Taken from the bus to Andong

So my first week of being in Korea was terrific! I can't believe how nice and kind everyone has been. Roland and I have just really settled in fast. 

It's been super cold, but it doesn't seem to affect local people like it affects us. We are definitely the most bundled up people on the street.

Everyone here thinks that this is a really small town, and Roland and I are still exploring it! 

This is Roland's favorite place to eat. In those steel steamers are the buns he loves!! Seeing that a bun is the  equivalent of $1.00, I approve!

This is the outside, now come on in!!

It's small but, since Roland and I have been traveling for the past 3 years, living out of a suitcase in whichever corner that we could find to stay, the idea of have a place were we are not going to have to move for a year is like a dream come true!

This is the first thing I cooked in our kitchen, it's a mushroom, green onion and cheese omelet. It was super tasty!!

Roland let me pick out the tea spoons. Aren't they cute!

Adorable bunny in a hot chocolate spa! It's the best.

We are really loving Andong, and I feel that being here is definitely a blessing. What a wonderful way to start 2012! We are going to try to do a blog once a week, maybe twice if we aren't super busy. We want to send love and best wishes to all our friends and family! Happy New Year!

I studied pretty hard today. It was a really off day I think, my mind was full of things and I was a bit sad.  Probably just the nerves of starting something new plus the added stress of a new place. I'm sure my lack of good rest is mostly to blame.

The day was bright and sunny, and the sky was blue. It wasn't nearly as cold as it was yesterday.  Roland and I tried to figure out the movie theater, but evidently they don't have fancy things like a timetable for movies.  You're supposed to ask, but seeing that we have no idea how to ask, and if we did the answer would still not be useful.  We are still going to try though!

I am still completely amazed and I feel blessed to be a part of this school. They are good people who really are caring. It's a good feeling. I really like the ownership they try to instill in their teachers. It makes  everything a little better.

The down stairs mini mart heated our spaghetti for us! It wasn't the right taste, but it was still a nice change from ramen. Though this chicken and pig riding a chili restaurant down stairs makes me really curious, but we have no idea how to order. Maybe someday...

Taken in Yokahama cause I forgot my camera today! oops

Today started too early!  Our bed is too hard and I can't seem to get warm or comfortable. Roland is pretty flat, but I have curves everywhere! After waking up several times in a few hours we went to the local hospital for my health check.  You have to have a health check to obtain a alien registration card which allows you to have a health care, cell phone and other useful things. So I was poked and squeezed but it was not as uncomfortable an experience as it was in Japan. After the hospital part of the day was over, Roland and I took a taxi to the school and tried to find our way home. Once that task was accomplished we then sought to find warm food. On the street was a huge cloud of steam, and this meaty, oniony, garlicky good smell. We pointed at the steamer and held up 2 fingers and 2000 Korean won and got 2 good sized steamed dumplings!  They were so hot and delicious. It was a great find. Later Roland brought me another for dinner.

My school is so kind!  Roland doesn't teach but he has a desk next to mine in the teachers room!  They really wanted us to know that we are apart of a caring company that is truly trying to bring the world to the children of Andong.  I can relate to them because I grew up in a small country setting, and I know that  it just takes a person to open your eyes and show you that the world is wide and full of things!

 This is the view of the river in Andong taken from the street next to our Apartment.  It's really lovely here, but I have no idea how to get to work! Roland and I walked all over and never did find it.  I am sure I will figure it out soon.

This building  houses  an E-mart. Roland I made 3 trips to this shop today! It was so difficult! It was crowded and we didn't really understand much of what the store ladies were saying.  We went in for some house making materials, towels, blankets,  kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, basically we had to buy necessities.  We also bought some food there, but got over whelmed by choice, and confusion and went home.

We have had a bit of tough luck today.  I started to not feel well again, and got a cough. I probably shouldn't have been out in the cold as much as I was. We found our stove is not connected to the gas line, so no cooking. The kettle we bought, has no bottom part to make the water cook, so I need to ask for help from my school to return it.  We have no idea how to work the TV, the US router doesn't work, we bought a Korean one but we can't read the instructions. Finally the floor is either too hot, and the room is warm, or the floor is safe to walk on, but the room is chilly.  I am sure we will work out a bunch of these hic-ups this week.  Well if I can find the school that is.

We are in Korea, and pretty happy.  The bus ride was a long trek, but what I noticed was that it didn't look too different than West Virginia.  When I realized that, I smiled and relaxed.  This is a picture of  Roland on the bus.  It takes 3 hours to get to Seoul by bus, and the station it goes to is crazy!

This video is our apartment, we got here at night with our luggage. The house was mostly empty. We had some flower mugs, yay!  So about an hour after this video our bed arrived and 3 men came in and built it like they train for a NASCAR pit crew or something. It was impressive. We wished them a Merry Christmas and they were off just as fast as hey came in.  Then we went shopping!  We will have a new video of a more moved in apartment soon!

Talk to you soon!!! <3

It's such a shame we are planning to leave soon. The cats are finally feeling at home.

 It's really sad that in a few weeks I won't see their cute faces for a year!

But they will be happy with my parents. There my sister's cats will keep them company and they will run amok!

And that is Tiger's favorite pass time.

In awesomer news I got cute red shoes. Love them!  This is my second purchase from Zappos.  Amazing service and quick, like next day quick! I ordered these shoes and when they arrived (the next day, I paid no shipping at all) they were too big.  I called them up the guy was super awesome, complemented me on my wonderful taste and sent me out a new pair. That was yesterday. Today the new pair arrived at my house and tomorrow we are mailing the pair that didn't fit back. All this at no cost other than the shoes themselves. I love Zappos, I will be wandering around Korea in these comfortable shoes.  Finally shoes that fit!

Also if you call them, you can hear the joke of the day by pressing 5.

Lately navigating through the paper work and bureaucracy is starting to feel like a path with out an end.  Sometimes the fog is so think that I can't see where to take my next step.  It leaves me wondering, if I am still on the path at all.

And then you have a moment where the path is laid out in front of you, all you have to do is get across.  The troubling thing is you don't know what is on the other side.

 I am so grateful to have my husband walking this murky path with me. What ever is waiting for us we can handle it together.
 

I found so many good items for my Etsy shop today. Please take a look!

These cute glasses peered at me from behind a bunch of random ceramic. I saw them by chance!

This is the first of 2 pairs of Asian themed coffee mugs.  I really loved the color and charm.

This was the first pair I found. I love the blue color!

I found two of these really cute china plates. They are registered fine china from a Japanese company called Taihei china.

This pattern is called Springtime and was discontinued in 1983.

These glasses were in such good condition, and I was pleasantly surprised when they looked so nice with the China I found.

 

I found two milk glass bowls. This one and the one at the top of this post are both Anchor Hocking, and are classic examples of depression glass.  I was so excited about my finds! They are all now listed on my 

Etsy store 

Check out the treasury with my items featured

I love summer so much!  This one is really special cause it's the first summer with my husband. Some could argue that I have had about 4 or so summers in the last 3 years, and all of them with him, but at the time he wasn't my husband!  Other than just  loving the summer, I'm cooking for my family!

We are making a Jambalaya inspired  thing.  I used
1 onion
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 green pepper
1 Polish sausage
handful of cherry tomatoes
some frozen broccoli
2 cups of rice
1 Tbs of garlic salt
1 Tbs dried parsley
2 bay leaves

Chop everything.

First add just a little oil to your pan then get it pretty hot before putting the sausage into it. When it starts to curl and get a little brown take it out of the pan.

Don't wash the pan just add the onion and pepper to the pan 'til they get a little brown and semi-translucent, then add the zucchini and squash.

When everything is tender add the tomatoes.

Add the garlic salt and let them cook for a little bit the tomatoes will cook down and make the sauce.

 Lastly through the sausage and 2 bay leaves and parsley into the skillet and let cook for about 10 mins and then add frozen broccoli.

Mix in rice or just serve it on top like a stir fry.

Then eat!

It's time to bake again!  We made Maple bread, peperoni rolls and Lemon Blueberry mini loafs!

I am going to give you the recipe for the Lemon Blueberry loaf. 

 And here we go!

Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe:

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

I added all the drys together in one bowl.

In my awesome mixer I creamed the room temperature butter. Add the sugar and mix till a light fluffy texture.

 Mix in the vanilla and lemon zest. Slowly add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the mix, and when it gets thicker then and 1/3 of the milk, do this till its all gone.

Then stop  and mix the rest by hand, so not to over mix the batter. Dust your blueberries with flower.

Fold the blueberries into the batter.

Then pour the batter into prepared loaf pans. ( I am using 3 mini pans )  Bake at 350 F for about 20 mins.

Tada! yummy yummy yummy!

So yummers!