Family Time

Hey! Another busy week on the island. We started on Sunday going snorkeling/spear fishing for a couple of hours with Moon's uncle. Great views underwater and nothing like eating fresh caught octopus. It was a real treat.
Things slowed down on monday as we alternated between motivated to depressed trying to figure out the best plan for a long term visa that allows me to work. Also without a car and a bus that runs every 90 minutes we tend to have a difficult time getting from the house into town. And so we cleaned house reviewed our finances and gathered more info from immigration to put a plan together.
It has been a hotter than usual september and the mosquitoes have been numerous. Poor Joon is the victim of overnght feeding frenzies by one or two mosquitoes who leave red blotches on his face in the morning. At one point we counted 20 bites on his body. I thought Alaska mosquitoes were bad but Irealize that while numerous they are slow and easy to kill. The mosquitoes on the island are fewer but faster and more fierce. I rarely see one until they are already biting into my flesh and then they are gone before I can even think about swatting. (maybe I'm getting slow in my old age...) Moon's mom bought us a net that goes over the bed that Iinitially thought was overkill until Joon woke up the next morning with no new bites. What a relief.
Friday brought a cousins wedding. I thought Chusok was a busy family holiday until I saw the amount of family that arrived for this event. All of Moon's Aunts and Uncles from around Korea flew in for the weekend. Friday started with an eating fest. Essentially a space in a restaurant is left open for about ten hours for family to drop in and eat and visit at any time. Amzing food and a wonderful relaxed atmosphere for me to meet new family members. It ended with people going to an all night Sauna. Unfortunately Joon was overtired so it was home for the three of us.
The next day brought the wedding which was, as expected, a grand affair, followed by another reception. After a chance for Moon's mother brother and myself to unwind and catch up at a local park we rejoined the Aunts for a final meeting at a local singing room where I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
All the photos posted were taken by Moon's brother Sang Ho. Hope all is well with everyone. Party on!

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

View Larger Map
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!