View from my balcony

Thought I'd give you all a little taste of the view I get to see everyday from my balcony. Not too shabby :)

Seoul so far

Hello all! I am finally able to sit down and write a little bit about my first week here. It has been a busy but good week. The pic is of Josh, Bethany and I our last night in Newton...

I arrived on Monday afternoon and was greeted by Pam where we walked together to the baggage claim to get luggage. My eight boxes arrived....but most did not arrive fully closed. I had a bit of a problem with the boxes being too flimsy and boxes ripping open. But, I don't think anything is missing so that's alright! Got into my apartment Monday night and CRASHED hard at about 7. Word of advice, try to stay up, don't "test" your bed out :) I fell asleep and was wide awake at 11 pm. Thank you tylenol PM for getting me through the rest of the night.

Tuesday through Friday was orientation. This included hospital physicals, tours, lectures, etc. We got to costco finally on Friday afternoon and I got some much needed essentials. On Saturday my new friend, Colleen, and I went down to the neighborhood and I got some nice korean china. We were both very impressed with how they treated us at the china store. Once they saw we were actually buying things we felt like celebrities because they were SO nice to us. They even hailed our cab for us. I felt like a movie star.

On Saturday night we went to a traditional Korean theatre where we saw so many neat things like drumming, dancing, head spinning things. Before the show started we paid 5,000 won (less than 5 dollars) and dressed up in traditional hanbok. If anyone comes to visit, we will be sure to make this theatre a stop!

This morning we went to Full Gospel church which is supposedly the largest church in the world with 830,000 members. It was overwhelming! We had to listen to the translator on the headphones and hear the pastor talking Korean in the background. Too much! I'm glad I went to say I went, but I won't be back.

My apartment is almost unpacked and put away so I will definitely post pics once that is up! Did I miss anything? Any questions?

VIdeo of the "Largest Church in the World"

Videos

Hello! I want to write more later, but while I am waiting for my photos to upload I thought I would share a few videos that I have taken while I am in Seoul.

Goodbyes

I'll be leaving in four days! Holy cow. Tonight, I was entertained by my pastors family, the Lorees. Excellent fajitas! On the way home I got to thinking about all the goodbyes I have said so far. I've already said goodbye to my parents, grandparents, sister, a few friends, the Lorees and the church. Oddly enough, it doesn't feel like goodbye. First off, I know I will see them again. Secondly, I don't think it has really sunk in all the way. This happens to me every time I leave to go somewhere for a long time. I don't get emotional because I am overwhelmed with emotions or things don't sink in until later. I guess we will see what happens when I get there. When I did foreign exchange in Japan I got homesick the day after I got there. I didn't want to be homesick, it was an involuntary thing. I was SO excited to be there but every time someone talked to me, I had to fight back tears and the huge lump in my throat. It was miserable...for THREE DAYS! Let's hope this doesn't happen again, ha ha.

Alaina, Justine and I had a discussion about how it's really good to have pictures on your blog because really, that's what people want to see. So, here's a little of what I've been doing this summer....

Cool Graffiti I saw at the border beach in Tijuana...just a little reminder to love

My dad and I at the Tijuana beach

Cute boy Carlos, from the orphanage

The house we built in Tijuana (it's not finished in this picture)

Justine and I watching the Rockies kick the Twins butts at the new Twins stadium

Justine, Alaina and I in Minneapolis

1st Official Meltdown

Today was crazy. I woke up at 3:45 (AM) to drive my dad to the airport and say goodbye until next summer. He was going to DC for a small business trip. Usually his trips involved flying to Switzerland, India or someplace crazy so DC is definitely a small trip for him. He will be flying back into Minneapolis to meet my mom and little sister for a trip to South Africa. So, it was my second goodbye. The first goodbyes were on Friday when I had to say goodbye to my two lovely Minnesota gals, Justine and Alaina. Of course, I cried. Not really sure why because we don't get to see each other that much but I think it is a small testimony to how much I appreciate and love their friendship (even if we are miles away from each other and only see each other a few times a year). Second goodbye there were no tears, at least not in front of my dad. I think it was too early for it.

I got home and slept for a little while longer before having to wake up and take my cat to the vet. I thought she had a bladder infection because she has been trying to pee in inappropriate places and sits in her littler box for minutes on end and can't pee. They kept her all day until they got a sample and then said she had no infection! They think she's stressed and depressed about my packing and my grandparents being gone. So, I get to shove an anti-depressant pill down her throat twice a day now. I don't really agree with giving animals behavior modification pills but if it helps her not pee on my stuff, that's great.

I ran to Des Moines for a few things today and then spent the rest of the day sewing my moms purse I promised I'd make her. When I brought it to her, she was stressed because she is leaving tomorrow for 2 1/2 weeks to South Africa and I am stressed in general. The combination wasn't good and I ended up with my first official implosion on the way home. The stress has finally gotten to me. I don't think it's so much the packing things up but the stress of having to get rid of so much stuff too. Little things like throwing away extra toiletries that have been collected through the years, cleaning the fridge out and figuring out which one nalgene bottle I'm going to take with me. Stupid stuff that feels overwhelming. That, and I found out American Airlines, which is my ride to Chicago, only allows 3 excess bags to be checked in. So, if they won't let me bring anything else I'm probably going to have to drive to Chicago instead of flying. Good thing is a good friend of mine is moving to Chicago the day before I need to leave so I can just catch a ride and put my stuff in the back of her moving van. (divine intervention??!?)

I need peace, strength and motivation right now. I pray that God will make this part of my moving experience as easy as he has made everything else. Good night.