8.09.2007

When it Rains..It Pours!

I decided to steal Alicia's title because it is so appropriate. I warned Alicia that she would be visiting Korea during the hottest time of the year so it would not be as fun for touring. However, I did not think to warn her that she could be here during the rainiest time of the year, something that makes touring Korea....interesting.

I have purposely not read Alicia's blog so that my blog about her visit won't be the same. My computer decided to take a break for a couple of days, but is back so I have decided this post is long overdue.

Our week can quickly be summed up by saying three phrases. Rain and more Rain. Starbucks. Catching Up. This is basically what we have done. However, I will share our week thus far in a series of photos and comments.

SUNDAY: Alicia arrived in Songtan around 4:30 in the evening. That evening the Caudles came over and put a ceiling fan up in my living room (a HUGE blessing!) Below is not the best picture of Alicia, but it is what she did her first evening, sleep through the fan being installed. She actually did visit for awhile, she just faded toward the end


MONDAY: The day started off with Pizza Hut and sticky pictures in Pyeongtaek--a classic, fun thing to do here in Pyeongtaek. I wish I had scanner so I could share those pictures with you! Oh, and I borrowed a friends van, so we got to drive...no public transportation! Though I have a Korean license, I do not have the opportunity to drive much, it felt good. For that reason, I included this picture of me driving.


















After this, we went to a local coffee shop where Alicia enjoyed coffee and I enjoyed water from a coffee cup.








Next, we dropped by the school and Alicia helped me arrange the furniture in my classroom. I am determined that my classroom needs to be arranged DIFFERENT this year. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do, but Alicia was gracious to help me arrange and re-arrange my classroom. I think I am pleased with it. Of course, I know my classroom with experience minor adjustments throughout the year as we work through the kinks...but I think I like it. Time will tell!

Alicia pretending to teach--the pictures only get so exciting while arranging classroom furniture!

That evening, my living room got a make-over all for the low price of $50, thanks to Alicia bringing me some curtains from India. I LOVE the new look--it is more me!







BEFORE






and AFTER

TUESDAY: Tuesday started off with the idea of going to Everland. Yes, it was pouring down rain as we left the house, but it has been raining in the morning a lot and then stopping, so we decided to take the risk that we might be wasting our time. When we got to the Songtan bus terminal they told us we had to go to the Osan bus terminal--in another city. So we jumped on the subway and went to Osan. When we got to the bus terminal in Osan, we were told that we needed to go the Suwon bus terminal (yet another city).Once again, we jump on the subway and go to Suwon. When we get to Suwon, it is still raining hard and I am not sure where the bus terminal is in relation to the subway station.

Instead of Everland, we decide to look the mall, have some Starbucks, and eat lunch at Outback before heading home. This was a very relaxing day. For some reason, it was pretty dead and a lot of the stores were closed. It could have been a holiday that I did not know about, however, the bank was open, and normally the bank is closed for holidays. Who knows! Sometimes things just go unexplained when you are a foreigner. However, it was nice because we lounged on the comfy chairs at Starbucks and talked for awhile...it was great!

That evening we came home and watched some Law and Order, made dinner, and watched Holiday. Alicia is a night owl, and I am a morning person. So she stayed up and I went to sleep.

WEDNESDAY: Due to the fact that it was raining once again on Wednesday, we had a sleep-in day. It felt great. I got up and ran and then came home and crashed until 11:00. We eventually got up and went to Sawatee (Thai food) for lunch. We both enjoyed some yummy chicken Phad Thai.

Alicia showing off her chopstick skills


From there, we got on the subway and headed to Suwon once again. I wanted to stop by Clinique (the store was closed the day before) and Alicia had found a watch the day before that she wanted to buy. My parents had given Alicia some money for us to have some "fun" with, so we let them buy us some watches. I ended up getting the same watch as Alicia. I have not had a watch for a few years now and it feels good to have one again. Below is a picture of us in front of the store where we got our watches. You cannot see mine, but you can see Alicia's in her picture.

Of course, we cannot pass a Starbucks without buying something (or Alicia can't)...so on our way to Starbucks I stopped by Baskin Robins and got ice cream and took it to Starbucks where Alicia ordered coffee. Unfortunately, part of my cone gave out and I ended up with a mess. Never fear though, I caught my ice cream as it fell off my cone. Of course, the only thing I could do was to quickly eat it from my hand--there was no way I was going to let all that ice cream go to waste!
From Suwon, we went to Sara's house for Casey's last night. It was just a great time of food, a games, and fellowship--what we from the House do best! Alicia and Matt beat Casey and I at Spades--but it wasn't total annihilation. Later that night a very hilarious game of Pictionary got started. Though Alicia and I did not win, we did okay. Alicia had to be talked/forced into playing...but I told her it did not matter waht her drawing skills were but it would be fun. Below are some pictures of us as Alicia was attempting to draw Illinois and completely failing. It was pretty funny as she would "stutter" with her drawing. THURSDAY (today): Once again it was a rainy day...but not at first. For this reason, this morning we headed for Suwon, once again, this time to see Hwaesong Fortress. This trip was not a complete failure, but almost one. We got to see the palace at the beginning of the wall, but once we hiked up some stairs and got our heart rates up in order to ride the trolley around the wall. We decided a 30 minute ride sounded better than a 2 1/2 hour hike. We got to the top only to discover we had missed the last trolley by about 10 minutes. Now it was lunch break and we had about an hour and a half before the next trolley ride. We decide to wait. During this hour and a half wait it decided to pour down rain. Alicia and I found a nice dry spot to chill at. One of the many things we discussed was our need for a personal photographer. Because it is just the two of us, it has been hard to get pictures of us together...at least good ones. So today, as we were waiting for the trolley, we took pictures of each other. I took my umbrella and went a took a picture of Alicia sitting in our nice dry spot, and she took a picture of me standing in the rain. What can I say...but it captures the day! Anyhow, after waiting an hour and a half for the trolley--I go up to the ticket booth only to find out that they are not going to run the trolley again...due to the rain! We tried to see Korea. It just didn't work.

One of our only picture together BEFORE it started raining--not my favorite...


We then head back toward the station and grab some Burger King for lunch. And since Suwon is the subway station with a Starbucks...of course, Alicia, the coffee addict, had to stop and get some Starbucks to go. When we arrived home from our failed exploration of Korea, we were greeted by Kara who has just returned to Korea. The three of us went out to eat Kalduksu tonight for dinner--our first Korean meal to take Alicia to. She did great and seemed to enjoy her meal.

And now we are back at home and watching You've Got Mail as we both try to catch up on our blogging. The Internet is slow and is not uploading pictures quickly, so I have quit trying for the night. I will add pictures later. Sorry...for now this is just going to be a long journal entry! Sorry if this is just a mundane account of what we have done--but it is nearly 2 am...WAY past my bedtime--I am in autopilot and have been thinking about sleep for the past few hours, not the best time to be attempting to blog. Perhaps when I add pictures I will make this a bit more exciting...but then...maybe not.

Stay tuned for more attempted Korean adventures by Alicia and Amber...

2 comments:

Shannon said...

It sounds like I am missing out. Are you enjoying your brown necklace as much as I am enjoying my blue one?

Craig & Cindy said...

Where did all you photos go? What side of the car is the driver on? You girls are having so much fun. Even though the rain seems to keep hindering your "play" times you still seem to be adverturous. And a LOT of Starbucks trips.

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