We are getting so excited about being home for the holidays. The kids are thinking about seeing all the relatives eating Mimi's cocoa cake, mamaws fudge and hoping for a white christmas. We will be in Virginia and Canyon so our chances should be pretty good. I'm hoping we can get them back on the plane and that i'll fit in the seat because i'm looking forward to the good eats! I had a little "we've been in Korea to long moment" last night. Lauren talked Katie into some playdough time and they decided to make food. Usually they make pizza or ice cream but last nights menu was rice, kimchi and orange chicken!
Thank goodness things have settled down. We were so busy through last week. The school hosted a soccer tournament. The girls team was incredible and took home the tournament trophy!!! We had a halloween party and then Aaron broke his right arm for the 4th time. That is an adventure i hope not to repeat but can laugh about now. He broke and bent the radius and dislocated his wrist. We went to the University Hospital in Jinju. The Dr. set his arm with no pain medication, hooked him up to an IV and admitted him for 24 hrs. They gave us a temporary discharge the next evening with an appt. to return in a week and a half and they would make a decision about surgery and put on a cast. We got home and called SOS. At break #4 you know better than to wait that long and leave the bone essentially unprotected. He had on a soft splint. Happy ending, no surgery, we went to a clinic in Goesong where an english speaking ortho. surgeon examined and casted Aaron. Our friends here were absolutely wonderful. They kept the other kids, brought us food and made it all a little easier.
The experience at the two hospitals were completely different. Both good but different. In Jinju the Dr's were really nice but only one spoke broken english. I didn't really care about the staring but they were nice enough to wheel us into a stock room where they treated and set Aaron's arm. I was watching Aaron get his x-rays and first i noticed that they did not close the door and then I blurted "Bob, they aren't putting a protective apron on him". There were lots of differences in how things were done but the people were really nice. ST (our Korean office manager) was incredible. He stayed with us and translated everything until we were settled in a room. Then he programmed his # into my cell phone as 911. There were also quirky things like when i found myself lost in the elevator. Aaron's room was on the 4th floor but there was not a button for the #4. Evidently, it's an unlucky number so they substitute the letter F. Makes perfect sense and after a long day it took no time at all for me to figure it out.
Our trip to Goesong was a walk in the park. The Dr. gave me his cell number and said to call him when we arrived in town. We arrived, pulled over, called and they said stay where you are we will find you. A few minutes later a man comes up to the car and says i will drive you. He drove us to the hospital, parked our car. We were treated like celebrities, it is so surreal and odd. The hospital manager brought us magazines and offered us drinks. They took pictures of Aaron being treated and us with the nurses. They giggled, stared. We were obviously their first international patients and they were excited.
I've started a little shopping list of things i miss, want and a few that we need. I'm sure it will grow to unmanageable proportions when i ask the kids what they want to add. I've had dark thoughts about only letting the kids pack one outfit for a couple of weeks. Someone will give them clothes for christmas and I need empty suitcases to fill up!!!!
I look forward to shopping at Target, Walmart and Michaels/JoAnnes. I wish i could clip coupons for those pre/post holiday sales. The kids want to eat at Sonic, and Steak and Shake.
My Shopping List
( I wonder how much it will grow over the next few weeks -- starting with 13 items)
1. italian seasoning
2. crisco sticks
3. baking cups
4. pudding
5. cotton balls
6. new shoes for everyone!!!!
7. candles (I really miss scented candles)
8. thermal underwear
9. Bath & Body works stuff
10. heat and stick powder
11. scallop punch
12. foam paint brushes
13. b-day gifts for the kids
14. manual can opener
15. pumpkin (re-stock)
16. oven thermometer
17. salad spinner
18. small skillet
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Random Ramblings/Stateside shopping list
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Hi Becky. My name is Cheryl and I live in White Lake, MI. My husband's company is talking very seriously of transferring him to S. Korea. We are in the thrills of "negotiation" and also making some potentially life changing decisions. I am wondering if you have any "words of wisdom?" One thing I have been searching hi and lo for is cost for Korean-American schooling in S. Korea. We have four children, 3rd grade, 2nd grade, and K-garden twins... I wonder if you would be willing to "chat" with me and help us out. My email direct is tnmamaof4@yahoo.com Thanks so much for any advice you can offer!
Hi, I've enjoyed your fotos and blog. Judging from your recent experiences with hospitals and other sicknesses, you have some firsthand experience with Korean health care and taking care of kids in a foreign country. I was wondering if you could either confirm or deny some doubts I have about living in Korea with two small children. My wife and I are looking at moving to Korea in August for one or two years, but we're not sure about the exact part of Korea yet. Both personally and financially we're excited about it, but our biggest concern is something happening to our kids and us not having the language or contacts to do something about it. We're both experienced travelers but new parents, and this is the first time we will attempt living abroad with small children. Our oldest will be almost 3 when we leave and our youngest will be 1. The plus side is that we won't have to worry about or pay for schools, but the down side is that we won't have those contacts with other families with children.
Do you see many foreign families with children? Are we crazy for considering this? Maybe we're just looking for reassurance that it can be done or a warning about downfalls.
Hey, nice blog! :)
-Bryan
A Canadian student studying abroad in Korea.
http://www.studentinkorea.blogspot.com
Post a Comment