Settling In

Our first supper in Korea - Pizza School.

Good morning and happy Friday from Korea! If you're in the U.S.A, it's still Thursday for you. But on our side of the globe, Friday morning has dawned and is looking a little grey. We're coming to the end of the rainy season these days, and since we arrived last Sunday, we've had a few days with drizzles, a few sunny days, and one day which left us drying our shoes out with fans.

We've had a great first week in Korea. We are unpacked and "moved in," and though we're still figuring out how our washing machine and stove work, it already feels like home.

The front door of our new apartment.
There are no keys to the building or to our apartment.
We just punch in the code, and "Voila!"
What would happen if the power went out, I wonder?

Our apartment is located in a little neighborhood in the district of Seoul known as Itaewon. There are a lot of restaurants nearby, and we can find just about any type of cuisine we're craving - Turkish Kebabs, Phat Thai, Vietnamese Pho, Burritos, Pizza, Fried Chicken, Hot Dogs. You name it, and you can probably find it here somewhere. We're close to the U.S. military base, and in our area of Seoul, many people speak at least a little English, which makes ordering food at restaurants and grocery shopping a little easier than it might be otherwise.

Since we moved in, we've been working on taking things out of suitcases, putting things into drawers and closets, and purchasing needs and wants for our new home. Shopping for larger items without a car proves to be an adventure. On Monday, we made quite a scene in the mall carrying a desk, 2 lamps, a blow dryer, 2 trashcans, a vacuum, several smaller cleaning supplies, towels, and a computer monitor between the two of us. We weren't sure it would all fit into the taxi. Today, Bennett mentioned purchasing a couch...maybe we'll bring it home on the subway.

Our washing machine.What do all these
buttons mean? It's all Korean to me.

We've also gone into school a few times this week to take care of business and to play volleyball with the high schoolers who are getting ready for tryouts in a few weeks. We're both feeling a little sore, but have had a fun time playing and catching up/getting to know the students. In addition to the exercise we've gotten playing volleyball, we've also gotten quite the workout walking to and from home. There's no way to our apartment without heading up and down some pretty steep hills, which can be daunting when carrying groceries or after being out and about for a few hours.

Learning the bus routes. 

Fans in Korea have automatic
shut-off timers to save your life.

Today, as a mandatory part of Joy's "orientation" to Korea, we're going out to be tourists. Gyeongbok Palace here we come!

More to come later! In the meantime, learn about "Fan Death" by clicking on the link below.

Fan Death - What is it?

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.