Recap of my first 48 hours in Korea

So I've already mentioned my flight and hotel room.  The huge jacuzzi tub takes forever to fill, but it was lovely.  I fell asleep for a few minutes.  Then I fell asleep watching TV so finally went to bed and slept for about 9 hours.

On Sunday I did a test walk to the main Holt office.  No problems, takes about 20 mins.  Then I got lost trying to find the PAS building and walked for over an hour.  Found the mall, went to eat at McDonalds but thought better and went to find something else.  Found a Korean hot dog place, turns out it was a chain from Denmark, and the "Original French Hotdog" I ordered is a cross between a bun and a hard baguette, skinny weiner, catsup, mayo, iceberg lettuce, and 1 slice of sweet pickle.  Bleh.

Walked back to the hotel.  Chilled for a bit, then walked to the subway.  No problems with the ticket, I was staring at the right sign, it went just fine.  Unfortunately when I got off I discovered I'd gone the opposite direction and was at the wrong terminal.  Wandered around there for awhile, finally admitted I was overwhelmed and lost, hailed a taxi back to hotel.  Got to the hotel but decided I needed food, so I went to the Family Mart 2 blocks away.  And got lost again.  Ended up walking clear back down to the mall where I had a burger and lemonade, then bought a supply of juice and lugged it back up the hill to the hotel.  I walked for about 5 hours yesterday.  Slowly.  I'm dying.

Walked to Starbucks this morning on the way to the office, and actually got there early.  My meetings were cut short by a surprise audit by the govt, so I was done by 2pm today (Monday).  I took a cab back to the hotel.  I'll either order delivery (KFC) or call Esther, my counterpart, and meet her for dinner.  Traveling by myself to Korea isn't as easy as I'd hoped.  No matter how open I am to trying new things, I still can't read the signs or the menu.  A couple of my friends were just here, and the staff they work with took them out at night.  I think I'm too old, the staff I work with assume I need to rest more.  LOL  It's probably more like me not wanting to impose on them, I know how hard they work and this audit will put them behind.  No worries, I'm still having a great experience!

And that was my first 48 hours in Korea!  Tours won't come for awhile yet, have to get the work stuff done first.  Tomorrow afternoon I go to the old baby hospital site and Sungrowon orphanage with Esther and this adorable little Belgian adoptee who speaks like 4-5 languages and loves cats.  Very exciting.

Yep, some things never change

Arrived in Korea an hour late but safe and sound.  As of right now I've been awake for 25 hours.  I dozed lightly for about a half hour on the plane.  I spen the rest of the flight watchng the movies and trying to read.  I was so tired I couldn't even concentrate on reading.  I did get to see Saving Mr. Banks, which was a great movie.  I cried.  It was a Disney movie about Disney.  Of coure I cried.

What hasn't changed in 5 years?  The lines on the road are still just suggestions.  If you want to get there first, just drive on the shoulder or the wide parts of the meridian.  But always drive with one hand on the wheel and the other on the horn.  I'm not sure why since it seems no one really cares.

It's now 7:30 Seoul time.  I've had one fight with the toilet/bidet combo already, I'm a little afraid to try the bathtub with jets.  But it's huge and I'm so looking forward to it.  Pictures don't seem to be posting well to the blog through the ipad, but I'll be posting several on FB.  My new camera will upload them directly with a wi-fi connection.  Too cool.

Tomorrow I brave the big city by myself.  The Holt office is about a 15 minute walk from the hotel, so I'll plan on 30+ for me.  If I don't get lost getting there and back, I may try a subway.  Need to find the nearest coffee and cheap food places too.  I hear there is a mall on the way to the office.  My friend described it as Target on crack.  This I HAVE to see!

I hate San Francisco

Well, I actually like the city a lot. I hate the airport.  Well, it's a nice airport, I hate the weather.  My flight arrived 5 minutes early to sunny skies and a gorgeous morning. An hour later the fog was so thick I couldn't see the hills. Half an hour after that and the fog is gone but there are these pretty white clouds in a layer over the airport with blue above them.  My flight leaves in an hour.  I may count how many weather changes there are between now and lift off.

SFO, before the hour long delay.

The 5 Stages of...

Travel.

1. Denial - "I'm not getting my hopes up, the company will cancel the trip.  I don't want to be disappointed, so I'm denying it will happen until it happens."

2. Fear - "OMG! They're making me go alone!  I can't do this alone!  I'm going to miss the flight, I'm going to get stuck in the airport when I can't find the driver, I won't know how to get my money changed and I'm going to starve!"

3. Overwhelmed - "There are so many things to see, I don't know how to choose.  There are hundreds of palaces, museums, parks.  I can't walk far, I won't be able to take a subway.  I don't know how to take a subway.  I don't know how to hail a taxi.  I don't know what to see first.  I'm feeling so overwhelmed."

4. Obsession - "I have a minute by minute itinerary.  My iPad is loaded with street maps, subway maps, translation programs, my case list, my question list, hotel address, and most importantly - the nearest Starbuck's locations.  I made lists for my co-workers, set my auto-response, listed out exactly what I'm going to wear on each day, wrapped the gifts, made the packing list, and mixed up extra cat food.  Anxious you say?  Nah."

5. Excitement - "OMG I leave in 34 hours!  I AM SOOOOOOO EXCITED!  I can't wait."

Thus, the 5 stages of travel.  Been there yourself?

Gearing up, headin' out....

2 days, 8 hours, 11 minutes, 34 seconds.....

Yep, I'm leaving for Korea.  Alone.  For 11 days.  Minus travel time; although I do get back to Eugene 3 minutes before I leave Seoul.  Does that make it 10 days, 11 days, or 12 days?  Does it really matter?  NO!

This time I was able to set my own schedule, arrange my itinerary with Holt Korea myself so that everything applies to my position and duties.  Last time I was tagging along with the new adoptions folks from the office.  I still learned a lot, and had the opportunity to visit a foster family, a home for unwed mothers, and view a well-baby clinic with some awesomely cute babies waiting for families.  But this time the trip will be geared towards the adult adoptees and their families I serve.

I also made a point to plan a couple of tours through Holt Korea and on my own, and map out several locations that I want to visit.  I was so overwhelmed last time that when left on my own I was nearly paralyzed.  Friday I leave with an iPad loaded with subway maps, directions to each tour start location, general maps of Seoul, and an itinerary. 

I'm armed with the knowledge that if I get lost in Seoul I can always hail a taxi and have them take me back to my hotel.  I know that the locals will humor the short, fat, white American woman butchering their wonderful language, and will point me in the right direction.  I'm also armed with a collapsible cane which I fully intend to use to my benefit in airports or malls, as needed.

Lookout world, here I come... in 2 days, 7 hours, 53 minutes, 45 seconds....  not that I'm counting.

Wise Words?

I've been meaning to start blogging again, especially after my accident.  I still plan to do a post summarizing life on crutches, just not tonight.  I have Christmas gifts to finish.  Ok, I have gifts to start and then finish.

Following are things I've said that I never thought I'd be saying, and whom to.  Please remember that the principal players are my son Nathan, and my cats Jack, Tripper, and Indiana.

• Jack, please don't eat the napkin.
• Jack, don't eat the paper towels.
• Ok, who knocked all of the pens off the table and hid them under the stove?
• Indiana, please don't lick the light bulb.
• Tripper, why did you shut off the bathroom light?  While I'm sitting on the toilet.  Now in the dark.
• Indiana, you're going to fall on your head.
• Jack, stop stealing the straws from my glass.
• Nathan, why did you draw on the wood floor in your bedroom?
• Tripper, dammit, now I know why you were named Tripper!  Stop running between my legs!
• Indiana, please don't lick the blanket.
• Tripper, please stop drooling on my suede shoe.
  
• Jack, you cannot sleep on my face, I don't care how loving you are.
• Nathan, please don't wear my boot socks.  Yes, I know they were in your drawer - that's because you sorted the laundry!
• Jack, please stop licking my hair.  I already showered.
• Tripper, get out of the sink.
• Indiana, stop sharpening your claws on my pants - while I'm wearing them!
• Nathan, why did you draw on your bedroom wall?  Oh, because I said don't draw on the floor.  Makes sense.
• Jack, please stop eating the tissue.

A Review of Me... Again.

Don't ask me why, but I decided to blog this afternoon, and realized that I haven't posted in almost a year, and posted very few last year.  It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.  Probably because I do love to write, and although I write all day long at work, it isn't about me.  It has some of "me" in it, in my passion for my job, my humor, my empathy.  In a blog I can write about me, what I'm thinking, what I like, and what I don't.  Although it sounds very self-centered, it's really just about expression.

Who am I, you ask?  If you read past entries you'll find a variety of answers to that question.  Like everyone, it depends on where I am in my life.  Not when, as time is relative, but where in the on-going process of living my life.  This blog has seen me through a trip to Korea, a major surgery, a separation and divorce, several failed "romances", work stress, personal stress, the loss of loved ones, the joys of watching my son grow into a man.

Today I find myself thinking a lot about how others perceive me, how I perceive myself, and why there is a difference.  Yes, more introspection.  Deal with it.  LOL  Someone recently said I was very reserved.  I don't see myself as reserved, but I do see myself as cautious.  Emotionally cautious, until I get to know someone.  I find it hard to trust, but once I do, I trust them implicitly, and will leave myself open in every way.

Yes, I do present myself as a white bread, middle-class, middle age, middle of the road, insecure housewife and mother.  In many ways I am all of those things, for a variety of reasons.  But if all you're going to see it what's on the outside, you're missing so much.  I'm artistic, funny, smart, creative, moody, passionate, slightly OCD, ironic, adventurous, and much more. 

Some people are very good at putting themselves "out there", what you see is what you get.  I had it beaten into my head for years that no one wanted to see what/who I am, so hiding it became a way of life.  No, I don't think that's sad.  My past has made me who I am.  And who I am is someone who never takes life, love, friendship, family, creativity, laughter, stability, and joy for granted.  Ever.

Ok, I will concede that I am reserved - in public.  In private, I think I'm very different.  I have learned to tailor how I present myself to the situation, the company I'm with, the subject of discussion.  I appear reserved when I'm nervous.  I appear reserved when confronted with a new situation, a new environment, when I'm off-balance or insecure.  The key word in all of this is "appear".

So, if you aren't willing to look past appearances, you're going to miss out on so much.  I'm pretty damn amazing - insecurities, OCD, artistic temperament, sense of humor, and occasionally ridiculous cat pampering aside.