bit about living in Seoul, thinking that it would be a lot different from living in Songtan (where we were last time), because it is a MUCH bigger city. We worried mostly about losing track of the children among the throngs of people here. We thought that we would be adament about holding the childrens' hands EVERY second while we were out in public. We thought it would be a lot crazier driving. We thought that it might be scarier living here because there might be more crime or whatever.

There's nothing to be worried about. All of those worries were unfounded. It IS different living in Seoul than in Songtan, but it's actually a little better driving conditions here. We are in a really nice neighborhood, and we feel completely safe here. We don't hold the kids hands here any more than we did in our little town in Texas. It is not scary to live here - it is perfectly NORMAL. I have had a couple of people make comments like, "You are so brave", and "I could never do that". Ridiculous! I am not brave (not any more than any other mom who sends her kids to school every day). And Yes, you could live here too. Yes YOU! YOU could figure out the subways and roads too - the signs are all in English as well as Korean. YOU could communicate with people too - a lot of people know at least converstaional English, and if they don't you just make up sign language, or at the very least just smile and nod:) And when you get down to the day-to-day living of your life, it really doesn't matter where you live. There might be a few differences (maybe you've never been briefed on how to wear a gas mask), some adjustments that will have to be made (like living in a smaller space and not having a dryer), but in the end it's just your life. I still take care of the kids, and clean the house, and go grocery shopping, and go to church, and make new friends, and everything else that I do. It's all the same. I just live my life, and I try to enjoy my surroundings.

Speaking of surroundings, we recently took the subway to Namdaemun, one of Korea's largest and most popular markets. Here's one of the entrances.
We had never been to a market this large before. It was quite the adventure. It is filled with over 1,000 shops, stalls, and retailers inside of buildings (here's looking inside a building for men's clothes),

as well as street vendors set up in the walkways between the buildings (here's a picture of two women who set up their sewing machines right in the middle of the street, surrounded by the things they had made that were for sell).

(I was brave to take that picture, wasn't I?) You can buy clothes, fabric, kitchenware, flowers, vegetables, toys, jewelry, etc. all in a wonderful maze of twisting streets and alleys. This market is open 24/7, with retailers selling during the day, and wholesalers selling at night.

Our goal was to look for winter clothes for Cora and JT, but we went while they were in school. We thought it would be easier with only two kids, and just keep them in our new Joovey double stroller - that I LOVE!!!

Even with two kids, it was a challenge. There was barely enough room to manuever through people (Soooooo many people).

It was fascinating. We mostly stayed on the roads though, because the one time we did venture into a children's clothing store, it was seriously shoulder-to-shoulder people, and we could not get the stroller more than a few feet into the masses. After deciding that the prices weren't THAT great, we turned around and went right back out:)

But we had a good time anyway, and we definitely want to go back - maybe on a date, without the kids if we actually want to go into the buildings. We stopped and had lunch there at a good Korean place. While we were eating, a lady came up to us and was fawning over Madelyn and Alex, telling us how cute and wonderful they were. Despite our protests, she gave Both of them 10,000 won (just under $10), and actually thanked US for coming to their country. People are so lovely here. It makes you feel very humble. It makes you want to be kinder to others.

The one thing that we did end up buying that day was a really nice (fake) flight jacket for Joe, for around $20.

We totally forgot about even trying to bargain the price down. But "it was a good price in any language," says Joe. On our way home we stopped at the fruit stand and bought grapes, and then at the flower stand and bought some color for the kitchen table.

After the older kids came home from school, we went to the bakery and bought an assortment of delicious goodies.

It was a good day. It wasn't scary at all:)

P.S. The other day we asked Cora and JT what they like most about Korea (the little ones were napping). Cora said she liked the street we live on with all the shops. She calls it "Our Lane" - I don't know where she got that from. JT said he likes how everyone is so nice to us. Then we asked them what was something they didn't like about Korea. Cora said she didn't like getting our car, because she would rather take the subway or walk. JT said, "A lot of people speak Korean here." Kids are so funny.

Ode to Lotte

Yikes, I didn't mean to go so long without posting. Actually, I've been working on this post for a while, and that's why the date is wrong. Instead of putting today's date, it put the date of when I first started it.

Well our first Korean holiday was a couple of weeks ago. Chuseok is a harvest festival that lasts 3 days (held around the Autumn Equinox). On Chuseok there is a mass exodus of sorts, of Koreans returning to their hometowns to pay respects to the spirits' of their ancestors (they often visit tombs). They have games and food and dancing. The kids in the American schools always have a Chuseok feast at lunchtime the day before they get out of school. Our kids brought rice cakes (not the kind that you're thinking of) and holiday cookies. They also got a 3-day weekend.

We decided to take our free day (since Joe got it off too) and go to Lotte World. Oh, Lotte World. What an interesting place you are. Lotte World is an amusement/theme park in Seoul. It is one of the most subtle, yet blatant, rip-offs of Disneyland you've ever seen (did you like that?:)) How? Let us count the ways.

First, there are two main characters named Lotty and Lorry (like Mickey and Minnie, except I think they're raccoons), and they have other animal friends.
They have a castle like Sleeping Beauty's

Which they use as a part of their title.

Some of the rides are....similar. They've got The Adventures of Sinbad, which is an underground water ride in a boat.

Similar to Pirates of the Carribean, it has a pirate ship, with a battle between the good and bad guys, a burned down town, bad guys selling woman, a jail, and a treasure room. But Pirates of the Carribean doesn't have a three-headed, fire-breathing dragon, so it's obviously nothing like it.

They also have a Pharaoh's Fury, which is a bumpy jeep ride through an Egyptian tomb.

Similar to Indiana Jones Adventure, the wait line walks you through an excavation sight, at the end of which is an old fashioned film strip to watch, you ride in a large jeep with a steering wheel, there is a bridge you cross, fire, snakes, etc. But Indiana Jones doesn't have a mummies or a big golden Pharaoh's head, so it's obviously nothing like it.

They also have character shows, parades, and light parades at night. It was so funny going here so soon after we had been to Disneyland, and see the similarities. However, Lotte World is unique in many ways, and really quite amazing.

First of all, half of the attractions are INSIDE

To see this in person is really amazing. It is 4 stories, plus a basement where there's an olympic-sized ice-skating rink. They have really used the space wisely, even winding some rides through other rides. The rides are an interesting mix of old and new. The new rides are amazing in their attention to detail, especially Pharaoh's Fury. But the older rides, while they had potential to be good rides, seemed like they just threw together a bunch of non-related props and scenes, and called it good. There are restaraunts, a mall, a Korean folk museum, shops, and all kinds of things. We enjoyed the hot air balloon ride, which takes you up above, and all around Lotte world. Our kids loved these motorized animals on wheels.

Just drop a couple of coins in, and it starts moving. They use the steering wheel to control where they are going, and there is an attendant there to make sure they don't "control" their animal into other patrons or other games. There were several kid-size versions of adult rides that were fun for the kids....as well as the adults:)

There was a magic show, and the parade was interesting (most of the people in the parade, the ones in costumes singing and dancing, were NOT Korean - we really wanted to find out where they were from, how they got that job, and how much it pays). We had the BEST chinese food there I have EVER had.

Of course, I can't leave out the people who flocked around our children, talking about how cute they were, trying to get them to talk back, taking pictures, giving them treats, and otherwise making them feel like celebrities. This always happens more when we are in crowded, public places like this. No matter how many times it happens, I just can't get over it. And it's people of all ages, and both sexes. Also, it's a different kid that the single out each time. Cora, JT, Madleyn, Alex - they've all had their turn at it. It makes it just a little more difficult to teach the kids about "stranger danger". The people here are so nice and generous, and I want the kids to be appreciative and friendly. We've taught them how to say hello and thank you in Korean. I guess we just have to specify that it's okay if we're with them, but it's not okay if they're by themselves or with friends.

Overall, a fun place. Not quite as kid friendly as Disneyland, not quite as magical, but they did a good job. We'll be back. Right before we left we got icecream cones here.

Zoom in and you can see the sign says, "I've had wonderful time" - yeah, that sums it up nicely:)

One last interesting thing about Lotte World. It is owned by a ginormous conglomerate corporation named Lotte Group. They make a wide variety of products including cookies and candy, icecream, soft drinks, electronics, smoking paraphenalia, agricultural and fishery products, pharmaceuticals, they have hotels, bowling alleys, and a fast food chain, they own and rent apartment complexes and other real estate, they sell life insurance, they do wedding ceremonies and receptions, and they manage a professional baseball team. Crazy!

Just to Get it Off my Chest

Okay, life is good, and we're happy. We're enjoying Korea and all that it has to offer. Our goal is to stay positive and to do/see everything we can while we're here. Carpe Diem and all that. That being said, I just have to get a few things off my chest - just a few little insignificant things, and then I promise not to bring them up again:) Okay, here goes. (caution - gross pictures below)

1. Korea does not have a lot of room for land fills, so recycling is really big here. I don't mind recycling. I think it's great teaching our kids to take responsibility for what we use. I know that some cities in the U.S. have good recycling programs, but I wish they ALL did. Anyway, we separate glass, paper, metal, plastic, etc. Kind of takes up a lot of room, but that's okay. Here's where we drop it off in the parking lot once a week.

You don't have to pay anything if you recycle. If you don't want to recycle (and I don't know anyone who doesn't), or if you just have miscellaneous garbage like diapers and what not, you can by special garbage bags for that. Many military members who live off base will take their miscellaneous garbage on base and just find a garbarge can wherever to dump it in, because you don't have to have the special garbage bags there. Even at fast food places you have to separate your garbage -

lids, straws, cups, paper, plastic silverware, and FOOD. Yes, I said food, and this is the part I DON'T like. In Korea we also have to separate our food waste. Not just out in public, but at home too. Korean kitchens never have garbage disposals, and you cannot just throw away food waste anywhere. It has to be separated and put in a separate bin every night. - brace yourself.

It's disgusting. I was ready for it, because of last time we were here, but it's still gross. Grosser still is that there are drains in both the sink

and dishwasher

that catch the littlest pieces of food, and these have to be emptied and cleaned often to avoid ruining the dishwasher, or just having a smelly kitchen. The ironic thing is that in many areas of Korea you will see litter all over the ground, like at this area outside the subway station right next to our church. It could be such a nice area - it has benches and trees and even a fountain - but it is always covered in litter. Come on people! I think that part of this is due to the fact that when they got their recycling program up and running, they took out a lot of the public garbage cans around the city, especially in the subways....but still. We just came from Texas where you're constantly bombarded with commercials that say, "Don't Mess with Texas". It's a good rule to live by.

2. Some things are too small. Koreans, in general, are smaller people, and they live in smaller spaces than Americans are used to. My kitchen is small, and I don't have a pantry or much storage for food, kitchen appliances, etc. I have very little counter space. My oven is tiny.

My microwave is as wide as my overn. No 20 lb. turkey for Thanksgiving, that's for sure. My dishwasher is small too. So is my tub,

so taking a hot bath (like I so love) is difficult. Parking spaces are small, and people usually drive smaller cars. We have a mini-van, and it barely fits.

3. Right now I don't have a dryer. This will be remedied......someday. We're on a waiting list on base to get a dryer, but in the mean time, I've got to hang everything up to dry. Luckily we've got this clothes rack out on our porch.

I'm surprised by how much time this adds to I miss soft clothes. But I still won't iron unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. My personal theory is that there are very few times in life when it is absolutely necessary to iron. I mean, a few wrinkles are good - it keeps you humble. Of course that means I have to live with stiff clothes and cardboard towels. Not to mention that it can get embarrasing when, say for example, the satellite TV guys come and have to go out to the porch, and all of your unmentionables are hanging out there.

4. We live on the 13th floor, which we love, but do you know how high 13 stories is? It's high. I've never been one to be afraid of heights, but sometimes when I look straight down to the ground from out of the window, I'm like WHOA! And it wouldn't be a big deal.....except that I have four children up here with me. So then every once in a while I completely freak myself out imagining one of my children falling out of a window. Oh, I can't even let myself go there. I'm freaking out RIGHT NOW! Yes, there are locks on the windows, and there are bars on the outside of the windows that come up to my waist, BUT STILL! It's really high. I took a picture looking straight down my window, but you can't even tell. My suggestion is go find a tall building and see for yourself.

5. It's smoggy here, atleast more than I'm used to. Here's a picture of the Seoul tower on a cloudy and smoggy day.

The sky looked pretty brown that day. It's only really bad occassionaly, but it does make everything just that much more dirty, like my floors, and my skin. Just one day, and this is how dirty my face is.

That can't be good. Sorry for the gross picture. There seems to be a lot of those this post.

6. Whenever you go to buy something here, you have to accept the fact that prices aren't necessarily set in stone. People haggle over prices here - something I've never been good at, nor aspire to ever be good at. This clearly puts me at a disadvantage. It's annoying when my neighbor can get 6 or 7 mandu for 1,000 won, but I only get 3. THREE!!! So I am forced to do something that I don't feel comfortable doing, just so I won't get taken advantage of. Total bummer.

I can't think of anything else right now. I'd talk about the driving, but that's going to have to be a whole post all on it's own:)

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Okay, I believe I mentioned we love our neighborhood. We really do. We are having so much funny discovering all it's little nooks and crannies. I want to take pictures of Everything (and everyone), but this is NOT a tourist spot, and I feel pretty much like an idiot taking a picture of anything - very conspicuous. I have taken some, which I will post now, but to get more I might have to become like a peeping-tom, hiding behind bushes and such. We'll see. You'll have to overlook the fact that some of the pictures below will be out of focus because I was in such a hurry to take them - like I said, I felt dumb.

The street behind our building is really nice, lined with big sidewalks and lots of trees and bushes.
I took some pictures of the kids so it looked more like I was a mom, and less like I was a tourist.

There are all sorts of shops along this street, as well as on our side street. There is a wonderful bakery called Paris Croissant. There is a flower stand and a fruit stand on the corners near the subway. There is Krazy Burger which has some of the best burgers I've ever had (not so good chili cheese fries). Here is Han Gang Chicken:

Inside they've got all these statuettes on a shelf lining the length of the back wall. About half of the statuettes are chickens - it's a chicken place so this makes sense - but the rest of the statuettes are a hodge-podge of medieval knights, african dancers, cowboys and indians, dogs and cows, and butterflies, above which are posters that say things like "I'd rather be drinking", and "All I need is Beer". It's pretty funny.We smell the most heavenly smell EVERY night from their fried chicken, and it makes us want to get fried chicken EVERY night. We don't, but it's tempting. With your fried chicken you get pickled radishes, of course.

We also got a little packet of salt and pepper that looked like this.

We weren't sure if it was a legal transaction or not:) There is 7-11, open all night long for our convenience. And the Pizza Hut.

We tried the Pizza Hut a couple times. They have the best crust. The cheese and toppings are different, but good. We ordered sausage, and this is what we got.

Yes, those are sliced up hotdogs. I laughed so hard. Along with our pizza we got parmesan, hot sauce, and sweet pickles. I bet you never got pickles with your pizza in America. We are so blessed here.

One of the fun things about Korea are all the alley streets. They're like the side-side streets. Very small and narrow, with tonz of more little shops crammed into them.

This picture totally doesn't do it justice. One night we discovered our new favorite place on one of these alleys. It's called Dong Chon, I think. It's this little place for Korean food. It only sits about 30 people at a time, with one little lady cooking in a very tiny kitchen in the back, and one or two waitresses. It's the traditional kind of place where you sit on cushions on the floor around a short little table, which our kids still think is very strange. The people there are so nice. The first time we went, our waitress memorized all of our kids names, and she remembered them the next time we went. The food is cheap, and it's the best Korean food that I've ever had. It's good enough that even Joe really likes it and is willing to try new things. Here's a picture of the outside.

It's not the Bambino place. Here's some pictures of us eating.

And a closer-up shot of the food.

If you zoom in you can see a tenticle. Our neighborhood is clean and well-kept for the most part. It is safe here. We have a couple of guards at the entrance to our parking lot, who are there 24/7. We also have a security code to get into the building,

and another one to get into our apartment.

I'm not going to tell you our code, so forget it. There are cameras everywhere. Sometimes when I am in the elevator by myself, I am tempted to dance for the guards who might be watching, but so far I never have. They're very nice, and I wouldn't want them to think I'm crazy....which I am.

That's all the pics I have for now. And I'm too tired to think of anything else to say.