Thursday, May 1, 2014

Repeat pictures? Facebook maybe?

So while playing on here I found the link between here and my photo album online--

SO PREPARE YOURSELF!!

I can't remember what I post here compared to Facebook, so sorry for all the duplicates.


June 23rd
Suncheon Bay
with Key-young Jean


The group--minus the moms

This little boy went into the mud to get a crab--










The "bay"

These things are walking fish--they are crazy!  Youtube them sometime. 

Wheeler walks like an old Korean man sometimes and it cracks me up. 


What a face!






Just rocking the shorts and sandals look!


Our friends took us to a little area away from the bay--this is more like farmland.  
Loved the weather this day--it was beautiful!


Feeling helpless




While we have been here there have been a few things that have happened that made us really wish we were in the US still.

Mostly they have been good things we have miss.

Zola's (Mother in law) wedding
baptisms on both sides of the family
Jeff's (father in law) big birthday party
and other fun events like that.


BUT I think it is when something bad happens and we are here that makes life frustrating.
Lucas has a cousin who is so AMAZING.

She has had a MAJOR rough patch in her life.  It started out bad, then turned even worse.  I know that even if I was in the states --
she lives about 10 hours away and even if we could go and visit there is nothing we could do to help.  BUT somehow being closer and having the OPTION to help if needed brings comfort. Knowing that we are here and can't do anything but wait for facebooks posts is highly frustrating.




I have a new respect for people who live years away from their family in other countries and how strong they are to leave all the comforts of their life and embrace a whole new life.


Why I love Korea



So yesterday walking to school it hit me that we really are getting down to the count down!

We have 1 month and 8 days before we fly home.  We will most likely never return to this country, and while I hope to get out of the USA again, I can't say for sure it will happen.
cute random picture of Wheeler.
When he saw it he said "A monster?"
I asked "Is that you?
Wheeler "Nope, not me. That's Pepper"

Also some other random funny things he says
"Oh momma, you look beautiful."
He tells the girls "look like princess."
He says "Oh gosh!" all the time.
"Awesome" is another of his favorite sayings
and he often puts the two together
"Oh gosh, that awesome!"



So walking to school I started thinking of all the things I love about Korea and what I will miss.


These are in NO order what so ever!


1. Cute Korean babies in their baby wraps.
2. Grandmas carrying these cute babies.
3. Traveling by bus.  I really like bus travel--except waiting for buses (unless I have a good book).
4.  The energy of people always out and about.  No matter what time it is there are people out!
5.  I am sure I will miss all the time I have with my kids.
6. I will miss having Lucas do the dishes 99% of the time.
7. A mountain right outside side the door.
8. A grocery store less than 2 minutes walk
9. the honesty of the people here--Seriously it is amazing how you can leave stuff and it will still be there!
10.  Lake Park --a cute lake/park just down the street.
11. Easy access to Korean food. When we go home we will have to travel 2-4 hours for Korean food.
12.  Beautiful LONG Fall and Spring seasons!
13. Tons of dragonfly's and butterfly's
14. Of course my students. some drive me crazy, but I will mostly miss them all!
15. I love knowing that I shouldn't buy a ton of stuff because we don't really need it.
16. I love having just a few pieces of clothing (1 1/2 drawers and a TINY closet for everything of mine) and being OK with that.
17. Not having the pressure to meet anyone expectations, cause being the 'foreigner' no one has any for me!
18. Korea has these random wonderful smells--flowers, food, and just the air sometimes.
19. The great International friend that I have.
20. The teachers I work with are all so kind- I will miss them all.
21.  The sound Koreans make when they are pleasantly surprised. "Whhaaaa?"
22. How Koreans say "really"


Everyday until I leave I will try to add more and have the kids add some too.




Friday, April 25, 2014

Technical difficulty....can you help?


I haven't posted for a little while for two reasons---


1.  I can't find my camera battery charger (which also has my other camera battery in it) so my dead camera isn't working and I try to add pictures to every blog post I do.

2.  I had a really kind friend let me log into an account of hers to add a few things to an order she was placing through a company called iherb----SOMEHOW--after logging in and logging off my computer decided to keep her information a
nd made her gmail account the primary account name....


random picture of a drive we took during Cherry Blossom festival time!



AND you can not choose a non gmail account to be the primary account once a gmail account is added to the account...AND you can not change the primary gmail account to another gmail account (for some reason--I have NO IDEA why), so my poor friend is my primary account on my blog...and all my Google stuff... which is NOT good because ALL my Korea pictures/videos are on my google account.

So can anyone of my 5 readers know how to help me out?  I was told to delete my chrome account, but I am afraid I will loose all my pictures and videos.

Help please!!


Thursday, April 3, 2014

Seoul LDS Temple



A few weekends ago we were able to go to the Seoul Temple.

It was awesome.  

Some things about it---
There are bunk houses for people to stay the night in for a small fee because it is the temple for.

I heard once that Korea is the temple for parts of Japan, China, Russia, and many 

There is also a two story small house for kids/people to hang out in while adults go to the temple. It was a little bit of a mad house, but lucky for us we had a really nice Korean lady offer to stay with the kids so we could go.  Koreans are so laid back they have no problem letting their kids run wild in the house alone...us Westerners are a little more protective!


There is a cafeteria in the Temple, but we didn't eat there because I guess they only serve ramen, and real Korean ramen is to spicy for my kids. 

 Other than being able to attend the temple---We met another American family at the temple--who had four kids...See the blonde girl in the picture above---One is Pepper and the other is the daughter of the lady we met.  I kept getting them confused since they both have blond hair and purple coats.  

This is Sedona and their son Lucas.  Her four kids are about the same age as my kids so it was perfect and we are going to go and visit them next week.  We are so excited!!



The landscape is pretty, but don't touch it.  The bushes here are super poky and hurt to touch--but in that area behind the bushes was a small green yard surrounded by tree's.  It is a beautiful area. 


Lucas ran into an old mission friend while there.  The guy recognized Lucas and they were able to talk for a little bit.  Small world in the LDS world.


I thought this old man was interesting looking.  
The whole building was empty except these two guys.  

This is the bus that the church rented to take us to Seoul.  It was almost full and on the way home they pulled out the microphone and did a testimony meeting.  EVERYONE spoke, including me.




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So I went to the Church's Official Website and looked up some facts.

Like this temple is the 1st temple built on Mainland Asia.

IN 1955 Korea was open for missionary work.

The 1st institute building out side of North America was built where the Korean Temple is now built.

Koreans are awesome family historians and one Korean even has 'records' dating back to AD 927!!

The Korean people helped raise money to build a temple and they were able to enlarge it from the original plans because the Koreans had donated so much money.



Singing Rooms -- Nori Bongs



In America going to a Karaoke bar can be scary.  Getting up in front of a group of strangers and singing your heart out.

Korea has got this figured out!  In Korea you rent a room by the hour and you and your friends can go to sing.  Don't want to listen to some person sing/scream a horrible version of "I will always love you"--you don't have too...

You get your own private room with a few microphones, a large screen TV, some couches, and a coffee table.  You can bring in drinks or food, but you can also order from them (some places you are required to buy something).  Most places bring you a few drinks (water and pop) for free and maybe a few bowls of popcorn or something.

They do have CCTV's in each room so they aren't used as a 'Love room"--
My friend one time walked into the wrong room and two people were slow dancing--CUTE!

It is really fun and I have enjoyed it when I have gone.  I have gone with my work and another time with foreigner friends.

I love it and would go back again and again.

Sorry no pictures---I will try to go back and find some!!

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Life as we know it....



I wrote this Blog Post in October and am now just posting it!  All the pictures are random so enjoy!




These are emails I have written to other people--I think it is a good way to do a blog post quickly! Sorry!!


On preparing to come to Korea:
It was WAY more paperwork to do for a family, but most places are use to working with single people, so they don't want to deal with something not familiar.  I asked every recruiter if they had ever worked with a family and if they were willing to work with a family, and if the schools they worked for would even hire a family.  Mostly they were afraid cause the apartments are so small it would cause undue stress--WHICH after living here, if we lived in anything small we would be stressed, but I think that is because we have a very active 2 year old. 

MANY recruiters/schools said no.
We live in an old apartment, but it is a little bigger.  It is "2" rooms, but really the main bedroom is attached to the kitchen.  I would NOT want to be in a one room apartment with kids--they need a little more space to "run".

We haven't had to pay any difference, but really housing is cheap (downpayments are expensive).  I wish I could have known and found a little nicer place and paid the difference.  In some places they will give you the money they would pay for an apartment and you can find a nicer one and pay the difference.

My youngest students are 1st graders and my oldest kids are middle school age, so I highly suggest on your resume and talking to your recruiter to STRESS that you want to teach preschool students or high school if you have a preference.  Private schools have a variety of students and Elementary schools do to. 

My kids do go to school at a local school, but my husband speaks Korean, so I think that made the difference with the schools willing to work with us.  Schools are really expensive, (if you don't do public schools) as are "daycares/preschools" in my opinion, but that is because I have never had to pay for them before.

Everything here is SO expensive, or really cheap. Fruit, meat, and veggies are super expensive.  $16-30 dollars for a watermelon. Each apple/pear is more then a dollar.  Meat is measured in grams---$9 for 100 grams--something like that.

BUT home gas is about $40 a month, "maintenance" (elevator/trash/"security guard (old man who watches TV in a little room with cameras) and other building fees like that) is about $36.00, electric is about $10, and rent is about $150? I think (the school pays for our rent).  OK, after living here in the heat and in the cold, our gas and electric bills were HIGH!  They were about 150 for August and January.

BUT our food budget at home is about $250---here it is almost $750 or more.

Clothes are easy (for both kids and adults)
$30 + for shirts
$75+ for dresses
$30 + for pants

We are starting to find deals hidden in stores--$15 pants, $6 shirts, and more "walmart" prices, but that is for cheaply made clothing.

We are very open about money--.
We lived VERY cheaply in America--we lived on less then $2500 a month for EVERYTHING (cell phone, mortgage, food, insurances, everything!)  so we had sticker shock when we moved here!

The first month was really hard because we had to buy so many little things--We easy spend $2500 our first month--train tickets, trash can for apartment, bed mats for kids, (our school gave us a bed and 2 dressures and an  armoire thing), pens, paper, a few sand toys for the kids since we live by a playground, all that type of stuff.

We joined the facebook group for foreigners in our area and got a lot of stuff for cheap from people moving out (August is the big time of year when the public schools send teachers home and get new teachers coming in. 

I know I have horrible spelling, and I jump all over, but I am just writing stuff as it comes to me. 

My Hagwon is owned by a larger company and they tell us what books to use, when to use them, and how long it should take us.  There is a lot of change--I have been at my hogwan since June 5 and our schedules have changed 3 times, our books that we use twice, and which classes I teach once.  The students are dropping and joining weekly so nothing is every really steady, but you just keep working at it. (this part was written around August--it has changed since them twice.  Which I guess is normal because Schools have a break during Summer for a month and Winter for a month--)

I am really lucky cause my hagwon is nice.  My Go-To woman 'retired' a week after I was hired--but she didn't really speak English anyway.  Luckly we are very active in a church in the States so when we moved to Korea the church over there was super helpful--they helped us get our cellphones and things like that.

Also until you get your ARC (I have no idea what that stands for--we call it our waygooking cards) you can't get a cell phone, a bank account, or anything---not even a point card to a local grocery store.

BUT I am giving you a very limited view.  We went to a bigger city this past week and there were $5-$10 clothes everywhere!  Food was $9-$18 a plate (which is common --chicken here--like KFC chicken is like $22.00 for a small bucket that didn't fill us up!), but the prices in a bigger city were much more varied.
I have no idea how preschool or kindergarten teachers work. My kindergarten age child goes to school from about 8:00-3:00, but my 2nd grader goes from 8:00-2:00.  So I don't know how they figure it all in.
I think the school wouldn't want to deal with a non korean since there is paperwork, money stuff ($30 to go swimming--$30 a month for school milk) and random stuff like their schedule changing--week before vacation they get out 20 minutes early 3 days a week--and stuff like that--BUT AGAIN that is my limited experience in this small town.

Really I suggest finding a good group on Facebook to join---AFIK American families in Korea is a good one.  They have groups for the different areas also.  The Suncheon group is super helpful.
As for apartments---again I think they are really cheap, but it is the downpayment that is expensive.  I know the bigger the city, maybe the smaller the apartment.  We were looking at one room (loft) in Seoul, but in Ulsan (the rich area of Korea) our friends have a 3 bedroom, full kitchen, big living room apartment--so it really depends.

I always asked for a picture of the apartment from my recruiter when we were looking at being hired.

One thing that surprises me is how much little kids are on their own.  I see kids Peppers age all the time walking around alone.  It makes me nervous, but it is very common.  They walk to school, walk home, walk to the corner market, walk to friends houses--they are just out and about.  Another thing is that kids look younger then they are because they are smaller.  The kids Peppers age look like 4 year olds to me.  I have to be really careful guessing students ages.  I always look at what I think they are and add 2 years.
  
South Korean's don't home school-I think that is a totally strange concept to them because they send their kids to SO much school, but many foreigners do.  There really aren't a lot of people with school aged kids-and those who do have most likely married a Korean and the kids speak Korean.  I know places that have a foreigner school, it is expensive--so many homeschool.

Some schools wants you to teach private lessons on the side (which is illegal but they don't care) and other really care--I haven't asked mine, so I don't know.

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Life is still good!  School is going ok.  They change my schedule about once a month, which is fine, just a little frustrating to come to work and be told--by the way to are suppose to teach a class in 25 minutes! (ok that happened twice, but still it is a little strange)



But in Korea you  have to be laid back and go with the flow--except with buses!  You better get on them fast and get off them faster!  (which I have learned is a great source of stress for Pepper so we are going to try to do some things to help her less stressed about it.)

The girls are doing great and are in school.  Their teachers speak a little English, but they do fine.  Sedona is decided if she wants to stay in school or not, but I think she will.  She likes it, but I think she gets frustrated, which is TOTALLY understandable!  Pepper is just great where she is.  She is starting to read English so we are working on that with her.  She keeps getting weird rashes -- I think we will take her to the doctor tomorrow---they don't bother her, but she has had it on her face and now her leg and back!  strange!

Peppers rash is a neurological virus.  It only manifests itself when she is stressed, or ill.  She had a small cold when she got it, so I am not sure why she is so stressed.  I will look into mediation and other things to help her call down.

Sedona is still liking school and is staying in.  She always has problems--now a boy in her class everyday won't stop playing -slightly pulling  her hair--Lucas said it hit his hand out of the way--I said to pull his hair--I guess I am not a very good mom--They are such good kids--Wheeler is having terrible twos like I have never seen before!  I don't know if it is because the apartment is so small, or lack or toys, but he is difficult right now!



 I did start TeaKwonDoe (spelling?) I go twice a week with a whole group of foreigners.  I have lost a little weight since I started going.  You start as a white belt and then move up to yellow belt?  I don't know--I will test up at the end of this month--I started mid August, but missed some with Korean holidays and such.
Life is still great here, for a few weeks Lucas and I had the "we don't like Korea" part of our adjusting, but we like it again.  So we are doing great!

Girls still are enjoying school and Wheeler is still driving us crazy!


(Again all this was written in September)
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This morning the lady that gives us a ride to church called and said that another foreigner would be joining us today!  A really nice girl met us at the bottom of our apartment.  Latrice (La-Treese).  She is really kind.
She is really neat and I can't wait to become better friends with her.  They started a "foreigner" Sunday school class-and Lucas is teaching it -They gave him that calling officially.  It is the missionaries (we have both elders and sisters here), Latrice, and Lucas--I teach Primary so I don't go. 

The weather is a lot like Fall in Colorado.  Chilly in the morning, but hot in the afternoon.  Some of the smaller trees have started to change, and I can't wait for full blown fall!  I am sure the pictures will be amazing!  Pepper is doing great.  Her rash is almost done---3 shots, 8 days of medicines, and 10 days of creams, and it is finally clearing up. 

Lucas has gained weight--a combo of working out everyday--which he was doing before--but now he sits around and doesn't use all his extra calories working. 

Yesterday, Saturday (sometime in October I think), we went to a art museum with a guy Lucas met.  He was very kind and we went to Yesou (about 25 minutes away).  They featured american, french, and Korean children artists.  They had some fun hands on exhibits!  They had Anthony Brown(e?) works there.  He draws Willy the Wimp books---if you don't know them--check them out at the library!  Very fun.  Every year I try to include at least one of his books in the line-up because they are just as fun to read as they are to look at.
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Next week is the biggest Holiday in Korea.  It is like Thanksgiving. I have 3 days off work!  We are heading up to Ulsan again and going Camping with Lucas's friends the Grandy's.  It should be fun.  We will take a train on Wednesday and come home Saturday most likely.  Have Sunday to recoop and start life again Monday. It is common to give gifts and there are gift sets everywhere, but instead of America--which is bathproducts --- fruit and meat are the big gifts, but they are super expensive!  $100 for 10 apples I think is the most expensive thing we have seen.  The school is giving the boss "very good beef".  We each (about 15 of us) are giving $10 each.  The Korean money is Won---it is about $1.00 to 1,000 won.  

Lucas says Hi.  He is doing a great job with the kids.  When I asked "Anything you want to tell my family?"  He started speaking very dramatic Korean for a few minutes--so I will translate--
"Hello Whitaker and McFadden family's.  Life is wonderful in Korea.  Wheeler is a monster, but we are enjoying life.  I miss living in America because the cars here suck and I am very bored.  I have no artistic outlet which is driving me crazy. When I start getting grumpy I go and hike a mountain and feel better." 
Lucas says I am not even close, but it sounds good. 

Alright I better go and eat dinner.  We bought chicken for the first time since we lived here!  Meat is so expensive, so we stick to Pork--with is about $10 for one meal for a few pieces of bacon like pieces.  But this chicken smells so good!

I was set apart as the kids primary teacher. 



















Church Ramblings



So day at church we had a few things that just cracked us up (not because of anyone else, but just us!  We are so funny!--serious someone needs to invent the sarcastic font!)

First, all the song books are in Korea, except one.  Sometimes the Korean's make sure we have it and sometimes they don't.  During the first song Lucas looked over and saw the one page in the Korean book that is in English (the page that tells you what page the songs are found in the English book compared to the Korean book).  He turns to the correct song and hands it to me.  I look at him and just say "thanks"  but in the are you an idiot?' kind of voice.  He looked shocked and hurt for a second then looked at the book, He figured out what he did and started laughing.  It is hard in the middle of church to not laugh---so of course that never helps, but lucky for us we were able to stop our shoulder shaking silent laughing by the time the last verse hit, which was good cause Lucas had the opening prayer.

In our religion when we take the sacrament we pick up the bread with our right hands, and use our right hand to lift the cup to take the water-- So after church a man came up to Lucas and asked if our kids where left handed because they were taking the sacrament with their left hands. It is not a RULE anywhere, but more symbolic and most people are aware of this, but our kids are still small and since they are not old enough to be baptized (except Sedona), they technically don't even HAVE to take the sacrament, which is a point of disagreement between Lucas and I --when should kids start taking the sacrament.  I say from the time they can do it themselves, Lucas says when they are baptized---so we have agreed when they can recognize a picture of Jesus and say his name (normally around 2) they can take the sacrament. ANYWAY--so on the way home Lucas was telling me things he WANTED to say to the man, but thankfully didn't.  One of which I thought was brilliant!  He wanted to say "We make our children take it with their left hand until they are baptized, then they are allowed to use their right".  I actually thought that was really interesting!!

So during the sacrament, Lucas was holding Wheeler.  He pointed at a picture of Christ and said, "who is this?"  Wheeler got all excited and said "Daddy!"  Oh man--again silent shoulder shaking laughter!

Well now that I have typed all of that I am not thinking it is as funny anymore--but it is a memory I want to keep so I guess it will stay!






A year ago & new friends



Almost a year ago Lucas and I were driving home from Denver about this time.  We had spent Christmas with my mom and stayed for a funeral of a close friend of the family.

Of course with the new year we were talking about resolutions.  Lucas had made a few and Amy had made a few.  Amy's were pretty unrealistic and detailed, while Lucas was very vague and real.

Lucas wanted to develop more talents and take a chance and mix things up.  Two specific goals for him were to read the Book of Mormon and to reach his goal weight of 185.

I wanted to pack up the house and start over fresh and to become more focused on what is important--not be so spread out.  I am sure there were more, but those were the biggest one. I think I had said something about working and helping us pay off my school loans-which is the only debt we have-beside house.

Then I (Amy) said: "We should go to Korea."
Lucas: "Well, it is the only place I know you could get a job where YOU could support us with your education."
Amy: "Ok, lets go."
Lucas:  "Ok, but this is all on you.  You have to make it happen."
Amy: "Ok.  I want to do it."

That is NOT the exact conversation, but I am sure close enough. Both Lucas and I remember him saying exactly:  "this is all on you."

So that is how it happened.  The next day I was home and started looking into what I needed to do.  I knew for sure we would need a passport so I started there.

The whole process took us about 5 months and we were pushing hard.  We were overnight-ing stuff, we were cutting things CLOSE.  I suggest planning on AT LEAST 6 months if not 8 to get paperwork done.  Of course if you are more organized then I am then it would take LESS time, but I will not get to that now!

In fact I think I did post recently a blog on what we did to get here, but all my blog posts are not in order and some were written a lot time ago, but not published till now....

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We had a cookie decorating party at a lovely woman's house named Sonia.  We met a really need family, David and Monica and their two children, Mickey and Lena.  
Mickey and Lena have changed their names to John and Sharon.

We have been to their house a few times and always really enjoyed ourselves.


They have a TON of English children books and their house is HUGE!


This is David, I don't even know his Korean name.  He is a very quiet and thoughtful person.  He teaches English at his home.  


Wheeler loves the space, the boy toys, and a friend to play with--But Wheeler has a hard time sharing with John!  But whenever we tell Wheeler we are going to Johns he gets VERY excited and says "MY John, My John!!"

Monica is showing the kids some cool magic tricks.  John is the little boy in the red plaid shirt, but Sharon wasn't in this picture.
Sharon is about 20 years old, but the girls love her!


I will try to get a good picture of Monica and David next time we go. 

I have taught them house to make Pancakes and Cookies (both from a premade mix, so it wasn't hard), but they were impressed with the results.  Sharon loves to cool, but I haven't been able to cook cause both times we were suppose to meet with them we have been REALLY late so Sharon had to go to work, or church.