Hello From the Other Side!! Part 1- The Plane Ride that Would Never End!!!

An nyong ha sye yo? (Hello! How are you?) So much has happened in the short time that I have been here in "The Land of the Morning Calm" that I have barely had time to stop and process it all! But, as I sit here tonight while the kids are sleeping with a generous helping of half eaten spaghetti and broccoli on my floor (Thank you Hazel!!), I thought I would take a moment to update you on our progress. Using the standard rule of "the best place to start is at the beginning", the plane trip here is where I shall begin.

I packed, I planned, I re-packed and after much thought and sleep loss over the situation I finally decided that the best way to tackle this trip sans husband would be to be as organized and calm as possible. So, with the advice of "be like a duck on water", I set off to Korea bright and early (with the help of my father-in-law and a few kind words from both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law). 8 bags, 1 car seat, 1 stroller, 2 carry-ons, and 1 diaper bag later, I was whisked away to the Atlanta air port in the blink of an eye. The security process was fairly painless in Houston. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved! This was both a blessing and an omen of things to come....thus the old saying of "never judge a book by it's cover" comes to mind as I reflect back the sequence of events!

I landed in Atlanta and quickly set off to meet my mom, sister, and oldest daughter Abi for a quick lunch and a last good bye before I left the good ole' USA. It was extremely comforting to see them. I was anxious to just get the heck out of there and get my journey started but, taking time to see them really made the difference. It allowed me to reflect on everything and assure them that even though I was going to be on the other side of the world, I was still just a phone call/e-mail/fb chat away.

After those last tears and good byes, the girls and I were finally on our way to Seoul! THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFE TIME WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!!! Little did I know that an 18 hour plane ride with an almost 1 year old and a VERY rambunctious 3 year old would not be pleasant.....no matter how many games, toys, movies etc. that I brought for their entertainment. :/ The first 9 hours passed in a blur of crying ( just Hazel and Alex at this point), tossed toys , and countless trips up and down the aisles for exercise and bathroom trips. As I sat there bouncing Hazel on my knee while watching Nanny MacPhee Returns for the 3rd time, I thought to myself "Where can I get one of those magic sticks? and Why exactly don't they offer day care on international flights?" I vowed right then and there that the next time we make an international trip my husband WILL be present and sleeping aids for all will be passed out at meal times!

The next 9 hours went much more smoothly. After a quick meal of beef teriyaki, rice, steamed veggies, and some sort of cake (? I really don't know what kind but it was sweet and filling and a nice way to end the meal!), the girls snuggled in and slept (sort of peacefully with the exception of a few bathroom breaks and brief awakenings to reposition themselves), but darn it! I was WIDE awake! As tired as I was I could not sleep a bit! I literally felt like I was going to jump out of my seat!!! It was a good thing the air line had individual t.v. screens for every seat with a selection of movies and tv shows to watch. I think I watched just about every one of them (which was kind of great for me since my hubby is vehemently against all movie theaters condemning them as a waste of money and time :/)

We arrived fairly unscathed and mostly sane in Seoul around 6pm local time. Customs and Immigration went smoothly, however you do have to collect all of your luggage first and transport it yourself to customs for it to be scanned. (I knew I should have listened when the hubs said to pack light!!!) Boy was that a sight! It took 2 luggage carts slammed full to get my luggage and us to the right gate for inspections! I had to beg and plead with a security guard to help me push the carts and the stroller to my destination! Thank goodness the Korean people are so helpful! They literally will go out of their way to help a stranger in need no matter where they are! I could definitely get used to this! The hubs picked us up and we were off to our new home for a much needed shower/bath and dinner before we went to sleep! All in all we were happy to be together and ready to face our first official adventure as a family head on.

So, what have I learned?
1.)Never pack any more than you can carry by yourself.
2.)Children, while they are a precious gift from God, will quickly find what ever weakness you have and use it against you.
3.) Sleep is the best medicine known to man.

What are my first impressions of Korea?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! It is very beautiful, historic, and peaceful. Although the Korean culture does not appreciate the finer qualities of air conditioning like many Americans.

What is the weather like here?
One word: HOT! I thought I would be just fine having lived in both south Alabama and Houston, TX. Nothing could have prepared me for this!

Many more things to come and many more things to see. For now, let the games begin!

An nyǒnghi ka seyo! (Good Bye!)