Wednesday, July 28, 2010

swimming and sledding

Hi I am a little behind so I will try to catch up while Olive naps. On Sunday we had the chance to go swimming with Joe and his son.

It was good timing as Netta was running out of patience with us trying to find a public pool. She and John had gone in search of one on Saturday but never found it. Once he bought her an ice cream she was fine with that and they came home.

So Joe called on Sunday to invite us swimming and we jumped at the chance.

John had his first rehearsal for a singing group that he joined so it was just me and the kids.

Joe met us at the subway station and then we had a long drive to the pool. It was nice to get out of the city and see some trees and more mountains. We finally arrived and the place was really amazing. It was a camp owned by the methodist church that Joe used to teach for. The pool was great with 2 huge water slides, a waterfall into the pool and in the smaller pool a play structure. The play structure was just literally plunked down in the middle of the kiddie pool. It had a tire swing and slides - very fun. Olive and Netta had a great time being wet.

The kids were all in camp and so they had all these activities set up including this little kiddie pool filled with baby eels. Olive and Netta loved these - Olive squealed with delight as she tried to touch them and then catch them. They were so slippery! Netta became an expert at catching them and would give them to Olive to hold. It was fun! Of course I think these eels will actually become dinner when they get big enough.

After playing in the pool for awhile we headed to the showers to rinse off and Netta found a bunch of cute little frogs hopping outside the shower window.

Then we went and played soccer with Joe and his son. It was fun to run around together.

Joe mentioned that they had an all season sledding track. I wasn't sure what that would mean but we went up to take a look. It was basically a big sledding hill that is covered in plastic kind of stuff that makes you go down really fast in a sled. At the bottom there is astroturf to slow you down when the hill stops.

Netta really enjoyed this - it went very fast.

I took Olive once and was not a very good driver as it was fast and I was nervous with Olive and tried to slow it down. I tried using my hands but that threw us all off balance - wacky! Then I realized there was no way I would go down it again with my baby and that made Netta really mad. She wanted Olive to go down with her but Olive was kind of nervous by this time. She had really enjoyed the run but when I got scared afterwards I think it scared her. She didn't want to go with Netta even though Netta was a much better driver. Netta was not happy with this situation. She was also hungry and tired by this point.

So Joe and his son and Netta on her own went down a few more times and then we left. On the last run Netta fell off at the bottom and got a little hurt. I was glad that Olive had not been with her on that run. I think she would have been more hurt by the fall - as it was Netta sprained her ankle when she fell.

After the sledding we drove back to Seoul and got a bite to eat. The kids were starving and Joe's son Daniel had to have Burger King. I was dreading Burger King but the kids had to eat. We tried to convince Daniel to eat somewhere else but all he wanted was Burger King. Thankfully there was another restaurant nearby and we go some Udon and a pork cutlet for the girls. By the time we were done eating and on the subway back home it was after 10pm. I was exhausted and so were the girls. Olive fell asleep on my back on the subway (she hadn't even had a nap!).

Another long, fun day of play!

Then on to Monday - not too exciting of a day. We spent the day at home and then went to pick up a highchair I found on Craigslist. It was kind of far away and on the way home we took the bus for the first time. It was a great ride -easier than changing trains so many times.

Tuesday we decided to go look for Nakseongdae Park which we had seen on someone's blog. We walked there and it was nice. There is a temple there that was moved to the spot. It is the birthplace of a general and he is the reason this area is called Nakseongdae. It was said that on the day he was born stars fell from the sky. Hence the name which means place where stars fall. There was a big statue of him and a big plaza with lots of kids playing and riding bikes. Also lots of folks exercising on exercise machines and walking their dogs and such.

We met a nice lady - she had her grandkids with her. She spoke English and her grandaughters are right around the girls ages and they live close by. We exchanged numbers and hopefully we will see them again. Her grandaughters are visiting from China - so they speak Chinese and English and she speaks Korean and English --wow!

On the way home from the park there was a fountain that was so much fun. A bunch of kids were playing in it and Netta had to join in. Olive watched for awhile and then went in with John. It was great - Netta and Olive were so happy - screaming and running in the water! Just thinking about it makes me smile. Everyone was drenched and we came home - late again- and went to bed.

Sorry - I should have brought the camera - next time I will!!

Well between the fun and playing we are all struggling to get used to our new life here. It is hard sometimes and the language thing is frustrating. I think we are going to sign up for classes today - I know that will help. Trying to stay positive - but we miss all of you terribly.

What I wouldn't give for a date night right about now. It is hard to get time to talk to John - the apartment is so small and Netta won't go to sleep if we are talking - ugh!

Looking forward to a date when my parents visit in Sept. Hope we can make it until then!

Sorry this is so long ---bye for now!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Netta's latest costume art project

I bought some tape to repair the stroller handles. Netta found it and used the extra.....
Here are some photos of what she did with it.


I like this one - she looks very zen with the hands.
Of course Olive needed in on the act. So she did her hand and wanted me to take a picture for the blog. She is so proud!

gwanaksan to gangnam

Hey there (John here)

One of the cool things about Seoul is the amount of forest and mountains they have preserved in an undeveloped state. Near our house, there is a bridge over a largish road with trees and shrubs on it that connects two wooded mountain areas. Following the wooded area southward, there is a much bigger bridge with a lot more trees on it crossing a major thoroughfare. Keep going, and you get to a very large area that is all trees and mountains. I climbed it today.

Gwanaksan (or Gwanak mountain) is visible from our bathroom window, and is about an hour's hike away if you go fast. On it's sides, you are surrounded with trees and you can smell granite. Today, it had just rained, and there was a lot of sparkly quartz with gold flecks of pyrite all over the ground. Off to one side, tucked in a fold of hills, there is Gwaneumsa (the sa means buddhist temple.) It is one of the few continuously surviving buddhist temples in Korea, because a few hundred years ago they were persecuted. Only the temples in the mountains were able to keep going. At the top of the climb, it really is a climb. You don't need ropes, but you only just don't need ropes. There are a lot of Koreans climbing up there and having picnics.

Also, there are a bunch of bunkers, razor wire still coiled around the entrances, reminders of the Korean War. Much of Seoul was destroyed in that war. The grim reminders and the natural beauty rub shoulders up there on Gwanaksan.

Within sight, in fact, probably less than 3 miles from the peak of Gwanak, is the part of Seoul known as Gangnam. (I think it was where Ben was staying, but not totally sure.) Loosely, it includes where we are because it means South of the river. But specifically, it refers to the most expensive and fashionable part of Seoul, which is South of the river. It is also the most throbbingly citified place I have ever been to in my life. Packed with rivers of people, full of music and lights and ... energy. Totally amazing, if overwhelming.

I'd say Seoul has it all, but their air and water are both pretty bad, and those are the most basic things I guess. Still, I'm close to a mountain and a metropolis all at one time.



Saturday, July 24, 2010

Hi I have not been here for awhile. Life is busy without much time to stop and tell stories.

John had a bit of a stomach bug. Stomach hurting - lots of potty time - not very fun. We couldn't figure out what was going on. Then we were at the store and Netta mentioned that we needed to buy water. I said, "no there are still bottles of water in your room." She said, "Those are filled with tap water." So we finally figured out what was giving John his stomach troubles. The tap water in Seoul is not safe to drink - we didn't know the bottles were filled with tap water and were drinking it. John had even commented how the bottled water had tasted so terrible.

This is a Korean misunderstanding that stayed within the family. Netta didn't know that we were drinking the tap water - she didn't know how unsafe the tap water is here - she was using the filled bottles for bowling.

So Netta had a playdate. I put out a call on the Seoul Homeschooling yahoo group to try to hook up with other parents of kids Netta could play with. After moving we finally met up with one of the families. They are stationed here with the military, as are most (maybe all) of the homeschooling families on the group.

The little girl is 8 and her name is Abigail. We met them at the Korean War Memorial (why I keep ending up here I don't know). The girls had a great time looking at weapons and uniforms. They were holding hands wandering through the museum within 10 minutes of meeting each other. Netta really needed someone to talk to and kept a steady pace of conversation for 3 hours straight. It was great.

Interesting to see Korea through the eyes of a military wife. There was a lot of complaining and not very much understanding of cultural differences. But I am trying to also see her situation through her eyes and I find myself with more compassion for her that way.

After our playdate we met John and went shopping then headed home on the subway laden down with our purchases and the stroller.

Now for the disclaimer - I am now going to tell a scary story. I want you all to know it all comes out fine in the end. Sorry if it is too scary - it has been haunting me for days - maybe that is why I haven't posted for awhile. OK

We had a hard time hauling all of our stuff. I had the stroller, Netta had a rolling cart filled to the brim (it actually fell a couple of times and had to be re-loaded) and John had a laundry basket full of stuff.

The subway trains were really full and busy. As we went to get on our last train home John said we should get on first because of all the stuff. We waited for the current train to fill up and then got in the front of the line for the next train.

The train came and it was soooooo full. It took forever for everyone to get off the train - we waited and then when everyone was finally off the doors closed. No one had even had time to get on. Then the doors opened again - like they had opened them for more time so that people could get on. So on we went or tried. Olive was first in the stroller and right when she was halfway in and halfway out the train doors closed. She was stuck. I was holding the stroller and started to scream. People on and off the train were trying to help - Olive was squirming. I don't even remember exactly how it all went down - I do know that John finally just yanked on the stroller and it came popping out back onto the platform. The doors closed and the train pulled out.

I was freaked and so was Olive. She was screaming so loud. I rushed to get out of the crowd. There were a lot of people gathered around us and I needed out of there. I took the stroller out of the crowd and then finally picked up Olive and held her. I was crying - she was crying - people were all gathered around.

The subway official came and tried to figure out what happened. All in Korean of course. I was trying just to be with Olive. Not like we aren't already sticking out in the crowd, now we were the center of a lot of attention.


It was afterwards that John explained some of what was said during this time. How the official from the subway was upset about how much stuff we had and how some of the folks who were waiting for the train with us (specifically two men who had been ogling and playing with Olive while were waiting for the train) had explained how it all went down. That we were at the beginning of the line and the doors closed and then it seemed like the official understood it was not just about all the stuff.

Then the subway officials kept coming. Finally they found the one guy who spoke English and brought him up to help.

During all of this Netta was handed candy by some sweet Korean woman to help her cope which was keeping her happy.

The English speaking official asked us if we needed to go to the hospital. Olive was not in need of a hospital in fact I thought she was not hurt at all - but when we finally got home we did notice that she had a big scrape on her leg that turned into a nasty bruise the next day. John thought that happened when he finally yanked hard on the stroller to free it.

The official also asked if we wanted to go to the station office. It was not clear why -maybe to relax in the air conditioning or maybe fill out some sort of report. We don't know.

Anyway he sent us on our way on the train with helpers. Two of the train officials and one nice man who spoke English and stopped to help helped us carry our stuff on the train which was by now less busy. They rode with us to our stop (which was only one stop away) and helped us up to the street. They were very nice.

I got the impression during all of the craziness that the subway folks felt bad and were trying to help us. That was a good feeling. Everyone who stopped was very nice and felt bad for Olive.

I guess the scariest part of all of this is the thought of what would have happened if the train had started to go. I don't think the trains would be able to go with a door open but just the thought is harrowing. As John said - "the train tried to eat our baby". Yuck!

Just another day in Korea.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

This is the view up our hill from the park. Our building is like the second from the top on the right.

The girls swinging at the local park. The swings are low which is great for Olive but not so ideal for Netta. Netta has of course found a way to make them fun - by jumping off them.
Here she is about to jump.
Olive climbing the stairs on the play structure at the park to get to the "weeeeeee" which is always too hot to slide down. She tried it once and was not happy and remembers this each time and doesn't want to try again - smart girl.

The play structure with the swings up the hill behind it.

Netta took this one of Olive.

We went to Cosco tonight and I am pooped. Nothing like a huge store with two levels of enormous stuff to wear me out. Joe took us which was great because without a car you have to carry all that gigantic stuff home on the subway.

There was so much great stuff that we have been missing like cheese and coffee. They even had a huge package of digestive biscuits - yum! But no English tea - thankfully we have some coming our way! It was really hard to restrain myself -especially with my huge new refrigerator just waiting to be filled...

So we spent too much and came home and tried to cram it all in our small house.

When we went back to the car to load up and come home we were blocked in by another car parked directly behind us.
John asked, "Joe what do we do - we can't get out?"
Joe just said, "We just push it out of the way."
"Really?"
" Yep", he said "it is in neutral so we just push it back and drive out."
Wow that was new for John and I.

Joe said that at his house he parks and then people push his car so that sometimes it is in a very different place in the morning. He said you also have to be sure that you park straight or else your car gets pushed into the road or curb and blocks things. This is wacky - huh?

Our house is starting to feel like a home.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Today John, Netta and I went to work. We recorded some dialogue in English for some Korean people who wrote an English grammar book. They made a recording to go along with the book.

It was fun. Joe set it up for us and it was in his church's recording studio. His church has a recording studio!

Netta and John went first and they were thrilled with John's voice. Netta started off kind of stiff but did very well with expression in the end. Or so John reported. While they were recording Olive and I went to meet Joe's wife which was a pleasure. She is so sweet and Olive found a room full of kids and toys to play with.

Then it was my turn and they even provided childcare. Olive was fussy without me so they took her away - fed her an ice cream - put her in a ball bin and then she was happy without me. Not so surprising.

People give the kids candy and ice cream all the time. Especially in stores to keep them quiet while their parents shop.

Then this evening the moving saga continued. John went to meet the mover but only some of our stuff made it here. The fridge, washer and closet will come tomorrow but the couch, dining room table, a desk for Netta and a low cabinet made it here.

So I am sitting on the couch instead of the floor.

John has to finish the job tomorrow which is a bummer as he had scheduled to really start his work tomorrow. He is sad to have to put it off again and tired from all the drama with moving tonight. Hard to see him sad. Wish I could fix it....

I am hoping to do my first grocery shop in this house tomorrow with the new fridge arriving. Also looking forward to washing some laundry - diapers specifically.

The landlords also sweetly came and fixed all the leaks, brought us water and a brand new gas range to cook on. They are calling the gas company and I may even be able to boil water tomorrow. Oh the small pleasures...

That's about it for today.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

These are not in the order I wanted them - start from the bottom.


This is the sliding glass door in our living room that goes "out" into the kitchen. It looks like they added the kitchen from what used to be a balcony. The fridge will not fit in here it will have to be in the living room - weird huh?
John's office.


Netta and Olive's room

The master bedroom - haha!
The living room filled with sleeping kids. The purple yo is our bed until Aug 7th. Hopefully my back will last that long. The blue - day bed is Netta's - she wants it to be her bed for her room - it folds up into a couch for during the day.
Our Korean front door. One of my favorite features of the apartment. Isn't it cool and beautiful? Also it unlocks with a number code so no keys to lose - yay!
That's it for now. Maybe I will post the video to Facebook as it won't seem to load here.
It is pouring rain here - we had a fine thunderstorm this evening. Netta was very excited and drew John a weather map after referencing the satellite photo on the computer.

We had a leak in our living room from a hole that had been drilled in the wall for a cable or something then the cable was pulled out. Tim suggested chewing gum in the hole and now it is fixed.

I haven't written in awhile as I was having trouble adjusting to the new house. It seemed kind of thrashed when we first got here. Remember I had only seen it once and it was on a day when we had tromped around seeing eight apartments. So maybe I had built it up in my mind as more than it actually is. Don't get me wrong it is great to have the space, great to have cheap rent, great to be in this neighborhood but the space is not new and it is funky compared to what I am used to (which is kind of crazy as I live in a funky house at home). Korean apartments do not come cleaned. There is no cleaning deposit so people can just leave them as dirty as they please. So there was a big pile of mess to be swept up and mold to be cleaned and other such lovely jobs right off the bat. And of course with the kids around no time to do it.

But I have bought some heinous cleaning supplies that I can't read the ingredients on and I have been scrubbing away. Hopefully they won't hurt us more than help us.

It has also been hard to have no fridge or stove for all of these days.

Some days right when we arrived I just wanted to run home. Somebody else's dirt is just not the same as your own.

Anyway I think I am getting used to it all. The fridge and stuff arrives tonight and hopefully that will help. I have cleaned some and gotten used to the dirt.

Positive things:
We have space - Olive can take a nap or go to bed before the rest of us do.
Netta has space to play
We have a great air conditioner
The park is fun - the kids have played there lots already.
We found a turkish kebab place close
John has an office
We don't have to worry that the kids will make a mess or break things here
The landlords are sweet - they are getting us a bed (Aug 7) and a stove
There is hot water
There is a bathtub
There are 2 toilets
We got a free microwave - so we can heat water and drink instant coffee
There are lots of shops close
The subway is close
We are all together

So I hope that will help me stop bitching.

I have been wanting to post a video I took of the apartment but it won't upload so I will post pictures in the next post.

Netta and Olive have been up and down during this big transition.

Olive has been talking so much. She likes to repeat things and sometimes repeats Korean things too. Like in the elevator when the voice says the floor she will repeat it. She also says kimbap which is Korean sushi.

Netta has been very grown up and independent. We have been giving her pocket money and she buys drinks or candy and shares with all of us. She has her own cell phone - we have no land line so it made sense to be able to reach her by phone. Of course she may not use it up to her ear - mostly she has been using it to listen to ring tones - over and over and over.


Hope that fills everyone in - I will post photos next.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

nakseongdae

(John here) Here we are in Bongcheon 6-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. We're at our new digs in southwestern Seoul. Our apartment, up a hill, on the fourth floor, promises to do wonders for our leg muscles. We're a mere 25 meters from a playground, Rose Park (plastic roses woven into fences around our neighborhood are landmarks to ... something.) It's a busy, twisty network of narrow avenues not far off a big road (Dae-ro) in the vicinity of Korea's most prestigious universities, Seoul National University.

In walking distance are (uncountably many things that we haven't noticed yet) and many "Olive" things. Olive BBQ, Olive PC bang (a place where you can rent high speed computers) and Olive Young, a beauty shop. And at least two yoga studios and a taekwondo studio. It's so dense here it will take at least a couple of weeks to get a handle on it. And we'll probably keep finding new things for the duration of our stay.

We thought for a little bit that our landlords were pissed off at us, because we delayed our move-in for a day. But actually, they are really nice. There were some severely broken things at first, for instance, non-operational doorknob that would leave me trapped in my office if somebody closed the door. We wondered if we were prey to slumlords. But then they came through and installed operational knobs, and gave us a ride to the local inscrutable supermarket, which is in a basement so you would never guess just walking along the street. From this and a lot of other human cues, we can discern that our landlords are awesome cool people and we love them.

Nakseongdae, for those who are interested, means something like "the place where stars fall." Nak means fall, like falling leaves that get scattered all around as they fall. Seong, means star, or planet... heavenly body... Dae means place. I think it's awesome to be living in this place. A big park nearby, a great university just as near, a smallish mountain almost right on top of us, and the great bustling metropolis of Seoul buzzing all around us. I like it.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

So the saga continues.

No moving day today.

Will have to wait for tomorrow.

The whole international banking across time zones is proving challenging and the real estate agents aren't into it. If the money isn't here tomorrow we lose the almost $5000.00 we put down as a deposit.

They said this is our last chance. We had to postpone a bit at the beginning also due to the July 4th Holiday weekend. So according to them we keep putting it off and this is our last chance.

Things are quite stressful here - half our stuff is in our new house and we can't get it - the bags are packed but we have nowhere to go. Patience again is knocking at my door asking me to pay attention.

Hoping to be in tomorrow - posting pictures and online.

Send us some good thoughts we could use them.

Monday, July 12, 2010

OK well I hesitate to tell the story of yesterday as it was quite an adventure and judging from some of the responses I have gotten to the blog it seems as if the impression people are getting is that we are unhappy or stressed. We are not. Life is mostly interesting and stimulating here. We laugh a lot and are just taking it moment by moment. That said - here we go...

So yesterday started off slowly. We hung out in the officetel until about 4. John contacted the owner of the new apartment's son and asked if we could move some suitcases in a day early. We finally got a reply around 4. He said it was fine and that we could do it as long as it was before 8 pm. We scrambled to get ready and left the officetel around 5.

For any of you who don't know- we brought 8 enormous suitcases. Basically the max allowance for our flight. So getting all of them across town will be a challenge. Joe suggested a call van but it would cost 30,000 -40,000 won about 25 -35 dollars. We are so cheap and money is tight having to buy all the appliances and furniture for our new house that we figured out that we could take 2 trips on the subway for like $6. So John strapped 2 suitcases together and dragged those (they all have wheels thank goodness) - I put Olive in the ergo carrier on my back and dragged one and Netta (big girl) dragged the 4th one. Off we went - crazy westerners!

We got down to the station in the elevator (we just figured these out with the stroller). Filled Netta's new T-money card with money for the subway and went to the turnstiles. At the turnstile we discovered that John's card did not have any more money on it and we were out of cash. So John had to leave us there with the bags (the first time but not the last) and go above ground to find money. It was hot and Olive was already asking for FOOO. We realized it was dinner time and told her to hang on.

He finally returned and we got on the train. We made it to our transfer station -already late for the 6:00 meeting that we planned to get the key - and got off the train to transfer. We had a bit of a hard time finding elevators for all the stairs and ended up dragging our very enormous and heavy suitcases up a flight of stairs (crazy westerners). Olive is still on my back and still begging for food. Finally I turned her around and stuck a boob in her mouth and she was much quieter although I was quite exposed.

We arrived at the train platform only to discover that we were on the wrong track and the train we needed was on a different platform and that we needed to go down and up again to reach the right place. We looked over to discover that the train we needed was also packed with people like sardines in a can. At this point I said - OK this is when we realize that we need to go above ground and find a cab for the last part of this trip. John agreed - we dragged our suitcases back down the steps to the elevator and made it above ground.

Finding a cab was a whole other deal. The first driver that stopped just shook his head no after looking at our pile of luggage and drove off. The next few wouldn't even stop. Then one sweet man must have pitied us and stopped and loaded all our luggage into his car which meant that 2 bags went in the trunk and 2 went on the back seat with Netta, Olive and I next to them and John in the front seat. The cab made a U-turn and we were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Like the subway only instead of people this was cars full of people - to be expected I guess. We made it across the intersection - figured out that it was costing too much -asked the sweet man to stop and got out. Of course in that short amount of time Olive scrambled all over the cab and emptied the business cards he had set in the door all over his floor - all the time asking for FOOOO. The cab ride was about $6 corner to corner.

So John decided to call the son and try to delay our meeting. It was not easy but it worked while we stayed with the luggage. Then we found Netta a bathroom and Netta, Olive and I went to find some FOOO. We found some pho and bought it to go - only to discover that it was in a plastic bag so there was no way to eat it without bowls. Luckily I had also gotten some appetizers so we macked those. While we ate a sweet man who was selling papers on the corner brought me a chair and all of us some cold water. Oh the kindness of strangers. Thank goodness for all the nice people.

Refreshed we headed back down to the subway ---stairs again of course. Netta reluctantly accepted some help from a very handsome and chic Korean man with perfect English skills. Then back off to the right platform this time to get on what we hoped would be a less busy train - ha ha!! No such luck. But we decided to try and get on and we did. I went in a different door from John and Netta and could not tell during the whole time if they had made it on the train - I just couldn't see them through all of the people - even Netta's golden hair. During this trip I discovered that in the pho food bag there was a bag of chicken and fed that to Olive to keep her happy - thank goodness.

We made it to our station, got up to street level and John left us again to go and find a phone. By this time I realized it was nearly 8:00 and I had had Olive on my back (or front) for 3 hours - ouch my back was feeling it. But letting her down was a whole other mess - so up she stayed with some entertainment from Netta (yay!). It took John awhile and I saw him go into a realtors right near where we were waiting while he was in there a man came up to us and said "John?" Wow we had been found - yay! Netta went and got John and this kind man with the keys to the apartment went and got his car and drove the suitcases and John up the hill. We waited in the hair salon on that corner - the owner came out and invited us in because it was so hot out. She was sweet giving us cold water and we met her son (about Netta's age). She will be one of our new neighbors - yay!

So John returned without the suitcases - woohoo. Netta, Olive and I never got to the apartment which was a bummer as I really wanted to see it again - oh well I'll see it today when we get the keys.

We ate some street food and headed back to the officetel - exhausted to say the least. We fed the kids and they went to bed around 11. They are still asleep now at 10:15 am. John is off getting our alien registration cards so that we can get cell phones today - yay!

Then off to sign the papers and hand over the money and get the keys - then camping in our new apartment until the fridge, washer, couch, and desk come next weekend. Hopefully we can find beds before then........

Life is good. We are all together muddling through....

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Hi I will just write a short entry today about yesterday because it was a pretty mellow day. No big adventures which was a relief.

We walked to a park across the street from where we are staying. It was fun, the kids played. Olive went on the "weeeeee" (slide) over and over again and climbed up each time. Netta hung back from the bigger kids watching for awhile. She jumped in and played a little and then hung back again. Then a sweet girl arrived with her two sisters. Her name was Soo Winn and she spoke a little English. She liked playing with both girls. She was 13 years old which to us would be 11 or 12 depending when her birthday is. The ages here start from 1 when you are born and then at the first chinese new year you turn 2 and then age yearly. Anyway she was really nice and it was nice for Netta to have someone to play with. Of course Netta's take was "yes it was fun but we can't plan another playdate." I'm just trying to be grateful for the moments as they come.

Then John went off to a concert - Olive had a nap - and Netta made collages out of all the brochures we have laying around. I spent some time on the computer looking for things we need for the house. It was nice to have some quiet time.

We had dinner at home - noodles with miso broth and some frozen fried dumplings and red bell pepper slices.

That was about it - a nice day. I can't wait til we have a place to hang out and make our own.
Soon - soon......

Friday, July 9, 2010






Hi Friends,
Well another day here in Asia. The day began with a long trip to a children's kitchen music place. Joe's class was going so he invited us to go along. It was far away so we left early but still got there late. I had a whole plan about not switching subway trains but going to a different station. Of course I couldn't find the station and poor Netta had to follow me around tired, hungry and rushed. We finally settled on a different station with a different transfer then off we went rushing to get there on time. We were about 1/2 hour late but we were met at the elevator by Joe's boss and she ushered us right in.

We got in there and discovered what it was all about. Which was a whole lot of cheesiness. The kids were little and they liked it but Netta was disgusted and sat with her arms folded. Of course they picked on us because we stick out so much. They were recording sounds for an animated movie that they showed afterwards and I had to say "I love you Netta" and she had to say "I love you Mom." Well she said it with a monotone voice and left out the mom. Kind of funny.


So then Olive wanted to do her own thing but it was a class - I couldn't tell if we were allowed to eat in there - I suspected not but she wanted to eat. She then threw a crying fit. Oh the joy. So by this time I thought Netta is too old for this and Olive is too young. But I could not escape. They just herded the kids through without any way to break from the group. I finally exited to use the bathroom and Netta followed a few minutes afterward and we bailed. Wheeww another adventure.

We then had to head back home but needed to get a quick bite so we went to a Paris Baguette store. A chain of mediocre bakeries. Netta got a pizza and some garlic bread and a doughnut. I got a sausage (hot dog) pizza. The pizza red sauce was ketchup as Olive would say "eeeewwww" and the garlic bread had a thick sprinkling of sugar on it. Very strange - not very tasty.

I got home late to skype with Jenn but luckily she is a night owl and John took Olive to the park and I got to chat with my friend. It was my first daytime break from kids since we arrived. I really needed it and it was fun to see and talk to my sweet friend.

Tonight we had a great meal. Ben ( Yarrow's brother) is in Seoul and so we met him for dinner. We went down an alley and found a great little place to eat. I had cheese ramen - which was ramen in a spicy broth with a slice of american cheese melted on top. Sounds weird but it
was very yummy. A recommendation from Ben. The food was great and cheap. Of course Netta didn't eat anything - luckily we had fed her before hand ground beef and rice. The ground beef was $13 a pound - ouch. Maybe we will eat less meat here.

We found some nice fruit for cheap in the alley on the way home and the girls macked fruit all the way home. I think it was the first night Netta did not eat ice - cream.

It was great to see Ben and it sounds like he will be coming back to South Korea in Sept and spending the school year here going to "Go School". Very cool.

Well I'm off to bed exhausted with an aching back from carrying Olive's stroller up and down subway stairs all day.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Ok just had to add these images. We found this tree with an IV. We're not sure what is going on here. Maybe the tree needs sugar water (which is what is listed as in the IV bags). See how the tubes lead to little bottles in the base of the tree trunk. Not sure but a weird image. Possibly street art?




















These two are of a cool bathroom stall at the Korean War Memorial. The stall had a sign that showed it had a changing table so in I went. In addition to the changing table there was this tiny toilet, that Olive enjoyed using, as well as a sink and a big toilet for me and Netta. I thought it was great to have it all in one stall with privacy and everything.

OK those are the images of the day.
Hi well I skipped a day so maybe this will be an extra long post - if I get to finish it tonight.

So I will start with yesterday. We all decided to go and check out the electronics market before John had to go and sign our lease (yay!). Netta had to be persuaded as she just wanted to stay in the officetel by herself all day. We convinced her to go along with promises to check out the rolling ball museum while John went off to sign the lease.

We made it to the electronics market and were totally overwhelmed by the amount of electronics in the place. Hundreds of small stalls with everything you could think of. MP3's, tiny laptops, regular laptops, TVs, monitors, printers, keyboards, mice the list could go on and on. Anyway by the time we got there and found the place it was pretty much time for John to leave to sign the lease. We ate a quick bite together and off he went. Olive went to throw something in the trash and then decided to follow him - Netta and I turned around and she was gone. AAAAHHH - someone on the escalator (who had a better view than I did) pointed her out to me and she just said "dada". It was quite a scare for me. What was I thinking bringing a 2 year old to this huge foreign city? There are dangers at every corner and she is trying to push all the limits. It is a good thing she is so cute and sweet.

So once we found Olive we set off for the rolling ball museum. We were told that it was located at the basement of the Korean War Memorial so we found a cab which was no simple task. I had to point to it on a map and then was sent across the street to the other cab line. All this always with an opinionated wanting to do it myself toddler. We communicated, got in the cab and off we went. We got to the memorial - paid for the cab - Netta and I hauled the stroller up 6 flights of stairs and got to the ticket office only to discover that the rolling ball museum had moved. So we hung out at the war memorial looking at tanks and guns - not my idea of a fun afternoon - it was hot and Olive just wanted to jump in the fountain. We got another cab and made our way back to the electronics market to meet John.

We met John - bought a router so we can be online in our new apartment and then headed home. We got take-out from the place in the first floor of our building. Fried but not overly processed chicken and shrimp. Then home for the night.

Kind of a wacky day as all the days seem to be right now. Getting used to a new place - everything is hard work - the simple tasks that take no effort at home are complicated here. The language is a huge hurdle- it makes it hard to communicate. Although everywhere we go there are sweet people trying to help and ogling at Olive and Netta. In fact people keep asking to take our picture which I don't quite understand but can't seem to refuse as Olive and Netta seem fine with it. One guy even put his arm around me in the photo (John was not there for that one).

So today was another exciting adventure. We found a thrift store. No furniture there which is mainly what we need but lots of clothes and household stuff and some toys. It was fun to check it out and Netta found some clothes, I found a toy for Olive (she was asleep at the time) and John found a weird instrument that I can't remember the name of but kids learn it in school here. I'll add the name when John gets home from walking Olive to sleep.

Olive is having a hard time falling asleep here I guess it is the one room and all the newness. I'm hoping it will pass. I know it will pass.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

I'm not sure about blogging right now as I am frustrated and tired but I will give it a try. Right now it is all I have that is my own. I am exhausted and mad that I have no time for myself and no space right now. I know it is temporary but it is hard to give and give and not be able to re-fill the tank. At home I would stay up late at night and have some time to myself but between jet lag and our tiny one room space that has not been possible.

John just took Olive for a walk to help her go to sleep. I had actually walked her for about an hour after nursing her and she still wouldn't let go of today. We had a crazy day.

It started with a trip to the immigration office. We took the subway there which was cool and refreshing once we figured out the ticket machines with the help of a sweet korean attendant. Of course we finally found the office only to discover we had forgotten our extra passport pictures that we needed for the alien registration card application. They had a machine there but we didn't have enough cash for all of us to get photos so just John and I got them as it seemed from one of the signs in English that the girls might not need photos.

We filled out our applications and took a number then once we were at the window we found out the girls needed applications and photos and we needed more money to do both. We also needed to pay a fee for the cards so off to find a cash machine. Which seems easy enough but it has to be a machine that will accept international cards so that took awhile.

We finally got all the pictures and went back to the window then she sent us to another window to pay and then she told us to come back on the 13th to pick up our passports and id cards. It was quite a long visit to the office especially with Olive along for the ride. When we took her photo she did not understand the machine at all and the photo is of her crying - kind of funny and kind of sad. The official at the office definitely snickered when she saw it.

After that adventure we were all hungry and we found a kind of cheap place that was really beautiful in an alleyway. We ordered bi bim bap for John and I and John asked if the buckwheat noodle soup was not spicy (in Korean- yay John) after being assured it was not spicy we ordered it for Netta. But of course when it arrived it had peppers floating in the broth. Another pricey meal paid for and not eaten --uuugghh.
Olive then fell asleep in the stroller and John took her back to the Officetel while Netta and I wandered around Insadong looking for art museums. The only one we found cost too much for us so we just window shopped and then headed home on the subway. It was nice to have some time with Netta when I was not concerned that Olive would fall in a pond or open a package or just run away.
That was our big adventure for today. Pretty fun but I am wiped out. A lot of walking - which I keep telling myself is really good for me but is still kicking my tired butt.

I guess I feel a bit better - thanks blog.

Sunday, July 4, 2010


The view from our window on a clearer day (yesterday).





All of us at the Palace - a nice old man who spoke to us took this picture of all of us. He also took a picture on his own camera of the two girls.











So these are just a few pictures from our trip to the palace yesterday. We had a nice walk there although it was very hot.

Loading pictures is taking a long time and it is bugging me to have to figure out how to place them so I think I will post albums on flicker instead and just post the highlights here. I will try to send out a link to the more extensive collection soon.

Today John had some appointments so me and the girls are mostly hanging at home. I have been looking for a local supermarket- not a quickie mart but a real market and have been having a heck of a time. Today Olive and I went to the park and I asked one of our helpful Korean neighbors and he directed me to a nice park and the store.

It is amazing how something as simple as finding the grocery store has made my day and filled me with pride. Life is different now.

John and Netta at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in traditional Korean costumes.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

So now on to Saturday. We had a really busy day yesterday (Saturday) I still feel a little worn out this morning. Our friend Joe picked us up at 10 am and we drove around Seoul looking for housing. First we went to Itaewon which is kind of an expat area -it is near the military base. We talked to a slightly sleazy agent there who showed us some real dumps and one expensive decent sized place.

From there we moved on to Sadang. I really liked this area but when we stopped in to ask at an agency the agent told us for our price we needed to move further towards the mountains. Ok with me, as all this city is kind of oppressive feeling. So we went over the mountain.

We stopped for pho noodle soup lunch that was delicious. Then we found an agency and began running around in the heat looking at apartments. First we looked at 2 bedrooms and then we figured out that for John to have an office at home we really need 3 bedrooms. So the search continued. Olive was asleep in the stroller and so we walked and walked. Carrying her stroller up and down lots of stairs. At one building one of the agents just motioned for me to leave Olive in the stroller with her and I could go in. This was a kind of leap of faith for me. But up I went. From then on that sweet lady helped a lot with Olive. We went back to the office to get in cars and go to another area together. Olive woke up and off we went. Netta was a real trooper during all of this walking and looking. She brought her Ipod along so she was able to check out into the world of Harry Potter when she needed to. It was very hot. The next apartment was our favorite. It was up a hill and Olive rode on the agent's back Korean style while we climbed the hill.

The apartment was cool. A very nice Korean wooden door, kind of a weird kitchen (I guess a functional large kitchen is not yet in the works for me), 3 bedrooms and a bathtub. It was very close to a cute little playground which seems vital for our little clan. It is right now inhabited by an artist, so there were drawings in the works and lots of canvases stacked in the apartment which we liked. We have until Monday to decide - they will call Joe as he did all the translating for us. We could never have worked with a local agency like this without his help.

There are some questions we have about how it will all work out there as we will have to buy all the furniture and appliances- but we are hoping Craigslist will help with that if we can figure out how to transport things there. Also we wonder about climbing the hill in the winter. It could be icy - any thoughts out there?

After all this running around, I think we ended up seeing 8 apartments yesterday, we needed to do some shopping so Joe took us to E Mart. I guess it is like a Walmart although I haven't really been in a Walmart at least not in the last 15 years or so. And now I know why. It was totally overstimulating. So many people shopping - so much stuff. We needed some things so we braved it but by the end I felt as if I had accomplished little and done way too much.

After we checked out of the big store we went to the food court where you ordered from a central cashier and then I guess a computer sent your order to the stall where you picked up your food. John and I had yummy be bim bap but Netta had a hard time finding food she would eat. She likes noodle soups but the ones we tried were spicy or filled with fish cakes. Olive ate the fish cakes and Netta -who was starving by now- ended up with a cheese sandwich from Paris Baguette. But not before getting sad while also trying to hold it together. It broke my heart to watch her eyes tear up as I knew she was really hungry and tired by this time. She did not however throw a huge fit as she might have at home. Watching her grow is so amazing and sometimes so sad.
Now comes my favorite part of the story - right after the saddest part. Olive was wild and running all around meeting Korean babies and charming everyone with her squeals and impish looks. She was really tired and asked me to nurse her. I had seen a room labeled in Korean and English "Nursing Room" so off we went. We walked into a small neat area with cribs, a sink and some magazines and then we found a little section where you walked through a gauze curtain into a room with two couches. It was like an oasis of peace. There sat a mama nursing her little 2 or 3 month old baby. Olive and I sat down opposite her and started to nurse. My hormones kicked in as the milk let down. In walked two more mamas one with a 6 week old baby. Olive and I gazed at the babies and we all smiled and relaxed. I left the room in an altered state able to see the craziness through milky eyes. AAAhhhh.
I have always resented places that confine nursing mamas to special rooms but this room taught me their value.
I think my last entry was cut short by something. I can't even remember what it was that made me stop typing in the middle of the entry and then press post instead of save. Oh well.
Anyway to finish the story we left the museum and went out to dinner. After some confusion we managed to get ourselves fed and felt much renewed. We even stopped at a cake shop and splurged on a tiny chocolate torte that was divine. It had cake and mousse - really nice. Then we came home to our oficetel watched some discovery channel and fell asleep by 8. We felt very proud to have stayed up so late. It was a good day.

Friday, July 2, 2010

This is a photo from Thursday of the girls at the park on the way to the Seoul Global Center.
















Yesterday was my birthday here is Seoul and so we tried to plan a special day. We wanted to go to a museum and then out to dinner. We tried to do the museum early in the day but got a false start. It was pouring rain - monsoon rain - we bought umbrellas and put Olive in the stroller but by the time we got to the corner Olive was soaked - not enough protection from the stroller. So I decided it was better to have Olive walk and use an umbrella to keep her and I dry. But her feet got very wet and so she wanted to take off her shoes. I drew the line there as we were in the middle of Seoul and barefeet seemed dangerous to me. She then melted down and so we retreated back to our little apartment. I think we will try to buy a rain cover for her stroller today.
Later in the day after John had an orientation about the apartment we went out to the Seoul Museum of History. It was cool. There was an amazing tiny model of the entire city and some of it was covered in glass and you could walk on top of it and see the city model below. Kind of gave me a bit of vertigo but very cool nonetheless. Visiting a museum with a 9 year old and 2 year old provided it's own challenges as the needs of the kids are so different. We basically split up, taking one kid each.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

hot, tired, overjoyed

It is hot and humid and incredibly uncomfortable. I returned from the confusing and long errand to open a bank account to find that the AC wimped out on us right in the middle of the afternoon heat. Elana and the kids were half-mad with the heat, and Olive had fallen off a chair, a goose egg gleaming on her forehead. I went downstairs to awkwardly communicate with the building staff, and a kind man who had lived six years in New Jersey helped out with translation. There's a lot of kind, helpful people in Seoul.

It is cool (despite the heat) to be here, reading hangeul all day long, getting lots of good practice in Korean. Some moments, it seems like a dream. I keep thinking I might do some work, but I the family would interrupt me after ten seconds max. The thing to do right now, the job of the day, is just to focus on being jetlagged and hot.