Korea

I spent some time in Korea as a missionary when I was younger. 16 months actually. It was a time filled with all sorts of emotions. Happy to be there, hating to be there, loving the people, hating the people, loving the food, loving the food, loving the countryside, definitely loving the countryside. It was so beautiful. I was going through some books about a month ago and found one that I had started reading and pulled the bookmark out. I was quite surprised to see this...

It's a phone card I had bought in Korea. Still in the package! It has brought back so many memories. Especially since having received the adoption email from Asher. Awwwww... here he is at our Christmas party in 1993. I totally dig the napkin!

I feel like going back almost 15 years - Wanna come with??

We have a really good friend, Brian, who spent time in Korea too. He spent his time there in the army, at the DMZ. He doesn't have nearly the fond memories of Korea that I do. He was in snow and cold a lot. I saw snow once because I was on the southern tip on the coast of Korea and on the island Che-ju.

I remember the only time that I saw snow. The kids were ecstatic! It was the first time for some of them. I was in a town called Sam-chun-poe. The elders were having snowball fights. Even the police station had people on the roof throwing snowballs at people as they walked by! And yes... I am wearing high-top tennis shoes. IT WAS 1994 PEOPLE!!


Here is Fairfield and I after having run out in a rain storm at the MTC. I miss my long hair! But not my glasses...
Anyone want a Korean lesson???

This is my first area and how I remember the only big city that I was in - Pusan. It was full of neon lights at night. And of course the McDonald's!!!

Here is me hugging what I was told AFTER this picture was taken is the God of Fertility. It is supposed to help you have boys... Maybe a lame Elder just told me that... Who knows! I wasn't hugging it because I wanted babies at the time... Ya - I'll just shut up now!

For those of you who know how very much I LOVE to cook - hopefully this picture will help you have pity on my sufferings in Korea. This was our kitchen. All three places I lived - this was our kitchen. Luckily our preceding mission president put full size stove/ovens in the missionaries apartments. This is Ruffner. But she isn't Ruffner anymore - and I don't know where she is - so she can't kick my butt for posting this picture...

I remember coming into this apartment at night and as we opened the door, just getting ready to turn the lights on we would hear the scurrying of huge roaches receding into the walls. Yes - it's true. And I slept on the floor. Amazing that such a priss as me would be able to endure such conditions! ;-)

And this is how I remember most of my mission - I wasn't in the city for most of it. And I had to travel by bus through the beautiful countryside to get to where we worked. So this is the view out the bus window that I saw everyday. It is so beautiful to me and I miss it so much.

It was kind of funny on our way home from Korea we travelled with returning sisters from Seoul. When we got to the Portland airport we all had to go to the bathroom. We walk in to a clean, brightly lit room with rows of sinks and stalls WITH DOORS!! I went to open a door and just smiled. I heard another sister (from the other mission) say, "Oh look! Paper seat covers!" My companion and I just laughed. I said, "Oh look! TOILETS that I can SIT on!!" We had to squat most of the time. Maybe that wan't the case up north?? Rachel - was it?

This is me the day I came home.

I remember the day that I got off the airplane when I first arrived to Korea. I thought that I would die. It stank HORRIBLY! I thought to myself, "How am I going to live here?" Well, apparently I got used to it. When I got off the airplane in Indianapolis, my family was there to greet me. I hugged my mom, my dad, my sister, then my wonderful brother, Jeremy. He hugged me and said, "YOU STINK!" Apparently that was the general consensus because I was required to leave my bags, coat, shoes, everything except the clothes on my back in the garage.

WELCOME HOME!!!

Thanks for letting me reminisce.