Christmas in Singapore!

  We made it to Singapore with no travel issues so far.  After hearing about some stories we are counting ourselves lucky.  We had heard from a very reliable source that Singapore did Christmas really big and they were correct!  The lights are fantastic!  There are Christmas carols being sung and Christmas music being played everywhere you go.  Christmas decorations are everywhere and even though it is 80 degrees or so,  the Christmas spirit is everywhere.

  I think I am finally starting to thaw!

Typical of eating out at Chili's is the playing of games while waiting for food (or check)!

  Last night we ate at Chili's and it tasted exactly like from the States!  Outside the mall was a cute little Santa village display complete with foam being shot into the air simulating snow.  We've been calling it Singapore Snow.

  Today was our first full day and we spent it at the Botanical Gardens.  The highlight was the Orchid Garden and the fantastic sculptures.  It's amazing that nature can come up with those colors and flowers can really bloom in those shapes.  The sculptures were scattered throughout and my favorite was the girl on the swing.

Love the look on Galen's face!

  We had an amazing lunch at Wendy's.  It's been 6 months since we had American fast food and it was delicious.  Dairy Queen Blizzards were dessert and again totally worth it.

This one is known as the trifecta!  Starbucks, Wendy's and DQ all right next to each other!

  After lunch we went back to the hotel/apartment.  I took the kids swimming while Jason got some relaxing time.  I drank ice coffee and read a really good book poolside while the kids went swimming.  The lobby had Christmas Caroling and it was wonderful.  I think I found my Christmas Spirit and of all places in the tropics!

School is Out for Winter!!!

  Finals are completed and school is finally out for Winter Break.  Galen only had one final so she got to come home early.  We met David at the bus stop with snow balls!  Just so you know snow ball fights are hard to catch on camera (suggestions for snow pictures are welcome!) but I did the best I could to capture the moment.  You can see Galen's head as she popped out from behind the wall to hit her little brother square in the chest with a fresh snow ball.  I did make a new rule that only white snow can be used for snow balls!  I'll admit that black snow really grosses me out.

  On the way to the bus stop Galen and I couldn't resist taking a picture of one of the faces from the face sculpture out in front of our apartment.  It's funny how the snow lands on things and changes their appearance.

  We decided to test the snow boots by piling up some snow and jumping in! On the way to the bus stop it was just Galen but on the way back to the apartment she showed David how it was done!  So glad I brought the camera on this one!

Galen snow boots test... Ready!

Yes!  Snow boots work and past test #1!

Returning from the bus stop with David and snow boots test #2

Hooray for snow boots that pass the test!

One of my new favorites!

  Something tells me we are in for lots more winter fun opportunities before the season is over but for now we really enjoyed this inch of snow!  We are such amateurs when it comes to this type of weather!

My First Air-raid Drill

  My first ever air raid drill has left me a little ...  unimpressed.  I was completely and totally excited.  It was all over the news and radio.  I had new batteries in the camera and put on clean socks (since you have to take your shoes off everywhere here I thought this would be important).  I poured a fresh cup of coffee and eagerly awaited 2pm. 

  I didn't even hear the siren. 

  Traffic was interrupted and people that were outside were ushered inside, but that was it.  Thirty minutes later and it was hard to tell anything happened at all.  No worries though, I will be just as prepared for the next drill.  Perhaps this time I will go outside!

Mom Gets a New "Do"

  Just when I thought moving here was brave enough, I decided that after 5 months I probably needed a haircut.  Heather Metz had cut her hair a couple of months ago so we revisited the Hair Boutique here in Bundang for a day of hair therapy.

  I decided on the Moisturizer Treatment thinking it would be good to give my hair some extra moisture heading into the winter months.  I had to pick a color though or go with clear.  I decided to go with what I thought would be a slightly darker color from my normal hair color.  I have to admit though I am really not very good with these kinds of things, since I don't do stuff like this very often.  This was actually my first time doing anything like this to my hair. 

  Pampering is something that is done here in Korea VERY well.  The person shampooing my hair also did a scalp and neck message that was really relaxing and added to the experience.  She shampooed my hair, apply the moisture, then set me in a dryer.  Instead of being in a salon chair all day, we sat at a very nice table with lots of magazines in very comfortable regular chairs.  It was quite nice.

  To say my hair absorbed the color would be an understatement!  My hair went nuts absorbing the color.  It is incredibly soft, don't get me wrong and really shiny!  It is also very DARK!  Auburn is what best describes the color.  I am told it should completely wash out in about 2 weeks.

  After she rinsed out the moisturizer, she dried my hair and straightened it with and hot straightener. 

  Then came the stylist.  Somehow I managed to get myself talked into a slightly different style on top of everything else.    It is shorter in the back, while still longer in the front.  It is very modern looking and easy to care for.  I can maintain this length or let it grow out and see what happens.  Either way, he did a very nice job on the cut.  He seemed to cut each hair individually!  He also had two assistants that handed him everything from scissors, combs, brushes and a smaller brush to keep the small hairs off my face.  Then two people dried my hair again and he styled it with a roller brush and a different hair dryer. 

  The whole thing took about 3 and 1/2 hours.  They served me 3 cups of espresso and one bagel with jam.  The cost was about 171,000W or about $150.  Totally worth it although next time I'm going with the clear!  Enjoy the before and after shots.

New Tradition?

  Happy Thanksgiving! 

  The Chili dinner with Cornbread Muffins was a HUGE hit.  It was also incredibly easy.  I didn't even start dinner until after 5pm and it was consumed and cleaned up by 7:30pm.  The muffins were a surprise until the smell permeated the apartment.  David was the first to discover the muffins and went nuts even before he knew I doubled the recipe. There wasn't a single drop of chili or crumb of muffin leftover.  I might carry this over to next year.

  It was definitely a different Thanksgiving then we are used to, but I'm still able to remember the things I'm thankful for;  family, friends and food. 

Family Flour Tortillas

  Last month I found a flour tortilla recipe online.  I set out in search of all the ingredients.  It took some time but I found flour and baking powder.  They are in different packaging then expected but I found them.  I already had salt and oil.  I put off making them just because the kitchen isn't my strongest area and I was still trying to find tortillas in the store.  I finally found tortillas are in several stores but they are in the freezer section.  Frozen tortillas scare me just a bit, let alone the price!
  Fast forward a few weeks and I see the contestants on "Survivor" making tortillas at their campsite.  I figured if they could make tortillas in those conditions I could certainly make them in my South Korean  kitchen.  Armed with the recipe, and a little courage, I set out to make them.  It became a family affair!

  Galen helped me mix and kneed the dough.  David helped press them out while I kept time and rolled them out.  Jason cooked them up in the iron skillet.

  They were delicious!!   Sometimes a little taste of home goes a long way!

  The recipe made 8 tortillas and they were gone in 10 minutes!

Different Holidays...Definite Seasons

  I knew coming here that the holidays and seasons would be different but I had no idea the difference would be this great.
  Halloween was minimal although very cute.  The Elementary school did a "dress up as your favorite character" day with trick or treating between classrooms followed by an adorable parade.  Since each grade is on a different floor they mostly rotated around the school with parents and other students watching.  It was very fun.  The High School had a Halloween Social that Saturday night consisting of carnival type games, dancing and karaoke.  Some kids dressed up but it wasn't a requirement.  Teachers were the chaperones and the Student Council organized and paid for the whole thing.
  Totally missed Veterans Day.  I think they do have one here but its on a different day.  I did get to talk to my dad and let him know I was thinking of him on that day. 
  Thanksgiving is also going to be a lot different.  I can't find a turkey anywhere.  I'm afraid of the price of it if I did find it.  So I'm planning a special meal with some spices and stuff I brought with me.  I'll have to blog it later since I don't want to spoil the surprise for Jason and the kids.

 

 There are absolutely seasons here that are drastically different than Austin.  It actually reminds me a lot of Virginia.  In Austin, it cools off a little and the leaves fall off the trees.  Here it has cooled to the 30's at night, 50's during the day and the colors are beautiful. 

 

The prettiest shades of orange (even Longhorn burnt orange) burgundy and yellows.  The bike trail along the Tancheon River (near the apartment) is just gorgeous.  

  I have the feeling Winter is just around the corner!

Bikes, Bikes and More Bikes

  Jason brought his bike (actually his mother's old bike) knowing there were trails near the apartment along the Tancheon River.  What we didn't know was that the trails go all the way to Seoul!  The scenery is exquisite.  There are even trails off the paved path that take you into the mountains and parks.  He has even found "little" friends near by to ride with.  After riding for several months and definitely losing weight doing it, he and his riding buddy Steve talked me into getting him an updated bike.  Following my bike ride in China, I decided I wanted a bike too.  So the search for new bikes began.

  Jason found one after a few weeks of intense investigation the would suit his needs.  Good suspension, VERY good brakes and a strong frame.  I found one that I liked and David even found one that he liked too.  We decided that Galen could use Jason's old one since it is still a good bike for general riding, just not as good for off road mountain riding.  We found helmets for everyone and we were on our way!

  David learned to ride just before we left Austin so he had to learn all over again.   He is getting braver with each ride going farther and faster with each trip.  I hope the weather holds so we can get some good riding in before the colder temperatures hit!

In Search of the Chinese Embassy

  I'm not sure what possessed Heather and I to set out that day.  Perhaps it was the thrill of the chase?  In any event we set off the find the Chinese Embassy in Seoul to get the visas required for our trip.  We knew the bus to take to Seoul and how to return.  We had our money and passports ready to go.  So why not?
  It was only sprinkling when we left Bundang.  By the time the bus pulled in Seoul it was pouring down rain.  We opted for the subway to get us closer to the Embassy.  We had an idea of where we were going but discovered along the way that there are not many street signs to show the way.  There are maps at every subway station.  The Embassy is even on the map but there are no streets labeled or street signs to show the way. 
  We ended up completely and totally lost.
  Then it starts raining harder.... and lightening.... just to make things more fun!

  Heather and I study a map on the street, a very nice lady comes up and tries to help us find our way and we think we are finally headed in the right direction (after going up the hill twice) so we start off again.  I turn around to get Heather to hurry up only to see her lose her flip flop on the street, get honked at my a Mercedes and the car to run over the flip flop!  I start laughing so hard (she luckily is laughing too) that I forget for a moment how drenched I am!  We couldn't do anything else but stand there and laugh in the rain!

  Finally we find the Embassy!  Turns out we were very close several times.  The line out front is about 50 people long, still in the rain and they are only letting one person in at a time.  There are also some very scary looking Chinese guards out front.  We give in and get lunch and head back to Bundang where we obviously should have stayed! 
  It turns out that the Global Help Desk at Samsung will get the required visas for us at no extra charge.  Our helper even chastised Jason for "sending" his wife out in the rain to get them.  (I had a nice laugh from that one.)  Within a week we had the visas and we're ready to go!

Spaghetti Night Revisited (August 23, 2010)

Both school counselors agree we have to reinstate some routines from home.  The most important one I can think of is Spaghetti Night.  We have had Spaghetti Mondays since Galen was about 4 years old.  She loved spaghetti and would ask for it constantly.  If we had spaghetti on Thursday and then the following Tuesday, Jason would complain that we were having spaghetti "all the time".  This lead me to form Spaghetti Mondays.  Every now and then someone will still ask "what's for dinner" on Monday and I just laugh and ask "what day is it?" and they instantly know.  It makes it easier for meal planning too.  Coming off the weekend and I know exactly what is for dinner.
Fast forward 11 years and Spaghetti Mondays has moved with us to Korea.  Its a little tricky finding all the ingredients and ground beef is outrageously expensive making it our most expensive meal yet.  The pay off is worth it completely.  I can feel the family relaxing.  They gobble down every bite.  Not a drop of sauce left nor a single noodle!

Shopping, shopping and more shopping. (Ugh)

I am shopped out!  I have been shopping all over this area.  I have had it with shopping.  I have purchased a number of things for the apartment we didn't know we would need and a few we knew we would have to buy due to the voltage change.

I eventually caved and bought a laundry machine although I kind of like it.  I would prefer to have a service instead but the laundry person is too overwhelmed with the volume of all our clothes.  She is only used to dress clothes.  So from now on she will only get Jason's work clothes.  The machine isn't too bad since it both washes and drys the same load all at once (it just takes 4 hours per load).

I also have an old fashioned coffee maker.  I have an ultra fancy coffee machine at home that I just push a button and it grinds and makes the coffee.  This machine is so cute!  You have to use those antique filters and everything!  All kidding aside it does make a pretty good cup of joe!

I'm still looking for decent lamps! So far they are either really cheap looking or outrageously expensive.  I have also bought a rice cooker, fan for David's room (it's really hot here), curtains for the living room, chair pads for every chair, skid resisters for the couch, and a TV stand.  None of these items were at the same store!  Whew!

China is Booked! (End of August)

Looks like we will be heading to China along with the Metz.  We have stumbled on a great tour through Heather and hooked up with a wonderful travel agent Linda.  It's a little pricey but it is a trip of a lifetime.
The China Sampler tour will cover 5 cities in China and include the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Terra Cotta Warriors.  Jason is especially excited about the Forbidden City.  I'm very excited about the Great Wall. 
Planning the trip and getting everything ready is really distracting me from being homesick.  One of the reasons we came on the trip to Korea was for travel opportunities in this part of the world.

Bad Case of Homesickness Hits Hard (August 2010)

We have only been here a short time but a bad case of homesickness has hit and hit hard.  David misses Dagwood, Galen misses Daisy, we all miss our friends.  We struggle to adjust to the different from living in a house to living in an apartment.  It's hard to remember what we brought and then where it is!
The school has counselors for the kids so we are seeking help from them (perhaps they will help me too).

Happy Chicken Discovery! (August/September)

A new place for dinner has been discovered and a new tradition is born.  It's Friday night and we were out with the Metz Family and Conor (yet another one of Jason's little friends from the bus) and we were looking for a restaurant called Teppanyaki near the Paragon.  We stumble upon a new place called Happy Chicken.  Just chicken on a plate.  Wonderful seasoning and fantastically prepared.  Nothing else.  No rice, no noodles just a big plate of chicken sometimes a side of chips.  It is wonderful!  The best tasting chicken I think I have ever had!  There is a courtyard for the kids to play between plates.  The service is fabulous and the place has great atmosphere and cold beer!

Korean Language Lessons Begin (August 18, 2010)

  We gain a teacher on our trip, Diane Hong.  She is an amazingly patient woman whom has taken on the task of teaching us the Korean Language as a family.  She arrives on Wednesday nights at 8pm and Saturday mornings around 11am.  She has over 20 years of experience and we are very lucky to have found her!
  It turns out that the Korean language is based on phonetics.  Established in the 1400's, the language was created by philosophers at the request of King Sejong.  There are 14 symbols of consonants and 10 symbols representing vowels.  The symbols are actually pretty easy to remember and among the Asian languages it is considered one of the easiest to learn (Chinese has over 80,000 characters!).
  David will learn some at school as well as from Ms. Diane.  Galen will have lessons in Korean but has had to enroll in Spanish at school.  There is no end to the irony that she moved from Texas to Korea to learn Spanish (she was taking American Sign Language before we left).  This will make her quad-lingual by the time we get home!  We are already impressed!
  Jason is learning extra vocabulary for work and its proving to be very useful on the job.  I am finally making it around town.  I am able to communicate to find the groceries and household supplies for the apartment.  We are also getting braver about going out to eat at the local restaurants.

There is always a "Key" to success. (August 2010)

There is always a "Key" to success and our key to happier living in Korea has been the Key Family.  Conor, his wife Stayce and their three children, Aisling (8) Chaeli (6) and Christian (4) moved here in November of 2009.   They discovered where to eat, where to find groceries, and discovered an excellent Korean language teacher all in the middle of winter (one of the coldest on record here in Korea as well).

They forged the path, which is now the road the rest of us use.

Although their year is almost up; Stayce returned during the Summer so the kids wouldn't have to move mid-semester; Conor is set to go back sometime in October; the rest of us have enjoyed their discoveries.

THANKS CONOR AND STAYCE!

Meet the Metz! (August 2010)

  Already a few weeks into the trip and we have met some amazing people. For the most part,  Jason meets the guys on the bus on the way to work.  They exchange numbers and we set up dinner or play dates. 
The Fojtiks, Gene and Kristen,  are actually from Dripping Springs, Texas and have two adorable younger children 4 and 2.  They have been ex-pats before in Dresden Germany  and are a great source of information about living abroad.

The Metz family are from Saratoga, California.  Steve and Heather have two boys Christopher 11 and Alex 9.  The boys hit it off with David almost immediately.  Galen has taken on the role of keeping everyone in line!

Heather and I are becoming  fast friends.  Something about being in the same boat does that.  She is showing me the ropes of grocery shopping and we are touring all the local coffee shops.  It is great having a conversation with someone else (in English).

We are planning trips together (China at the end of September and Jeju, South Korea during Thanksgiving).  It has been so nice finding "friends" here!

First Day of School! (UGH!)

Ten days into the move and school starts.  The kids are attending Korea International School which came highly recommended by everyone at Samsung.  The kids are excited but understandably  little nervous with the new surroundings and now all new people at a very different school.  They are at least riding the same bus and have each other!  There are only 1200 in the whole school K-12.  Class sizes are nice and small.  Both kids should learn a ton!
For me, I always dislike the first day of school.  I like having my kids around.  They are such a good excuse to play games and not clean house!  I'm on my own, not even the dog and cat to entertain me this time so I am disliking this "first day" even more.

Hike to School.... Taxi Home

The kids have completed registration at the International School in a nearby neighborhood.  They will both be going to the same school which will spoil me for sure.  They will even ride the same bus!  We were told by an administrator that the school was only a 15-20 minute walk from our area.  With map in hand we set out for the hike deciding to go through Bundang so we can get to know the area as well.  I packed water bottles and snacks in Jason's backpack "just for kicks" not knowing how important they would be later.

 We notice sculpture is everywhere and are amazed by the different materials that are used.  This piece (see picture right) is just outside our apartment building and uses three different types of stone; granite, marble and limestone.  It's impressive in size.  Somehow I keep the 10 year old off of it.

 We also marvel at the height of the buildings.  The urban landscape is really amazing.  The apartment buildings can be up to 50 stories high.  The shops are small and stacked on top of each other.  You have to "look up" since some of the shops can be on the 4th or 5th floor.  The signs go up the building and correspond to what floor the shop is on.  The walking slows down because we are looking around so much.  It is also dreadfully hot out! 

 We are 30 minutes into the walk and still not that close to the school although we can see it across the highway on the hillside.  It is amazing how many people are in this small space. 
  We definitely attract attention on the street.  Jason being so tall and then the three of us behind all blonds.  I knew the blond hair was rare but I didn't realize how "attention grabbing" it was. 
 The heat is only getting worse but we haven't gotten lost yet.  We still know where we are on the map!

After crossing under a major highway and coming out the other side into the garden district, we see a sign for the school.  One more right turn to go.... straight up the HILLSIDE!  We finally find it.  The school is on a beautiful campus.  We meet a few teachers and sign up for orientation.  The hike took over an hour and a half.  Needless to say we take a taxi home... which took all of 10 minutes to drive.

Feeling Brave! October 6th

I had homework from my Korean Class instructor.  I had to call a taxi and tell the driver where to take me.  Then I had to order another taxi and have it take me back to my apartment.  ALL IN KOREAN!  Somehow I managed.  I couldn't believe it!  I felt so empowered! 

I've Become A Costco Shopper

I can't believe I have become a Costco Shopper.  I don't have this kind of storage in Austin so I can't bulk shop.  Since I didn't bring the entire kitchen from Austin I also have all kinds of room for bulk goods.  It's nice to know the family can eat a 6 pound bag of pretzels in one month.  It is definitely on the crazy side of shopping.  The store itself is two stories and the parking garage is 4 stories.  Escalators and elevators take you everywhere.  The shopping cart actually has a magnet on the wheels to keep from slipping on the escalator.  I'm not sure if I will be a Costco shopper once I return to Austin but for now while I'm in Bundang I absolutely will!  Besides it's the only place where I can find pretzels in the entire area!

Our Apartment [July 30, 2010]

We have moved in!  Jason got us mostly settled before the rest of us arrived.  There is a little setting up to do but so far so good.  We are on the 19th floor of the Adena Palace Tower A.  There are three apartments per floor and only 27 floors in the building.  It is nice because we don't have any neighbors directly on the sides only on the floors above and below.  The two elevators are fast and wait times are minimal. 
The inside of the apartment is very nice.  Lots of woodwork details, nice accents and built-in storage.  In fact, I think it  has more storage than my house in Austin even though the overall space is much smaller.  It is also built for ME!  All the countertops are 34" high and I can reach every cabinet except for the very top.  All the light switches are lower too!  It will be a bit of an adjustment to an apartment from a house but I think we will make it!

Storage in living/study area

Kitchen with storage and lower countertops

David's imported Texas Room with fantastic view

We Have Arrived! [July 29, 2010]

We have finally arrived in Seoul.  It was a fifteen hour flight!  I couldn't sleep on the plane since there was so much movement and noise.  The lighting was not adequate enough for stitching so I watched the kids sleep and watched movies, seven movies to be exact.  The prize at the end of the ride would be Jason, he had gone ahead two weeks earlier to get the apartment set up and ready for us.  By the time the plane landed I was more than ready to get off.  My feet were so swollen it reminded me of being pregnant with both kids.
We make it through customs, find Jason load the luggage and start the drive to Bundang.  [see map below]  The first thing that hit me was the humidity.  This place makes Houston, TX seem arid.  It's not even 90 degrees and yet with the humidity it feels well over a hundred. I'm drenched in sweat by my third step out of the airport.
During the drive, I'm trying to look out the window and study the area but I'm so tired and my feet hurt so bad (from the swelling) that I fall asleep on Jason's shoulder.  Both kids slept on the plane so they are bringing Jason up to speed.

Bundang-gu South of Seoul is our destination!

Where Am I and How Did I Get Here?

I'm still trying to remember how that initial conversation went but somehow I managed to find myself in South Korea.  When Jason initially called with the question "would you consider moving to South Korea for a year" I thought "sure, why not?" never thinking his boss at the time would really let him go.  Sure enough the boss said he could "make that happen" if we wanted it.  The next stop was the kids.  The teenager would have to leave her friends, high school, soccer team, girl scout troop etc. for the duration... willingly (no year-long crying fits) and her cat.  The 10 year old would have to forgo his 5th grade year; safety patrol, choir, reading buddies, graduation; his own large circle of friends and most of all his dog.  Then we solved one issue after another, getting the kids into school, finding someone to watch the house and pets, finding an apartment etc.  Eventually it came down to me and what I wanted to do.  Could I leave my friends, girl scout troop that I've lead since 2005, the service unit with so many of my friends in it, my job, my fabulous car pool?  I couldn't be the one to hold the family back on such a great opportunity.  We would be so close to China, Australia, Japan not to mention seeing all the great places in South Korea.  So here we are!  Just South of Seoul in South Korea!