On the big Island

hey! Sorry for the delayed post. It has been a busy couple of weeks since arriving here in Jeju-do. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and we were picked up by Moon's Aunt, mom and brother. Everyone was excited to see Joon and he was in good form talking and walking around making everyone laugh.
The house is set up nicely. We were without hot water but the temps were so high we didn't mind a cool shower. Eventually a little water heater has been put in as well as the internet so we are able to feel somewhat settled. There are hot peppers and sesame seeds planted in the yard and in the subtropical environment a variety of birds and insects in the warm night. We have beds so no sleeping on the floor but everything else is done at floor level. This has been an adjustment for Joon. The dinner table is low so Joon likes to crawl on top and put his hands in everything on the table. Dropping food means attracting the bugs so we have to be vigilant to keep things clean. He mostly enjoys having the access and keeping us on our toes.
Jeju island is a large volcanic island. Essentially the towns are on the coast and everything is up the hill from there. Our house is about 8 km from the main city of Jeju-shi

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It is about a 25 minute bus ride and a windy, curvy one at that. It is a small house set in between several large mandarin groves. I finally took a run the other day and got a feel for just how many little farms there are in the area. Small one lane roads, rock walls made out of the lava that makes up the terrain and several gullies that drain the water down to the coast during heavy rains or snow melt at the top of the mountain.
Jeju is very different from seoul (fortunately). The towns are all consolidated and it can become rural in a matter of minutes. The cities contain mostly small independently run shops selling local goods when possible. In addition is the market where people sell their clothes, vegetables, meats, and fish. Slowly my system has gone through a kind of withdrawal from the foods I am used to. Good bread is hard to find and wth few ovens around impossible to bake (though I am exploring a rice cooker recipe). Soups and rice are the mainstays so any western food I crave costs a pretty penny (cereal for instance or traditional pasta) It is not so hard now but I am thinking about living without these things for a year at least and it makes me crave them even more.
To get around we take the bus or cabs. The cabs run on natural gas so it is relatively inexpensive to ride one (about 6 bucks into town). We are hoping to own a car but would like to have some income before we shell out the dough. and of course Iwould like a bicycle but given how people drive I am not overly eager to take my chances on the narrow roads. Bus driver's seem to be the worse with their speeding, sudden stopping and crazy passing. While Koreans tend to be very friendly when meeting in person it seems that behind the wheel no one is looking out for the other driver or the pedestrian. It can be a little scary with Joon so I am extra cautious to look both ways before crossing. One has to be a defensive pedestrian I guess.
Okay, hopefully I haven't bored you to tears.
No major adventures just getting settled. As you can see from our pictures we visited the beach a couple of times and it was great to swim in a warm ocean rather than an ice cold river or lake. we hope all is well with everyone. Feel free to send us questions in the comments section or email us if you want to know more. Have fun!

First impressions

I am writing from the island of Jeju, our home for the next year? We are settling in to the house. Moon's mother really had us set up nicely. There is a nice bed, new flooring, and even a guitar in one of the rooms. She really made us feel welcome.

We arrived in Seoul on the evening of the 5th and we were super tired. As we rode the bus into the big city, I turned on some Beta Band and soaked in the new surroundings Of course Seoul is busy and sprawling but it did not seem so overwhelming as it had in the past. some of the first things I noticed were the variety of small shops and restaurants. Then there was the number of family and kids out on the sidewalk despite it being night time. There was an atmosphere of safety and fun as everyone walked around or came out of their local restaurant. The air was muggy, a new sensation compared to Seattle or Alaska. Eventually we arrived at the apartment of Moon's friend to unwind and eventually fall asleep.

Slowly we recovered from jet lag, adjusted our taste buds to the new diet of soup and veges for breakfast lunch and dinner and actually had enough time for a hike. The walk was up a small hill. On the way up were many places for people to exercise and play badmitton or Majong depending on your preference. Finally it ended with a nice view of Seoul. Many people were taking notice of Joon in the backpack carrier that is not so common here and he is loving all the attention he gets everywhere he goes. After a few rounds of badmitton it was back to rest up for the next leg of our journey.

Once I get my pictures together and a video of the house I will give you an update of life on the island.

a fun picture...

Seoul

Just a quick note to let everyone know we have arrived safely in Seoul. Joon is a seasoned traveler quickly adapting to his new surroundings. We are staying with Moon's friend Hae - Jin and family. their children love Joon and he is getting more attention than ever. For now we are recovering from jet lag, eating great food, and preparing to head to Moon's hometown this afternoon. We will post more soon!

Digging that hole....

Boy am I glad that is over with. I thought this was a straightforward project. Dig a new hole, move an outhouse over the hole, fill old hole with dirt.

Not so fast. This is not a topic one can google and find much discourse on. I had to debate about cribbing (supporting) the walls, having a company pump the thing, or taking my chances and digging another hole in five years. Halfway into the digging process I said 'screw it I am paying to have this thing pumped.'

In the research I did with friends around town I discovered some varied ideas on how to approach the problem. First – how much poo does one produce in a year? Can a 55 gallon drum cover the load? Second, who takes on the task of pumping that crap out and why? and third what the heck am I doing even thinking about any of this in the year 2008? One friend has back door access to their outhouse in which they can change out garbage cans and move them to the curb when ready to be pumped – (gross!), others throw a barrel down and pump yearly. I eventually looked at the cost and determined I was willing to take my chances with the hole I dug and left it as is. This was after acquiring a 55 gallon drum, sawing off the top and seeing how tiny it looked in that beautiful hole that I dug. And so days of thought went for naught as I simply moved the outhouse over the hole took one look down the empty shaft and felt saddened that it would soon never look the same down there.

In the end however, it was a satisfying moment. Digging the hole gave me some time to bond with my property and reflect on what I love about Fairbanks. Like, the fact one has to deal with outhouse holes so close to town or the cheap price one has to pay for a phenomenol view of Ester dome. And so I was glad I dug that hole and suspect in a few years I will be out there contemplating another fine dig….and so it goes (if you ever wondered). Party on!

Subaru Nation

Well we have had a week to hang out in Fairbanks and try on the clothes of a new town for a little while. It has been mostly good. When crossing in to Alaska one is aware that a lot has changed and very little has changed. Roads are in constant construction and upheaval, cost of food is still high as is gas. The local public radio station has mostly the same announcers as when we left 4 years ago and Fairbanks summers still rock. Of course rainy Augusts and the standard fair fare goes on as usual...

Things that have changed include a new country station broadcasting from Ester - a mix of old school and new school country that while sometimes a little much on the patriotic/right wing bent manages to be a decent station most of the time. UAF has upgraded its roads and made getting around campus a little easier. The Korean restaurant brightened its space and still produces quality Korean food. A new Thai rest. has opened up on the corner of ester dome rd. strange location but apparently quality food.

Selling the car proved to be easier than expected - hence the title of this blog. Post a decent subaru for sale and get ready for the phone and email to take off. Today a mechanic inspected and someone has agreed to buy for a little below our asking price. That would not have happened in Seattle so we are glad we waited. Demand was high so we could get what we wanted. Glad the process is almost over.

As for our property nothing has changed. The same tenants are there and hope to be there another year. My job this week is to dig a new hole for the outhouse - Shapoopy! - I can't wait! The house is holding up well and we are on the search for someone willing to do odd jobs on the house.

So for now we take small hikes on the nice days and visit friends in the evenings. The mosquito bites on Joon's face are finally disappearing and he seems happy in the same but different fairbanks. Until next entry - Party on!

On the road...and off again!

Hey! We have arrived safely in Fairbanks after a long 6 days on the road. We started in Seattle and took the scenic route north. We travelled through Banff and Jasper and then made our way
Northwest up to Fairbanks. Along the way we saw lots of wildlife including sheep, goats, elk, black bears, and even a grizzly. Joon had quite the adventure. It was a lot of time to spend in a car but he did great. He even enjoyed his first experience with camping. He loved to wander around the campground and slept great in the tiny tent we shared.
Since arriving in Fairbanks we have spent our first weekend catching up with friends and recovering from being in the car for so long. It has been raining for weeks here and nothing changed since we arrived. of course it feels like Seattle so no major adjustment there. We are housesitting for our friends who are in England. They have two children so the house is set for Joon with lots of toys!
Our next step is to deal with our house and continue to go through what is left of our belongings until we have a small amount to take with us to Korea. Until we post again here is a picture to enjoy!