Our First Korean Train Ride

Since the girls and I will be needing to use the train to get back and forth from post, I figured we would give it a whirl on a day that it didn't matter if I got on the wrong train. I was so confused looking at all the writing in Hangul on the ticket machines trying to buy our ticket. A kind, Korean gentleman helped me buy my ticket. Another Korean man directed me to an elevator to reach the tracks. When I got upstairs, I was sure that I was in the wrong place since I was the only one on that side of the tracks. I went back downstairs and 2 sweet, older Korean ladies offered, in their broken English, to help me get where I was going. The trip went well and we are on our way!


Outside the train station


Inside the train station

The Artist and the Nature Girl

When I started my blog, I had some concerns with whether I should include my children's names in the posts. I really didn't want to and after talking with some other parents, decided that I wouldn't. But to constantly be referring to them as the "oldest" and "youngest" just got tiresome. A friend of mine gave her children nicknames in her blog and I really liked the idea. So from now on, my eldest daughter will be referred to as the "Artist" and my younger daughter will be referred to as the "Nature Girl". The names match their personalities and will add to the fun of the blog as you see those characteristics come to light in my posts.

Our first week and our new apartment!

Daddy and the girls at the airport

The girls were so happy to see their daddy after being separated for 3 long months. We took a 2 hour bus ride from the airport to the army post. We were able to stay in the lodging there on post for our first week. The housing office would not allow us to move into our apartment until beds and a fridge were in the place.

So Friday, a week after our arrival, we finally got keys to our new home! And what a home it is! My husband and I do have the same definition of "big" :) I love this place! I believe it is the nicest place I have ever lived in! I have a 3 bedroom apartment with 2 "Western" bathrooms (which means that they look like stuff back in the states) with a jacuzzi tub in the master bath, an enormous kitchen with tons of cupboard space, a master bedroom twice the size of any other bedroom I have ever had with one whole wall that is nothing but storage closets! and a vanity area with 3 more closets!

The realtor had to explain so much to us about how the different appliances worked because they do things so differently here. They have an oven/microwave combination unit! How cool is that? The floors are how they heat their homes, so we needed to be shown how to turn that off when we don’t need it. You can select which rack gets washed in the dishwashers! You don’t have a hot water tank here… you turn the heater on to get it and it comes out HOT… but when you aren’t using it, you turn it off to save gas. They have washing machines that also dry your clothes! (but unfortunately we didn’t get one). Our loaner furniture came on Friday, too. They brought the beds, table and chairs, a refrigerator, a dresser, night stands, lamps, a coffee table, end tables and a washer and a dryer. They were supposed to bring us a desk and a couch, but they were out of them, so we are sitting on the floor. Since we have lawn chairs and folding tables coming in our household goods (HHG) on Monday, we aren’t really worried about it. At least we have a place to sleep.

Now the rent amount will kill you... 1,700,000 Won... which equals about $1,350 +/- in dollars plus utilities! I was very nervous to get into such a "pricey" place, but my husband was already in an agreement on the place, there was no getting out of it... but I have to say, I love it! There are both Koreans and Americans living here, so we will get to make all kinds of new friends. The neighborhood is clean and quiet... except for those 2 roosters that live somewhere nearby. We are close to the train station so we can get back and forth to post easily. It is such a nice place! Our household goods (HHG) will be arriving Monday, so that means that all our important (lol) possessions will be here then. Yeah!


Master Bath


Kitchen and dining area


More Kitchen Cabinets


Master Bedroom


Wall of Storage Closets in Master Bedroom


Living Room


Girls Room


Did I mention that they have a playground on the premises?

We have arrived!

We have arrived in Korea!

After 2 days and 19 1/2 hours on an airplane with 2 small children, our flight(s) are finally over! I am sitting at the airport at 6:20pm (5:20am Eastern time) waiting for my husband to arrive. I have no phone number to call and no way to make it anywhere by myself with 4 suitcases, 2 army duffles, 3 carry-ons, 2 computer cases, 2 purses and one small stroller. I was under the impression that he would be here around the time I got through customs, but he is nowhere to be found and I have no way to contact him. The next bus going to the post is coming in an hour. I already bought tickets... but do I jump on the bus if my husband is not here? Probably not. Then he would be here and I would be somewhere else, but still lost with nowhere to go and definitely no way to get there. At least here at the airport I have the baggage cart to move our bags with.

My DH told me that he found us an apartment. 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, and a large kitchen. I guess we will see if we both share the same definition of "large" :) I was IMing a gal on a message board I am a part of and she thinks my DH may have found an apartment in her building! How cool would that be?

The girls and I are definitely ready for bed. Actually, I just want to be alone for about 24 hours to get myself together. I have hit sensory-overload. I need some down time.


Doesn't she look cute all ready to go be a world traveler?


The little one didn't want to leave grandma... and grandma didn't want her to leave, either.