One Year Anniversary!

This past weekend was our one year anniversary, I can't belive it has already been a year!  Since Paul had a 4 day weekend we decided to spend Friday-Sunday celebrating.  I had made it very clear what I was expecting and I have to admit I wasn't too sure Paul would be able to pull it off.  We had great plans to go to Ireland for our anniversary, but Paul couldn't take leave for that long...then we had great plans to go to the beach for the weekend, but no one could tell us exactly when Paul would have off... and then, thanks to the army, the great plans were no more...or so I thought.  Friday we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, amazing!!!!  We spent all morning there walking around (I had no idea the palace would be so big, with so many different buildings!).  By lunch time we were both starving...so we went to Rollin'!  Saying I LOVE sushi doesn't really describe my obsession with that food.  When we got back I was a little upset we weren't able to stay anywhere overnight, I don't know why but staying in a hotel is relaxing.  Paul reminded me how we had wanted to but it just wasn't possible...so Sunday (our actual anniversary) rolls around and all of a sudden my makeup, some of my clothes, and Paul are missing.  I knew he was up to something...he knew how much I had wanted to just stay somewhere overnight that was not our house so he had made a reservation at the Camp Casey Lodge and had rose petals and candles everywhere in the room (just like he had the night of our wedding).  He even remembered the kind of chocolates he had bought and had them in the room too.  It wasn't Ireland nor the beach but it was so special.

One of the palace gardens

The guards in front of the palace...I was a little scared!

A Typical Weekend in Korea

This past weekend we decided to go on a shopping/exploring trip and we had a great time!  It was only supposed to be a few hours but there was so much to see we ended up spending the entire day walking around Lotte Department Store and the surrounding local shops.
Lotte Department Store is unlike any other mall I have seen.  It is 10 stories and has an amazing food court, restaurants, a movie theater and EVERYTHING you would ever want!  I mean there are tons of different departments: electronics, clothes, kitchen, furniture, sports, sports clothing, professional clothing, casual clothing, baby clothing, shoes, purses, make-up....you get the idea!  I found a cute little purse there!

Once we left Lotte, we found a huge shopping area across the street...I was so excited to find a headband to match my purse!  It makes me feel Korean when I wear it.

  So they take seafood seriously here...there are so many of these tanks outside of restaurants.  This one was one of the best we have seen yet, I loved the eel in there!

We spent Sunday recovering from our day of shopping and I made some blueberry breakfast bread for Monday morning.  I don't really like Mondays, and who does?  So at least I can try and make the day better with a great breakfast!  We love the weekends here!

Spring Has Sprung

Paul and I have spent the last few weekends digging up rocks and replacing them with lovely flowers.  Our living room has been turned into a greenhouse for all the little seedlings to delicate to go outside just yet.  There the trees here are look so pretty covered in cherry blossoms, and they smell heavenly!  The weather outside has been perfect, sunny and the high is in the 60s!  I have seen huge earthworms in our garden, which makes me so happy, and everyday, when I look outside and see my rose bush it makes me smile!

I got so excited when I saw him crawling around in the garden!

I had to include this picture, I have found two of these bugs in our house and they are so scary

Besides our garden keeping me busy, I have been debating what I should do for work.  I don't really want to work at the PX or Commissary (these seem to be the only jobs available), so I am going to see what I would have to do to be an English Tutor.  I already have a work visa, so I think it is a good idea to look into.  I have also broken down and decided to see what the FRG is like here.  Some of you may know I hate the term Army Wife (I am Paul's wife I am not married to his job and you never hear the term business wife, or lawyer wife) and I HATE everything I do to revolve around Paul's job.  I feel like it is important to have things I do that are separate from Paul, things just for me.  That being said, I also like to be busy every second of everyday.  I like to be the kind of person that is able to and has to get a million things accomplished in one day... Since I quit my job I have not had a million things to do each day so adding some things to my to do list is a necessity.  We will see how this FRG stuff turns out, and if it is too "Army Wifeish" I will say adíos!  But just for the record I am going into this with an open mind and I am hopeful that there will be meaningful volunteer opportunities.

Paul and I are also planning to have a party this summer (I like to say garden party he prefers to say grilling party, we'll see what ends up on the invitations...).  We have been looking at outdoor furniture and trying to decide exactly what we would like for this party.  I don't want to say too much, but if it turns out like we want it will be a great party!    

What we have been up to

I didn't realize how long it had been since I updated out blog!  We have been so busy the past few weeks, and the weekends have been packed with everything we wanted to do during the week but never had time for!  A couple weekends ago we decided to pick a place and go see what was there...  We found a fun little shopping area with all kinds of touristy shops and some restaurants.  We had been looking for one that was supposed to have a good kimchi stew...no luck finding it but we did find kimchi pancake!!!!!  Paul is never too sure about anything as spicy as kimchi so we also ordered a leek and seafood pancake...we both ended up liking the kimchi pancake more (the leek one was also very good!)!

That weekend we also adventured out to Itaewon for some antique furniture looking, there were so so so so many shops!  It really was a bit overwhelming so we needed a great mean afterwards...and we got it!  Some of the best sushi I have ever had at Rolling in Sushi!  I would give up a lot of things to eat that sushi...and I didn't even take a picture of it, but I did remember to take a picture of the wine...very different from what I am used to.  It was good but VERY strong and it tasted similarish to Moscato. 

I have to say I have become very spoiled when it comes to food lately...I have lunch and dinner cooked for me at the school and whenever you go to a restaurant here the main course comes with lots of different sides, and costs much less than meal would in the U.S.  The food at the school is all organic and so amazing!!!!

This was my snack while I practiced Korean!!!!!!!

This post seems to be jumping from one thing to another so why not add another funny random thing...  Paul and I got a mirror for our house.  I love mirrors and couldn't wait to get it up (still can't wait)!  Well who knew a mirror could be so difficult to hang, an hour and half and 11 holes in the wall later the mirror is still sitting on the floor...  We did get it right once, but it was upside-down.  But to be fair it was 9pm before we started and we had spent 4 hours on the subway (another funny story) and 3 hours gardening...maybe that justifies why it took us so long to not hang a mirror?

 

Flowers

This past weekend was wonderful!  So much so I forgot about work until Sunday night...which is both good and bad.  It was a great break, but I ended up needed lots of help from Paul today so I could do my science experiment.  He was so wonderful because he had to go find play dough, and something to make a volcano...I know it doesn't sound hard, but when your in the middle of a huge city with no supermarket close it is very difficult.  He found everything and my students were able to learn about volcanos!

Anyways, this weekend we were able to explore Yongjae Flower market in Seoul.  It is about 6 stops from my house, but when you walk into the green houses it feels like a world away!  There were thousands and thousands of orchid plants in the two green houses we went into.  Honestly it was a bit overwhelming.  We had to take a break for lunch half-way through our trip, so we went to a traditional restaurant where you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor.  Let me tell you I LOVED it!  It was so relaxing to take my shoes off and just sit down and enjoy a meal...not exactly sure what we ate, but it was pretty good!

Paul had to carry the flowers all the way through the subway!

It made it home safely! 

I love looking at it every time I come come!

So so blessed!

I had to write this blog entry now while I was feeling inspired... It's from my iPhone so there may be some mistakes which I apologize for now! But this flower cafe (floriat) is just too cute! And sitting here mad e me think about all of the wonderful experiences I have had! I have been to the Dominican republic, Mexico, costa rica, Korea, and soon Ireland! I have tasted some of the best fruits, coffee, chocolate, kimchi, and now my taste for teas is expanding! I may only be 20 years old but because I was blessed with such a loving family I have also been so blessed to have visited so many very different places! Sure, there are many other 20 year olds who have been more places, but it's not the places that make traveling so special. It's the people. Everywhere we go there is something that can be learned both about ourselves and others. Every culture expresses things differently, but in every culture there is love. Because without love for others there would be no common bond, there would be no culture. So while I could talk all day about each individual culture an how they are different I think it is more important to say remember how they are the same. the greatest expression in the world is to love others. So while it is so easy to see how others are different, remember everyone needs to be shown love. Without it what is there?

Finally I get to Unpack!

After living in a temporary apartment for 10 days, I can not tell you how excited I was to move into my apartment and be able and unpack all of my clothes!  But, at the same time I was nervous that my place would not be as nice as I had wanted.  I LOVE IT!  It is a 10 minute walk to the school, and about a 5 minute walk to the subway!  The only bad thing is, in Korea very few apartments have ovens...Koreans don't bake!  Then again maybe it is a good thing because I won't be eating brownies and cookies...or I will just find a good bakery!

This is going to be my garden room!

and I thought I was done with little beds...

My kitchen!!!!

This is what you see when you walk in!!!

I am supposed to be getting a dresser either today or tomorrow and then it is going to be shopping for my apartment time!!!!  I have some really great ideas of what I would like to do with the place!