Well....after Nikolas' amazing post, I thought that I would bring you up to date with what is happening cause I guess I don't. By the way, his post made me laugh! So anyway, we are finally getting settled into the apartment. I got to put some pictures up on the wall and put things in its place. For example, the modem for Internet. We had to call the realtor and let her know that we were going to move it into another room. So I let her know that we wanted to move it and someone had to come out here to do it. OK, I am no Bill Gates, but I think I know how to move the modem for the Internet. So when no one came today, I moved it myself. We still have Internet but now it is with our main computer and not one of the laptops.
My first FRG meeting was today as well. It was interesting, pretty much like any organization meeting that you would have in the states, except there is food. Which to a pregnant woman, works out! I got to meet the other platoon leader and his wife. They were really nice. I did meet some other wives who were pretty cool too. I'm not going to dive in just yet. Just testing the water. So the next meeting is in a month. Nikolas is coming with me for sure this time!
My next doctors appointment is tomorrow. Maybe I will find out the sex of the baby! Keep looking for that detail. Otherwise, later Staters!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
humdingers and dillybars- food 4 thought
alrighty. So. Yep. We are alive still. Krista doesn't like keeping you all up to date as much anymore, i guess, so I will HAVE TO blog this one (is that even proper English???) We found a place to live. It's nice. I wish my wife would have picked the other one that was similar so we wouldn't have to walk up three flights of stairs! Colt hates the stairs. It's nice. several bedrooms and bathrooms (which are very interesting here- what's a shower curtain??) um, it's fairly close to base, 25 minutes walking, 10-15 by bike. We also bought a car today. The car's nickname is Blue Thunder........yeah, don't know why. Not sure I want to. Oh well. Krista is slowly getting used to Korea. It's a little different over here. I like the food, but she can't- "texture" or something. Ugh. Yup. I don't know what else everyone who blogs blogs about- blogs maybe? I wonder how many times "blog" can be used in a sentence....hmmmmm. is it like the f-word- can be used in every part of a sentence, subject, verb, adjective, adverb, pro-noun, noun, etc? My IP told me that one. Had enough of my ramblings yet? Didn't think so. Check back later for more. Anyong Hasayeo.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Adjustments and New things
So we have been at Humphreys since last Friday and so far it has been interesting. Nikolas and I went on Saturday to a realtor to look for a place to live. Sunday was just a typical American Sunday. The only exception was that we had college football to watch instead of NFL football. I think for Nikolas it really didn’t matter. He had to report for work at 9AM Monday, so I think he was more getting prepped for that. Monday we got to watch the Packers vs Bears at about 9 in the morning. Unfortunately, just because we are ahead a whole day, we don’t know who wins before you do. Bummer I know. It would be really sweet though. We did look at more places on Monday, which were pretty nice. We decided on a four bed, two baths flat about a 10 minute walk from the gate. It is really nice! We are able to sign our lease on Thursday and move in on Friday!
The first week of being on a military post, in another country has required us to make some quick adjustments. Nikolas has to adjust to being a Platoon leader. They are throwing him right into it! He is really excited and a little nervous. I am nervous, because I can’t imagine the amount of pressure he might experience. Might experience, shoot will experience. I know that he will do an amazing job. While Nikolas was experiencing his new responsibilities, I discovered all the crap that I had to do just to go to the commissary and to get on Post. I needed to go to spouse orientation, which wasn’t so bad. I found the information to be very useful. It was all about the facilities on post and questions you could ask the garrison commander. The only reason I had to go to this orientation is so I can be issued a ration card.
Unlike the states, in Korea you have to have a ration card in order to shop at the commissary. There are limits on certain items that you can buy in a month and how much money you can spend at the commissary in a month. For example, you only can buy 20lbs of ground beef in a month for two people. You can only get 3lbs of cheese in a month. I told Nikolas that and he about hit the floor. They do not sell chicken here at all! I mean no Perdue packaged chicken, something about how to keep it fresh while shipping it here. Everything is either airlifted or shipped over. Don’t even ask about the alcohol limits. Thank GOD that I am pregnant cause I don’t think I could figure it out. The ration card pretty much lets you into the commissary. No ration card, no admittance! It can be frustrating. I have to have my passport which has my visa on me at all times, my military id card (no change from the states) and this ration card. Ok, Ok it isn’t all that bad.
Nikolas and I finally have a mailing address and cell phones, so we can keep in touch. If you would like our mailing address just let me know by email or Facebook. So like I said, changes are coming and it is hard to adjust to them but, I know that God will help us through it all.
Tto poepket ssumnida
(See you later)
The first week of being on a military post, in another country has required us to make some quick adjustments. Nikolas has to adjust to being a Platoon leader. They are throwing him right into it! He is really excited and a little nervous. I am nervous, because I can’t imagine the amount of pressure he might experience. Might experience, shoot will experience. I know that he will do an amazing job. While Nikolas was experiencing his new responsibilities, I discovered all the crap that I had to do just to go to the commissary and to get on Post. I needed to go to spouse orientation, which wasn’t so bad. I found the information to be very useful. It was all about the facilities on post and questions you could ask the garrison commander. The only reason I had to go to this orientation is so I can be issued a ration card.
Unlike the states, in Korea you have to have a ration card in order to shop at the commissary. There are limits on certain items that you can buy in a month and how much money you can spend at the commissary in a month. For example, you only can buy 20lbs of ground beef in a month for two people. You can only get 3lbs of cheese in a month. I told Nikolas that and he about hit the floor. They do not sell chicken here at all! I mean no Perdue packaged chicken, something about how to keep it fresh while shipping it here. Everything is either airlifted or shipped over. Don’t even ask about the alcohol limits. Thank GOD that I am pregnant cause I don’t think I could figure it out. The ration card pretty much lets you into the commissary. No ration card, no admittance! It can be frustrating. I have to have my passport which has my visa on me at all times, my military id card (no change from the states) and this ration card. Ok, Ok it isn’t all that bad.
Nikolas and I finally have a mailing address and cell phones, so we can keep in touch. If you would like our mailing address just let me know by email or Facebook. So like I said, changes are coming and it is hard to adjust to them but, I know that God will help us through it all.
Tto poepket ssumnida
(See you later)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
ARRIVED!
We are finally here in Korea. The flight was not as bad as I thought it was going to be! Colt was able to come into the country, so all the trouble with getting the paperwork paid off. We arrived at Inchon at about 3:30 pm (1:30 am central time), then headed to Yongsen army base for Nikolas to start his inprocessing.
It was so cool to see how different this city (Seoul) was compared to Chicago. The amount of cars on the road makes Chicago traffic look like nothing. People here drive crazy! I know that Nikolas and I are going to try to get a car and a special drivers license. So we will see how our city/country driving compares to the Korean drivers. But anyway! We stayed at the Dragon Hill lodge, which was very nice but a typical hotel. The view was amazing! The mountains are so beautiful and the arcitecture is like nothing we have ever seen before. We stayed at Yongsen till Friday, when we traveled down to our perminent station Camp Humphreys.
Now lets compare Humphreys to Rucker. Lets just say, I would never think that Rucker looked so good. Pretty much, Humphreys is in the middle of the biggest rice paddy field that you could every imagine. The town is what you would expect as being a rural Korean town. The post has only 1 main gate and a pedestrian gate, which is nothing compared to Rucker. Everything pretty much surrounds the landing strip and air hangers. Luckly, the Px and the Commissary are right next to each other. The chapel is within walking distance from the lodging hotel that we are staying at.
We did start looking for places to live off post. We are number 35 for on post housing list and from what they told us it won't be avaliable while we are here. The places off post are really nice. The security makes me feel better about living in a forgein country. We looked at about 7 places today and are going to look at some more on Monday. I really really liked one of the places today, so the apartments on Monday better be freaking amazing! We will let everyone know, once we get all settled in. Otherwise, the moving journey is almost over!
It was so cool to see how different this city (Seoul) was compared to Chicago. The amount of cars on the road makes Chicago traffic look like nothing. People here drive crazy! I know that Nikolas and I are going to try to get a car and a special drivers license. So we will see how our city/country driving compares to the Korean drivers. But anyway! We stayed at the Dragon Hill lodge, which was very nice but a typical hotel. The view was amazing! The mountains are so beautiful and the arcitecture is like nothing we have ever seen before. We stayed at Yongsen till Friday, when we traveled down to our perminent station Camp Humphreys.
Now lets compare Humphreys to Rucker. Lets just say, I would never think that Rucker looked so good. Pretty much, Humphreys is in the middle of the biggest rice paddy field that you could every imagine. The town is what you would expect as being a rural Korean town. The post has only 1 main gate and a pedestrian gate, which is nothing compared to Rucker. Everything pretty much surrounds the landing strip and air hangers. Luckly, the Px and the Commissary are right next to each other. The chapel is within walking distance from the lodging hotel that we are staying at.
We did start looking for places to live off post. We are number 35 for on post housing list and from what they told us it won't be avaliable while we are here. The places off post are really nice. The security makes me feel better about living in a forgein country. We looked at about 7 places today and are going to look at some more on Monday. I really really liked one of the places today, so the apartments on Monday better be freaking amazing! We will let everyone know, once we get all settled in. Otherwise, the moving journey is almost over!
Beginning of an Excellent Adventure
I have decided to start a blog about our time in Korea. It was a great suggestion from family and friends as a way of keeping in touch. Nikolas and I are excited to also announce that we are expecting our first child next March. We are so excited! Well I think I am more excited than Nikolas. He is just a bit nervous but an excited nervous. We will be having our first born over in Korea so that will be interesting. I am a little nervous about having a child in a different country so far from family and friends. The bright side is the fact that my parents are going to be coming over hopefully in time to see the little rascal enter the world, but it is all up to him or her.
Well back to Korea. We leave this Wednesday at 12:35 from O’Hare. We are taking our puppy Colt with us. I am not looking forward to him having to travel in the cargo hold for almost 14 hrs. I am so nervous about it. The vet down in Alabama gave us some medication for him, so he isn’t as edgy on the plane. I wish my doctor gave me some medication so I am not as edgy on the plane. I am a little anxious about sitting on an air plane for almost 14hrs. Not my first choice but I rather be with Nikolas then anything else.
Once we get to Korea, we will hopefully give updates as to progress in a new and excited country. Pictures will be taken, and memories made. Well look out Korea the Folgerts are taking you by storm.
Well back to Korea. We leave this Wednesday at 12:35 from O’Hare. We are taking our puppy Colt with us. I am not looking forward to him having to travel in the cargo hold for almost 14 hrs. I am so nervous about it. The vet down in Alabama gave us some medication for him, so he isn’t as edgy on the plane. I wish my doctor gave me some medication so I am not as edgy on the plane. I am a little anxious about sitting on an air plane for almost 14hrs. Not my first choice but I rather be with Nikolas then anything else.
Once we get to Korea, we will hopefully give updates as to progress in a new and excited country. Pictures will be taken, and memories made. Well look out Korea the Folgerts are taking you by storm.
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