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30 June 2004 (Wednesday)

Major excitement today as I stopped in at the import lady to buy some pepper jack cheese.... she had hard taco shells! Now I am excited to have tacos soon... but I'll have to wait until next week because Craig is leaving me again for a week--this time to Malaysia!

As you can probably tell, I got a little behind on the last week of entries (I've just been too busy with a lot of little misc. stuff) so my entries aren't as good as they could be. I will try not to get behind like that again!

28 June 2004 (Monday)

Our pottery hadn't been fired when we got in today, so we have to wait until next week to see how my dessert plates turn out! I started on my next six plates anyway (shaping them) and next week I'll stencil the blossom design into the six new ones.

27 June 2004 (Sunday)

Craig and I went into Busan today to get off the island, do a little shopping, and grab some Subway for lunch. Unfortunately, I got sick on the ferry ride home! There were a lot of other people who didn't look so hot on the ferry, too, but luckily I was able to make it to the bathroom in time!

Amazingly, I felt just fine once we were off of the ferry so we were fine to meet up with Connie and Matt for bulgogi for dinner. We ate at the bulgogi restaurant near the London Pub and had the sirloin--it was good (and not as fatty as a lot of the pork or beef we get other places).

26 June 2004 (Saturday)

At the TKD competition in Gohyeon. 6/26/04

Craig, Jaynie, Minsue, Connie, and I went to the TKD competition in Gohyeon today. It was pretty interesting to watch. I have no desire to spar for competition although Jaynie says she would like to do it.

Tonight, Craig and I went down to the pool to help celebrate Erica's birthday (Friday) and to say goodbye to Noreen and Glenn. We had a good time, not to mention (among other things) turkey, salmon, and massive quantities of fruit (as Chris so ably demonstrates eating his massive spoonful).

25 June 2004 (Friday)

Julie trying on her new sun screen. 6/25/04

Today was Nancy's last day at TKD. It was also Jaynie, Minsue, and my last test in the dojang before we test for black belt. It was also Erica's birthday. And Sabaemnim's birthday the day before. Obviously, we had a lot going on after the test was over today in class!

Tonight we went to Delhi (the Indian Restauarant) for Nancy and Amy's going away dinner (this is where Julie got her fancy outdoor gear in the photo above). After dinner we had a little party at the dojang to send Nancy and Amy off with memories of dancing and cartwheels! We couldn't stay too late at the dojang because there was a TKD competition that Sabeamnim and Mijung needed to go to early on Saturday morning.

24 June 2004 (Thursday)

Jaynie, Minsue, and I went into the dojang today to practice poomse #8 a few more times before our test tomorrow. Mijung helped us out--especially with our jump-kicks that were not looking so hot. After, we met up with Nancy for lunch and then followed her to her apartment to raid it of what is being left behind when she moves Shanghai. I think my best grab was several bags of Goya-brand cornmeal! I'd rather just have Nancy stay here in Okpo than have the cornmeal, but she's not giving us that option.

22 June 2004 (Tuesday)

Erica and I went to Lotte Mart to buy some capris today! I'm excited that I fit into Korean clothes--it's so nice to actually be able to buy new clothes I think I might go overboard when I am home this summer!

21 June 2004 (Monday)

Craig came back from Holland today and Salty moved back in with his family. I think it was a pretty good trade, but I had a lot of fun with Salty while he was here--I miss him already!

19 June 2004 (Saturday)

We went out tonight to celebrate Joe and Julie's birthdays tonight! Erica, Brandy, and I went to Mabins for dinner first (delicious steak!--why don't I go there more often?) and then we had birthday cake at three different bars (Joe & Julie are regulars!) and had a good time out on the town.

16 June 2004 (Wednesday)

Salty. 6/16/04

I'm taking care of Salty for Darcie & Ian who are in the US until Friday. Erica & Joel had him last week but I guess Harley was too much for him to handle so he's relaxing with me now--yay! I fell in love with him in less than a day--he is just too cute! Makes me miss Tillie though (especially since he almost looks like a miniature version of her!).

We went for coffee in Jangseungpo to celebrate Julie's birthday tomorrow. We had yummy ice cream cake and cappuccinos.

14 June 2004 (Monday)

We got our pottery back today! I liked my platter with the cherry blossoms so I started making dessert plates to go with it. I just need to decide now if I'm going to use the same cherry blossom pattern on those or try to find a few different ones. At the end of pottery, one of the Korean guys there went to the store and brought back popsicles for everyone which was really nice of him but the one I got had red bean paste in it and I could barely eat it--it just wasn't what I think should be inside a popsicle!

13 June 2004 (Sunday)

Last-minute shot of Raisa in the morning. 6/13/04

Craig left early in the morning to head to Holland for a week so I drove everyone to the airport in the van. It was so much easier than I thought it would be that after I left the airport, I headed back to Haeundae beach by myself to check out CasaMia--a store I spotted Saturday night when we went to TGIFriday's. It was like walking into Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn! So exciting! I got a caramel frappuccino from Starbucks before I headed to Carrefour (the French Wal*Mart/Target). I came home to a very quiet apartment after I returned the van rental and unpacked my purchases.

12 June 2004 (Saturday)

Owen. 6/12/04

Today we went to the Cheonmachong Tomb (note that the photo is not actually of that specific tomb, but just a view of some tombs inside the park (the big mounds on either side of the building are tombs--and those mounds must to be mowed!) where we had a tour guide explain some of the replicated artifacts on display inside the Cheonmachong tomb (unfortunately no photographs were allowed inside).

We headed out to Busan for lunch at Ganja (the Indian restaurant at Haeundae Beach) before the we left Anita and the kids to take a nap in our hotel room. Unfortunately Owen didn't take a nap while Corrine, Scott, Craig & I sat on the beach, got snacks for the plane at the grocery store, and then had beers/smoothies (I had a strawberry smoothie) before heading back to the room.

After that, Corrine & Scott took the kids to the pool in the hotel (the water is too cold now at the beach) while Craig, Anita, and I relaxed and caught Knight Rider on Starworld. We went to TGIFriday's for dinner and got desserts for Anita's birthday on the 17th.

11 June 2004 (Friday)

Raisa. 6/11/04

We piled in the van and headed for Gyeongju this morning. (Mijung has been very helpful in telling me which places we should go see--she also helped me when I wanted to go to a temple for Buddha's birthday last month.) After some searching (we ended up having the hotel owner meet us and ride in the van with us to show us the way to the hotel) we found our hotel which was a backpacker's hostel. We had three rooms all with paper doors that opened up into a courtyard. The hotel owner walked us to a restaurant and ordered a lunch for us which was really great.

After lunch we drove up to Bulguksa and then to Seukguram Grotto (unfortunately we were not allowed to take a photo of the Buddha in the grotto, but it was very impressive). We walked along a dirt road/path and had to climb several stairs to get to the grotto. When we were heading back down the stairs, Owen told us that he was getting "tired of stairs." Luckily he was able to stop and get a drink before we walked back up the road. As we were walking on the road from the grotto, we passed several busloads of school children all saying "hello" "nice to meet you," etc. It was a little overwhelming!

10 June 2004 (Thursday)

A snail in the Jagalchi fish market. 6/6/04 (photo by Craig)

I stayed home to work while the others went to the markets in Busan for the day. The kids got a lot of attention (especially in the fish market) from the Koreans today.

9 June 2004 (Wednesday)

Anita & Corrine came to watch our TKD class this morning and then went to Davinci with everyone after class. Corrine, Scott, and I drove up to Chicken on the Mountain to make a dinner reservation and then went on an afternoon hike. We returned to the apartments to wake Owen and head down to the pool for a swim. Since the pool isn't heated, the water was freezing, but a few laps warmed us up--it will be really nice to have the pool this summer!

8 June 2004 (Tuesday)

Craig went to work today, so I took everyone to town to Sae-il (kitchen/housewares) and the gift lady before we went back to the kimbap restaurant for lunch. Anita, Corrine, & I went back into to town to get some groceries for dinner and to do a little more shopping after lunch and during Owen's & Raisa's naps.

7 June 2004 (Monday)

I went to TKD today and then came back to the apartment to work while the others made the trek to Lotte Mart today. We went for pork kalbi tonight which everyone seemed to enjoy. Owen didn't eat much, but the restaurant owners gave him an ice cream cone which he thoroughly enjoyed.

6 June 2004 (Sunday)

Shallots(?) drying on the beach. 6/6/04

We went for a drive along the coast today and stopped at the beach. We sat on the rocky beach for a while and Owen had a fan club. People are very interested in Raisa as well. Anita decided she wants to get a parasol like a lot of people are carrying around for protection from the sun.

Craig took Anita, Scott, & Corrine on a tour of the shipyard. Raisa and I hung out together while Owen took a nap. Raisa was fussy for a while but we had fun in the end reading "Opposites" and touring the apartment looking at all of the neat things we have (like light switches and chairs and pillows and mirrors). In the evening, Owen & I stayed home and watched Veggie Tales "Eric the Kindly Viking", took a walk to the pool, ate popcorn, and colored while the others went to mushroom bulgogi.

5 June 2004 (Saturday)

Owen convinced Craig to take him to the Wiggles' web site before bed. 6/5/04

I took our rented minivan (a Kia Carnival Park) on the car ferry to meet Craig and his family at the Busan airport yesterday afternoon. Craig had been working off-site and we didn't think there would be enough luggage space in the back of the minivan for everyone's suitcases so we had Craig's car as well. Everyone arrived safely but they were all tired from the flights and long drive back to Geoje.

Owen got us all up bright and early this morning (5:30 AM!) thanks to the time change. We went into town to check out the market (where we saw a loose eel, fish drying on hooks) and to have kimbap for lunch. After naps in the afternoon, Owen played with cars and Raisa sat checked out Vincent's megasaucer.

4 June 2004 (Friday)

Sabeamnim gave us popsicles after class today--I chose a watermelon flavored popsicle that was shaped like a watermelon wedge. Complete with chocolate covered peanut bits for the watermelon seeds. It was not the best combination of flavors, but it was refreshing all the same!

3 June 2004 (Thursday)

I've been feeling a little under the weather lately (hopefully it's just a cold) and have been busy with work, so I haven't had much to write about. One fun part of each day for the last week has been visiting Pumpkin and Goblin! Pumpkin purrs like mad when I comb him and Goblin has actually stayed out from under the bed to let me pet him (and photograph him!) the past few days.