Hi I'm back - Mom and Dad are on their way home right now and I finally have time to write. I'm not sure how much of the 2 weeks I can really get here on the blog but I'm willing to try.
Mom and Dad arrived on Chuseok and I wrote about that day already. Well the rest of that week was mostly mom and dad recovering from jetlag and settling in. We tried to show them around our neighborhood between naps and other distractions.
I got to unpack all the stuff they brought for us. I hadn't been able to find sheets here (they kind of have a different sleeping set up) so Mom and Dad brought me sheets all washed and ready to go on my beds --yay!! Also they hooked us up with lots of foods that we have been missing - polenta, maple syrup, peanut butter, spices, more tea. So exciting!! In addition they brought all of our winter clothes. I had thought that Pauline would ship them but that proved to be more expensive than the clothes themselves. So my parents brought extra suitcases with our warm clothes. Just in the nick of time too - I think we started wearing them the next day and have been needing sweaters and socks ever since. It was like Equinox arrived and it got chilly. I'm so thankful that they were able to bring all of that for us ----they are so sweet. It was like Christmas opening all the goodies and fitting them in our house.
Their first Saturday here John and I got to go out on a date. This was very exciting for us as we have had no time sans kids except late nights and early mornings. We went to see a concert by a composer that John knows. It was really great - so nice to sit and listen to music. I have been quite jealous of Netta getting to experience all of the Korean Music with John. After the concert we went and walked around Sadang. This is an area that is close to where we live, it was where we wanted to live but it was too expensive - we decided to go over the hill and get a place that was cheaper. Anyway we have been wanting to check it out for awhile. It was fun we saw a beat boxer who was really amazing - went to a huge bookstore - and ate at a meat restaurant. It was great - nice to talk without being exhausted or interrupted.
Sunday we went to the Seoul Museum to revisit the amazing model of Seoul. We have been wanting to go back and find our house on the map. We tried earlier in the week with my parents but ended up getting there too late (I didn't realize it was a holiday because of Chuseok weekend and so I got the closing time wrong). But when Joe invited us for dinner in the same neighborhood we decided to try again. It was a fun trip to the museum and then a nice dinner with Joe and his family at an Italian restaurant that my parents ate at when they lived here 15 years ago.
Monday we braved Costco. I have been wanting to get a few things there and knowing my parents love for Costco and that the crowds there would have been huge before Chuseok we decided to go together. Another bonus was that they had a credit card that Costco would accept. It is difficult to get the right amount of cash and it always is embarrassing and time consuming when you need to get money while you are checking out. As it turns out, of course, the Korean Costco takes only one credit card but it is not the one my parents have. So it ended the same way all our previous visits have - with us holding up the line and running to the cash machine. Oh well, I still am very stocked up on yummy comfort treats.
Tuesday we went to Lotte World - Netta was very excited because Bobbe and Grandpa had told her they would take her when they came. Lotte World is like Disneyland - pretty much a copy but mostly indoor. Actually inside this huge dome. It was fun - I hate these kind of places but when I see them through the eyes of my kids they are a blast. Netta loved the roller coasters and Olive had a great time on the little rides. She loved the merry-go-round so much. I will post photos in the next post. Although it is getting hard to get photos of Olive because she tends to be a blur of movement in all the photos now - she is a girl on the go.
Wed we had a home day - regular routine - I worked and Netta had classes. My parents went to Itaewon to visit their old neighborhood.
Thurs. we went to Nomdaemun Market which was fun but very crowded. It was a bit much for all of us - Netta was the most successful shopper. She found some good bargains.
Friday I took my parents to Nakseongdae Park - fun to show them our local spot. Pictures in the next post.
Saturday we all went to see a breakdancing show. We won tickets when John was on the radio on Chuseok. It was a really fun show - people doing amazing things with their bodies - defying gravity and such. I was nervous about taking Olive but she was mesmerized during most of the show. There was a part with black light that was a little scary and she asked to "go home" but I held her and she got through it. At least in a breakdancing show the music is so loud that a baby talking is no trouble. After the show we went out to get tacos at Dos Tacos. Yum - Yum!!!!
Sunday we left town. My parents rented us a car and brave John drove us to Gangwon-do. The province to the east of us. I had read a blog about a trip there and we decided to do a similar trip with my parents. It was quite an adventure. I think I will leave my story of this trip for another post.
I will post the photos now (in the next post) and then write about it later.
I have an early morning tomorrow I'm taking the girls to the Bucheon Cultural Heritage Festival. I'm sure I will have things to write about that too.
Also coming soon a post dedicated to Olive and her amazing command of the language - she is talking up a storm and it is so fun. No more Gaga - now Netta is Nekka.
So I'll leave you with those to look forward to.
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