Let me tell you about Korea

I've had every intention of starting a blog since moving here but moving to another country has been a crazier ride than I expected. (Naive : party of one over here.) I tell myself multiple times a day "you're usually better at life than this." It's like that. BUT we're here! Together. In this beautiful country experiencing a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm so excited for what this adventure will bring. 

We live in Anjeong-Ri right outside Pyeongtaek. We stayed in lodging for a week when we got here until we found a house off post. Well actually it's called a "ville." Not a house because we live on the second floor of a three story building but also not an apartment because its just three homes on top of each other with a yard at the bottom. There aren't many houses here, especially not within a military budget. I'll post pictures tomorrow! We live about a mile and a half from base and with no car, we're doing lots (and LOTS) of walking. It's fun to explore though and majority of the time Kasey gets picked up from other soldiers when he's walking in uniform. (#score) They just keep driving by me, the silly American pushing a stroller up a hill. We live off a road nicknamed "suicide road." It's a two way, ONE lane road. Yeah. That's fun to walk on the side of. 

So let me tell you about a few things I've learned about Korea these past couple of weeks:

- The Korean people are SO nice, especially to foreigners. Everyone we pass on the street wave to Eisley and say "baby!" or "annyeong" hello in Korean. 

- Age is different here. I don't really have a full understanding of it but from Google "the first year comes at birth and the second year on the first day of the lunar New Year." Then they gain a year each New Year. So if you come to Korea you're a year or two older.  

- This country is very energy efficient. They try very hard to not run heat or air unless it's absolutely necessary. Our realtor begged us not to run our AC this summer. The power plants used to create the energy cause a lot of pollution, a big issue in South Korea. 

- They take their trash sorting very serious. We buy white bags for normal waste, red bags for food waste and recycle everything we can. Our red food waste bag takes almost a week to fill so we have to keep it in our freezer so it doesn't go bad. YAY! I'm assuming they use the food waste for compost since this is a big farming village.

- The drivers here are CRAZY! They don't really follow the laws. At all. They speed, run red lights, honk at everyone, and definitely don't like to stop for pedestrians. If you get in an accident its 50/50 no matter who is at fault. Which is why I'm thankful we left our Jetta at home and are buying a cheap car (like $500 cheap!) to get us around here. 

- Food here is expensive. Some stuff is cheapER at the commissary and some in the Korean markets but it's not cheap. Like $6.50 for a normal container of strawberries at the commissary and 6,400 won in the markets. Everything here is pretty much organic since they're very against using hormones and GMO's though. 

- While food is expensive, it's all so good. The milk, eggs and produce are all so fresh and delicious. Everything tastes organic and not altered. 

- The Korean food I've tasted so far is really good but a lot of it is an acquired taste. Like kimchi and cold noodles. Hopefully I acquire those tastes soon. 

- The homes here are heated through pipes in the floor that run hot water through them. I know they have this in the states but it's rare to find and it's in every home here. It's another way to help with their pollution problem. 

- Koreans have really really small ovens. Like, there's no way I'm making Thanksgiving dinner, I can't even bake a cake small. 

- The 20 bus that runs through our town is scary fast and you had better hold on!

- The Koreans have a hard time translating phrases in English resulting in some pretty funny shirts and signs in town. Like a shirt that had "you're the apple of my face" on it the other day. Best compliment ever if I say so myself. 

And with that I bid you adieu. I have a quiet sleeping house and I think I'll join.