Exploring Adventures

Last night we ventured out to do a bit of exploring in our new city.  We are only a short 15 minute walk from the train station which also doubles as a shopping center so we decided to start there.  It was so much fun!  There is a huge grocery store in the basement complete with some things we recognized and lots of things we didn't!  Our favorites were the whole squid and octopus tentacles all packaged up with clear wrapping over it like we are used to seeing hamburger meat.  Also, there were attendants EVERYWHERE.  Every little food island had their own attendant.  For example, one for the tomatoes, one for the broccoli, one for the nuts, one for the rice. . . . it was unbelievable.  I made sure to say hello to each one.  Or maybe I said thank you?  Hmm. . .

The next four or so floors have clothes, sporting equipment, kitchen supplies, and furniture.  The prices and quality were similar to what you would find in a nice department store back in the states.  There are a few other stores that I have heard are comparable to Target and Walmart that we hope to check out later this weekend.

One of the top floors has lots of delicious smelling restaurants.  Some of them even had picture menus which made us comfortable enough to take the plunge for our first authentic Korean meal out.  It was fabulous!  Mark ordered something called the " Teriyaki set" and I had some sort of tuna bowl thing.  The food came out on a little tray for each of us and included soup, salad, and some other side dish things.  SO much food only around 7,000 wan (a little less than $7) for each of us.

We didn't know what it all was but we tried everything and it for the most part it was all super yummy!

Here is a shot of me outside the train station/shopping center.  The tall tower all the way in the back (just behind the building with the yellow banner and black writing) is where we live!  It comes in pretty handy that it is the tallest building around since it is a helpful reference point when I get lost (which may or may not happen pretty much every day. . .).

Arrival Adventures

The Hubs and I are coming up on two weeks since we touched ground here in South Korea! I would like to tell you all about our adventures trying the food and learning the language thus far but that would make for a very short post. Also it would be a lie.

In reality I still only know the two Korean words I retained from my previous trip here seven or so years ago: "hello and thank you". Although when it comes right down to it I don't even really know those two words that well since I am continually getting them confused in my head and greeting the people on the street with a hearty "Thank you!" and nodding a cheerful "Hello!" to shop owners as we leave their stores.

As far as food, we have been sleeping off our jet lag in the American style hotel on our Army base and have resorted to the convenience of the American food court and grocery store nearby. It is pretty ironic that I have had more Burger King and frozen TV dinners in the last week while here in Korea than the entire last year living in the US. I think it is my subconscious way of rebelling against the culture shock: "You can take me out of America, but you can't make me stop eating American junk!”. 

BUT despite our lack of communication and *adventurous eating, we have managed to make a good amount of progress towards settling in. We have an AMAZING apartment that we will be moving into in just a few days, a not so amazing but cute little used Korean car, a couple cell phones, and some job prospects (for me. . Mark obviously already has a job hence us being here in the first place. . .).

We were able to venture out to do a little bit of initial exploring in a nearby shopping area.  As you can see below, I was enthralled by their little McDelivery scooters for some reason.   (what is with me and fast food references today?!  I swear I usually don’t touch the stuff!).  Delivery scooters like this are pretty common to see on the roads here.  Lots of them darting in and out of traffic just add to the adventure of driving here.  Remind me to tell you more about that craziness some other time!

Also, don't you think my handsome Hubs does a great impersonation of a touristy angry statue thing?  (I'm sure there is a more culturally correct name for them but that is all I've got for now. . )  

  

*although frozen TV dinners could very well be classified as adventurous eating. Have you TASTED some of them recently? GAG! I can't believe they are allowed to market them as actual food products. But I digress. . .