Family Update - May 2007
Well, well. This sure is hard to keep up with. Can't believe it's almost 3 months since the last update. As stated before, and probably as I will state for every update, we are all unbelievably busy. But that's certainly no complaint. We haven't had this much fun in a long time.
March
March was probably our most calm month since we've been here and is probably also the point at which we really began to feel settled. With all the moving done and the kids fully immersed in school, everything from a daily life perspective just began to get rolling in March. Finally, we have a routine going, and getting out and about has become comfortable and less challenging.
Of course, getting too comfortable would take the fun out of living here so to break-up the monotony, Nancy very cleverly tried to test both our health insurance and the local dentistry industry by developing a severe tooth ache that required a root canal. Fortunately, both the insurance and the dental care proved more than up to the challenge. Nancy's dentist is about 100 yards from our apartment and he is a wonderful English speaking and US educated doctor. Truly, his office is at least as well equipped as our dentist back in Detroit and his staff uses music, scented oils and some good old fashioned sedatives to make you relaxed and comfortable. Nancy is now the proud owner of a new porcelain crown and has a good story to tell also.
Then came our most exciting event since arriving in Korea. Our first visitor. UNCLE JASON ARRIVED! The first test of our hosting skills in this new land and our first real travels outside of Seoul that weren't tied to business. What a week!
We visited the DMZ, a 1400 year old Buddhist temple, one of Seoul's palaces, hiked our little mountain and also up to Seoul Tower, did some market shopping and basically had a great time. For more on Jason's visit, be sure to go to our new "Visitors" section. I'll give more detail there, but I know we all had a great time and can't wait for more travelers to drop in. Fun, fun, fun.
April
For April, we said good-bye to Jason and plunged back into our new routine. For me this meant a trip to the Seoul Motor Show which was huge and very interesting. Of course to look at the cars, you had to deal with beautiful models standing in the way all the time so you can't see the cars clearly in any of the pictures - pests! Might have been more appropriately called the Seoul Scantily Clad Women Show but can't say I was complaining. Lots of photos. I think there actually were a few cars there too.
Sarah and I also had some fun in April as her school sponsored a Father-Daughter Dance. Sarah and I spent a terrific night at the Grand Hilton in Seoul dancing and hobnobbing with the other father's and daughters. I think Sarah's favorite part was dancing with me to "Breaking Free" from Disney's High School Musical TV show. My highlight was just being able to spend a special night with my daughter who never stopped smiling.
Also in April, Nancy and I attended a goodbye party for my boss, Lee Davis and her husband Fred. We had a dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Bupyeong where I work and Nancy was given her first real exposure to local cuisine and noraebong (local word for karaoke). I think the food was a bit eye opening for her (lots of raw fish and other sea food dishes) but we both enjoyed the party even though it was sad saying good-bye to our friends Lee and Fred. I know if we have as good a three years as they experienced we will be very fortunate - but we're off to a great start.
To cap off the month, I went back Detroit for a week of meetings and to check on the house. The house proved to be fine and well looked after (thank you to all our neighbors who are watching over it and to the Goins' who are maintaining the yard for us - great job!) Unfortunately, due to business and escorting 2 of my partners from GM Daewoo I did not have time to catch up with many friends and family. I did have dinner the final night with Schwan's and that was great. Hopefully on future trips I'll get some time with a few more people.
May
In May, things got really busy. I started off the month still in the USA on my business trip but Nancy started it off with school activities and a new Yoga class at the apartment complex. Josh had his school Field Day which Nancy worked at as a volunteer. Great fun and lots of running about. A kids dream school day - all day recess. A short time later, Nancy and Josh were again off, this time to the Seoul Zoo. Josh's favorite animal was the Giraffe.
Next, we all went to the school for a international festival they hosted. In spite of a rainy start it was a great day. There was a parade of nations in which students from each of the nations attending the school wore traditional attire and carried the flag of their country around the soccer field. Probably 50-70 countries represented. Also there were traditional foods served from many of the countries, along with games to play and auctions for various international items. Lots of fun.
Next followed a bunch of random events...Nancy started a free weekly English lesson for our security guards at the apartment, Josh and Sarah started swim lessons at school, trips to the flower market and general shopping for those growing kids. Busy, busy.
Then in Mid-May I started what will be a whirl wind bit of inter-national travel for the next month. I spent 2 nights in Shanghai and then went to southern China for a weekend of touring the countryside and business meetings on Monday and Tuesday. The touring was amazing - business was, well, business. China is a truly staggering country and never fails to awe me. I came home with a new Patek Phillippe "replica" watch (I'm hooked, I admit it), some traditional Chinese outfits for the kids (PJs), pearls and beautiful glass paintings for Nancy, and some truly great memories. Then finally on Wednesday the 23rd, I spent a day in Busan, Korea visiting a plant there and finally made it home (ahhhh).
Meanwhile, Nancy and the kids were not bored. They attended the lantern festival in Seoul and had Junior Olympics Day with Sarah at the school. Again, fun for all and more memories.
Next
Well, the treadmill we live on just keeps on running here. Next up in June I travel to Germany, and we have several end of school activites including a trip to a waterpark for Sarah. Those should pretty much wrap-up the school year as we head off for Summer Vacations.
For those who aren't aware, Nancy and the kids will jet back to the US on June 28th. I'll hang out here a bit then it's off to Thailand before I join the kids and Nancy in the states around mid-July where we will visit with the Grandparents, attend my cousin Tim's wedding, drop down to Disney for a few days and then come back to close up the house before returning to Korea in early-August just before school starts up again.
Well, until next time, hope you all have your own adventures and maybe find time to come visit us here to share in ours. Take care...
An Young He Kah Say Oh (Go in peace).
Uncle Jason, Sarah and Josh by the old city wall on Namsan Mountain.
Josh on a fine spring Korean day.
Model blocking the view of a car at the Seoul Motor Show. Drat!
Sarah and Dad ready for the Father-Daughter dance.
