The Rains Record: July...(1 of 2)

Well, it has been a while since we've updated the blog with details about our life and what's going on around here! We cannot believe that we've been here in South Korea for almost 2 months now! The time has really flown by. We've been busy teaching and exploring during our time off, and time sure does fly when you're having fun. We've both pretty much gotten used to our new jobs and have learned most of the ins and outs of working for Avalon. Some things are frustrating (such as the lack of communication from our Korean counterparts at times, and the fact that they like to change things at the last minute and such...a couple weeks ago I had to work until 1:15 am re-doing some transcripts (some of students whom I have never met--yet I had to give them a score) to send home with the students because I had gotten them all finished and the Korean teachers decided to change them all...that was a little bit frustrating!), but for the most part we are both really enjoying our respective "schools" and our students. Michael is loving it because at his campus there are about 11 or so other foreign guys, so he already has a built in group of guys to hang out with, which is something he has really never had at a job before. So, life is good. We are still really enjoying our church as well and one of Michael's co-workers has been coming with us for the last month so that's been good. Now, I will show photos of the past month.

One day Michael and I decided to go early to the area where our schools are and eat lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant called Pho Bay. Talk about delicious food. Since then we have discovered an even better Vietnamese restaurant downtown and we have been back several times. I think it is slowly becoming my favorite food! :)

Michael really loves Pho Bay because they have cold Jasmine tea to drink. Most other places serve it hot, but the cold is really nice. Aren't the little cups cute?

Michael, ready to dive in.

Yummy food!! The pho is delish also!

We went walking around Suji and had to take a photo of the Batman Bar. No, we have not been in it, just outside of it.

That weekend we went to Bundang (a city very close by, and very nice!) on Sunday evening to go to a mall so I could find these very cute, comfortable Crocs shoes (not the standard ones, much cuter ones!). I decided with as much walking as we've been doing, I needed more comfortable shoes (I also went to Seoul one morning and found some Chaco's sandals which are also amazing). Michael's co-worker Jonathan went with us, and he took us to Bundang's Central Park, which was a very nice park area with lakes, some old buildings in the middle, and a "hill" that you could hike up. Here are some photos from that.

The old architecture and the new.

There were tons of fish there that people were feeding.

We hiked to the top of the hill/mountain, and at the top was an amazing exercise park!! It was owned by Lotte (a huge Korean corporation) and cost W 30,000 (about $30). So cool!

We waited until we were in Korea for over a month when we finally decided to visit the Golden Arches for lunch one day. Kung Fu Panda Chicken Nuggets!!

Michael was so amazed that they actually used nice plastic cups at McDonald's.

While we didn't get to celebrate US Independence Day with a day off of work, Michael decided to join some of his co-workers up on the roof of Charmant and let off fireworks. He was there with them for about 20 minutes until he came running back after the security guard came up and caught them. Gotta love Americans. Obnoxious as always.

That weekend, we took a trip out of town to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. I knew we were going somewhere but had no idea where. Michael planned the whole trip with some assistance from his Korean co-workers, and he surprised me by taking me to a city called Daejeon, south of us in another province called Chungcheong--Central Korea. It is about 2 hrs south of Seoul by car, and took as about 1.5 hrs by train. It is an area known for it's natural hot springs, so he took me to a Spa Hotel! Unfortunately, we got to Seoul to the KTX station and I realized I had left my camera sitting in our apartment--so the spoiled brat that I am headed over to the nearest Lotte Mart and bought the cheapest digital camera I could find. It was the quickest electronics purchase I have ever made! Michael is glad because now he has his own little camera to take photos with.

Michael cheesing it up while waiting for the train.

Sitting next to the ajoshis.

Looking for our train car.

First class, baby! We like to ride in style and comfort.

Such comfy seats for the hour ride!

On the subway in Daejeon.

Awesome little Korean Man! We kept seeing him in the subway station. I loved his cane.

Our Hotel--Spapia (a mix of Spa and Utopia)!

View from outside the window of Daejeon.

Cars, parked in the middle of the road.

Spa robe!!

Michael shaking his new swim trunks!

And yes, we now have almost "match-ee" bathing suits! Haha In Korea, couples love to dress alike. I was buying a bathing suit and the lady brought out the swim trunks and said, "Couple??" so I obviously insisted that he bought them. Yes!

Before the evening in the Korean Spa....they had separate spas for men & women...we also did not need our bathing suits. It was an interesting experience!

In our matchee robes!

We had a very nice, relaxing weekend, thanks to my awesome husband!!

We heard there was a pretty good Mexican restaurant in Bundang from one of Michael's co-workers, so we decided to check it out. LaMerce was the name.

The inside was actually surprisingly festively mexican!

We got chips & salsa, but there were like 20 chips, and they never brought us refills. Sad. :(

Michael's burrito--looks like mustard & mayo on top, but it was actually cheese sauce & sour cream---similar to canned cheese whiz.

My chicken tacos were pretty decent. We may go back. It was the closest thing we'd had to mexican food so far! It also was recommended by a Canadian...