Seoul Temple Trip - Good for my Soul

I finally took a trip up to the temple in Seoul.
A temple is only TWO hours away this time, via public transportation.  So awesome.  (My Utah peeps are thinking, "man, she is crazy to think that two hours is awesome."  But it is.)

Do you see it?
According to my map, the temple was supposed to be right here.  But I couldn't find it.
The first thing I spotted was the nicely manicured bushes, very unusal on a shabby street like this, then I saw the angel.

The temple is actually MUCH smaller than what the picture makes you believe.

Conveniences of Korea, Part II

Not sure if this is a convenience -or- an inconvenience but I like this Korean custom.  I want to continue it in my own home.

It is customary to remove shoes when entering a home or restaurant (maybe because they sit on the floor?) but if you desire to still wear shoes then you can put on fancy slippers.  They are found at almost every store, including grocery stores, cost just a little, and help to keep the dirt from your home.  They are a comfy foam and very stylish, hehe.

Don't you think it goes well with camouflage?

Thursday night is PIZZA NIGHT!

This was my birthday present from Aaron.  And he got himself a matching pair.
You can't see it from the image, but the white strip says "I love Korea".  Yes.  Yes, we do.

Whenever Aaron gets new gear he gives me the pleasure of trying it all on.
This bullet-proof vest weighs about 40lbs.

NEO Exercise

N - noncombatant
E - evacuation
O - operation

Every year, families stationed in Korea practice an evacuation drill in case of an emergency.  You practice fire alarms - we practice flee-country-as-fast-as-you-can drills.

The drill is actually a lot more simple than imagined and very well organized.  And fun!

Families are to bring 72-hour kits, special documents, and gas masks.  We meet at the post to get everything checked and cleared then we load up on Chinook helicopters and fly away.   I'm sure there are a number of important points I'm missing but you get the idea.

Waiting for our ride to land. 

The last seat = the best seat

You can see beautiful S. Korea from the back of the Chinook.
This solider pictured is a crew chief.  His job is to watch the tail end of the helicopter and to lift and lower the hoist.
Kind of awesome.

New profile pic.  Yes, please.

See Ya, Butter-Bar

Aaron got promoted to a First Lieutenant from a Second Lieutenant.

Doesn't army rankings seem backward?  There's got to be a reason but I haven't found it yet.
Second Lieutenant (gold bar), aka Butter Bar
    > First Lieutenant (silver bar)
        > Captain (two silver bars)
            > Major (gold leaf)
                > Lieutenant Colonel (silver leaf)
                    > Colonel (silver bird), aka Full Bird...

I am getting ready to pin on Aaron's new ranking.
We did this in the middle of the battalion meeting.  And I don't know what I'm doing. Awkward.

Salute from his commander, Major Duryea.

My Neighborhood

We are a one-car family.  And to be honest, I kinda like it.  Aaron and I get to talk a lot more and organize where we are going to be, what needs to get done, and how we are going to go about doing it.  It is a lot harder to take spontaneous trips to the store or the gym if you don't have access to a car.  So we get to walk and use public transportation and view all the cool things around us.

Thankfully there is a Korean market up the road a half mile that I can grab a grocery item if I need it (unless it is an American product, then I am outta luck).

Farmland everywhere.  Isn't it pretty?

There are even farms right up to the intersections of the streets.
Here is a farm in the middle of the city next to the bus stop.

Here are some adorable girls from church in Korean traditional clothing, Hanbok.
Aren't they cute?!  Especially for little white girls.

This technially isn't our neighborhood but it is the nearest big city, about 20 minutes away.  Pyeongtaek.  Always bustling and busy.  
This picture was taken from the top floor of the train station.

Everland

Korea's form of Disneyland, Everland, is just as magical.  Everland offers a 'foreigners discount' on Korean holidays, like Chuseok (Korea's Thanksgiving).  Aaron and I snagged the chance to go for 50% off tickets.  And we had a blast!

I think we will make it an annual Chuseok holiday tradition now!

My glasses broke on the train ride there.
Luckily I had a handy husband and a bobby pin!

Smile and say "kimchi"  We made it to Everland.

I am so happy right now!
The park is getting ready for Halloween 
that is why there are eyeballs hanging from the tree. 

We convinced Gabby (girl in the bottom left) to go on her first big-kid roller coaster.
She was terrified and came off the ride crying.  Eek - I felt bad.

The ride, T-Express, is "the world's second steepest wooden coaster.  It is also the world's ninth fastest, fourth tallest, and sixth longest wooden roller coaster" (according to wiki).  
And it is A-MA-ZING (according to Amy)!!
This sign is no joke.  I'm glad I stretched my neck before hand!

Was the 80 minute wait worth it for the T-Express?  Y-E-S!

Notes for next time:
- Don't bother bringing water bottles - there is no place to refill them.  Just buy more water here.
- Arrive early (park opens at 0900) because it gets busy busy after 1400 after everyone is done eating their delicious Chuseok dinner.  We arrived at the park at 1130 and left at 1630.
- Ride T-Express first and last and again in the middle.  This ride is hands-down-AMAZING!
- Closed-toed shoes not necessary but good walking shoes are.  Lots of hills.
- Small backpacks are fine to carry around.  Most rides have a place to set them down.  And this is Korea, no one steals anything (why can't the states be like that?).
- A small fan would be handy too.
- It takes 3hrs to get there by public transportation (even on Chuseok holiday) so plan accordingly.  We took a bus, a train, the subway, another train/tram, and shuttle to get to the park.
- Was the 25,000won worth it for five hours and four rides?  Yes.

Korea - Apartment 301

We have moved into our fancy apartment.  No more living like nomads for us.


I would have never imagined we would be living in a four bedroom/two bath apartment with just the two of us.  Pretty cool.  I was thinking our living would be minimal and we would be squished into a small Asian apartment but that is not the case.  We have a room for guests, and an office, and a nursery (what???  this is no announcement).

 The army gives us $1,600 for living as a 2LT with family.  And every apartment we looked at happened to have the rent rate of $1,600.  Imagine that.  Not a problem.

We are very happy with our abode.  And I will be very happy when our stuff arrives.

The army gives us some loaner furniture while we are here.

The fancy kitchen.  And the pretty red refridgerator.

"We have a residence!"  kiss.

And soon we will no longer be living in suitcases.

We have a big tub and fancy shower head.
Too bad there hot water doesn't last long enough to enjoy it!