Korea...the long awaited post!!

Hello from Uijongbu Korea (Camp Stanely!!) Or should I say Ahnnyeong-seo!! (Hello!- one of the only words we know!)

A little side note before we begin, I reccomended getting a nice glass of something to drink and sitting in a comfy spot because this post is going to be a long one...Tom Petty and I are jammin' out! :)

The Beginning...

We have been in Korea for approx. 3 weeks or so now. I arrived on July 17th to this wonderful country of Korea. As most of you are aware I was terrified to fly, especially by myself! Well I am so proud of myself, I took a leap of faith and flew the entire 15 hr. trip by myself. It was a lovely experience. I left Greensboro, NC- flew to Atlanta, GA and then was a one way trip into Incheon Airport in Korea. The Korean airlines were absolutly wonderful! I could not have asked for more attentive service. The plane was so clean and comfortable. It was simply a wonderful experience. Little did I know until I made this adventure that we would not indeed be flying over the ocean, we actually flew through Canada, the Arctic Circle and then down through Russia, China and around N. Korea- thank goodness. Upon my arrival here, my wonderful husband who had been here for about 1 week picked me up from the airport and of course it was pouring down rain when we landed (one thing I did not enjoy.) And we boarded a bus to Seoul (Yongsan Army Garrison), where we stayed at the Dragon Hill Lodge for the weekend. The lodge is located on the Army Garrison.

Then the following Monday B finished inprocessing at the headquarters and we once again loaded on the buses and came about 45 min. north to Camp Red Cloud (Uijongbu, Korea), and the bused it again to our home away from home Camp Stanley (again in Uijongbu, Korea)!! These camps are quite small, yet just enough to be a home away from home. During our first night at Camp Stanley we had to stay in one of the barracks rooms on post (not FUN!). Unfortunatly, command sponsorships are a new happening for this area and the Army companies are not used to having spouses accompany soldiers, so needless to say, they had no idea what to do with us! We were assured that the following morning they would find us appropriate lodging. So Tuesday came and we were booked a room at Camp Casey about 50min north of Camp Stanley, where we stayed for about 2 weeks. Fortunatly, the Army has created a quite smooth operating bus system for the area 1 region inwhich we reside and its quite convient to bus back and forth to the bases as needed.

B was able to take the bus back and forth daily inorder to get his job inorder. I became very familiar with Camp Casey, its a much larger base than C. Stanley. C. Casey is about 10min from the DMZ at N. Korea. But I assure you we are very safe here and have a very good relationship with the S. Koreans and the ROK Army (Republic of Korea).

Camp Casey...

So while we were at C. Casey we were able to find a cute little apartment here in Uijongbu about 5 min from post. Our little apartment building (21 stories high) is pictured below...the free standing one.

Its a quiet little 3 bedroom 2 bath, hardwood flooring, lots of wallpaper...Koreans love wallpaper and lots of windows which I love! :) I love to look out our balcony into the bustling city!! At night there are lots of Koreans bright lights and signs...everything looks like youre in NYC!! The koreans love love love lights!!
Korean Life...
We live in a mountain valley in the city of Uijongbu. It is a very metropolitain city. A large city...there is actually two installations in this city C. Stanley and C. Red Cloud. There is a bustling downtown that is about 15 min. from us. And right outside our complex is tons of restaurants and little market places...what they are I can not tell you b/c they are all in Korean!! :) There is a little restuarant that we love to go to and we call it (well all americans call these restaurants) "Beef and Leafs!!" Basically it is traditional Korean food, and you go in, there is a charcoal pit in the center of the table (and yes we prefer to go to the ones with chairs and tables b/c of my tall husband!!) And you cook your own food on the little grill. Then you take the meat (usually beef and it is ohh so good) and you take rice, special sauces...and whatever other veggies are on the table wrap it up in a lettuce leaf and eat the whole thing...its quite entertaining and OHH so very good!!
Korean Driving...
We have also both gotten our Korean driver's license!! May the Lord be with us!! :) Korean drivers are CRAZY!!! The roads are very small, and as are the vehicles! There are road rules, they just arent really enforced by the police (and good luck finding a policeman, they dont do very much...well besides break up an occasional riot...and no I havent seen one!) There are lots of MOPED's here!! Koreans seem to LOVE mopeds!! And they are crazy on them- run lights (well everyone does that, stop means nothing here (unless there is a pedestrian crossing the road), zip in and out of lanes, cut cars and buses off (oh and the buses cut cars off all the time!! Needless to say driving in Korea is pure chaos! The only reason we bought a little car was for B to have ease getting back and forth to post, due to his crazy work schedule and duty for his soldiers! I have to hand it to the Koreans, they have a great public transportation system, there are buses, taxis, and subways in every single city it seems! I have rode the subway!! Its more like a train b/c it is all above the ground...quite a fun experience!
Our Apt...
Currently our apartment is quite empty! We are still awaiting our household goods!! They should be here in Sept. We do have a furnished guest bedroom by our landlord and we have our computer and our clothing!! We have no chairs, OH how Id love a chair!! Needless to say I can not WAIT for our stuff to get here!! My husband is currently in the field (about 4 hrs. away) for a 3 week training exercise!! Welcome to KOREA!!! :) So needless to say we were in the apartment for about 3 days and he had to leave! So far I think Ive done a pretty good job managing! I do get out and drive around...short distances! I havent gotten brave enough to go very far! Most of the road signs are in English...but its going to take me awhile to get aquainted with the geography of this country!
Entertainment...
I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping myself occupied! The next two weeks is going to be very busy for me. I've signed up to take some Army Family Team Building classes. I am looking very foward to those. They will teach me alot about the military, traditions, and rank structure as well as leadership. So I wont be so in the dark as to what my husband is talking about all the time! This coming week they are all day for two days and then the following they are all day for 3 days!! I have been out exploring!!! This past weekend, I went to Seoul (about 45 min south of us) and met up with a sorority sister of mine (Sora) who is here as an english teacher. It was so much fun exploring the big city!! :) This coming week I am also meeting up with some of the wives in B's company and we are going back to Seoul to explore an area called Insadong. Apparently, the area has lots of shops and a very pretty park!!
Silly Koreans... :)
A bit more about Koreans besides their crazy driving...they LOVE LOVE LOVE fashion!!! Its kinda crazy fashion though...Im not really sure what fashion magazines they read! I'll let you know when I figure it out!! The best I can compare it to is like a punk rock, modern, crazy, off the runway kinda fashion! Something that most of you and I would be like uh huh...never in this body am I pulling off that style!! :) They are also a very nice culture...they love everybody...well at leasts thats what were told! There is practically no crime here. The police dont carry guns and no one is allowed to own a gun. The police carry these large poles that are about the height of them (again I hear they use them to break up riots!!) For the most part, they really appreciate Americans! We have a positive working relationship with the ROK Army (Republic of Korea!)
Army Wives...
Well as far as my social life...I have met some wives...imagine that!! :) (And for those of you who pinned me to planning events...yes I've already volunteered to help with a going away party!!...imagine that!!) For the most part they are very nice! Of course, I'm about the only southern girl here...but thats okay! There are wives few and far inbetween. The area we live in is about ehhh...I guess 2 hrs. from N. Korea!!! ( no I'm not scared!!) We actually have plans to go visit the DMZ!! (Yes, I am nervous about that!!) But if I dont go then I will regret the once in a lifetime experience. There are guided tours there. Unfortunatly, I am sure that I wont be able to take pictures! But back to the area we are in, as I am sure I said back home, they are just now allowing families to come here, so there are ALOT of single soldiers and ALOT of youngins!! I could not believe the amount of soldiers that are here right out of bootcamp. In my opinion, its not the best idea...sending these 18 and 19 year olds over to this foreign country where everything is SOOO different, the drinking age is 19... but we are too abide by the states laws, and oh yeah...human trafficking is kinda big deal here. And yes, as a red head I do stick out like a sore thumb. The only other one I have seen is a pvt in my husbands unit, and she is a female as well!
Well, I am sure that I can blabber on and on and on!! But I won't!! Hopefully this will answer alot of questions.
We Love you all Very VERY much and Pray for you daily!! :)
Hopefully the posts from now on will he short and sweet, whew we've had alot going on!! And yea, I can blabb! :) I know!!
XOXO from HOT and HUMID (nothing like the south) KOREA!!!! :)
-Mrs. GC-