A lot of people have been asking me do I like it here? That's a hard question to answer, and there is no direct yes or no answer. First off, let me say that I have only been in this country for a month now, so it really wouldn't be fair of me to have made up my mind that I flat out didn't like it yet.
Do I miss the states? Yes, very much so. I miss the ease of living, luxuries, and commodities the states offer. I miss our house, our yard, weekends spent on our boat. I miss driving my gas guzzling SUV. I really miss our poor little cats who are staying with my mom for the time being. Symba has gone everywhere with me for the past 15 years- I miss her! I really miss all our wonderful and dear neighbors on Crest Street. Heck, for that matter, I miss neighbors that speak English! I miss Ivanell's cooking, her yummy hot vegetable lunches, and perfectly sweetened ice tea. I miss Linda, and all the help she was with the babies (and the babies miss their Grammy). I know I took up a lot of her time, and plenty of her Monday's- she is a God send! I miss my washer and dryer, my dishwasher, and of course did I mention I miss having A/C? I miss having "nanny Ashley" come in during the days to help me with Ella and Sterling. I miss going out to eat at American restaurants. I really miss Sweet Basil's Cafe. I miss shopping malls, Target, and cute baby boutiques.
Most of all I miss all our family and friends. I hate that these children are thousands of miles away from all their grandparents, aunts and uncles. I had an incredible relationship with my grandparents, growing up just down the road from them, and I've always wanted that for my own children. I hate that Emily finally moved back to the southeast from Arizona, and I still don't get to see her. I hate that when Max was born, and he had to be taken to the NICU, and Becky was having such a hard time, that I wasn't able to be there for her. I'll hate it every time we miss a special event, birthday, etc.
But I have something here that's more important than any material thing in the world.
I have my family together, the way I always imagined it. Michael and I wanted to start a family. Being separated by half the world, was not what we wanted for our family, and if we have the opportunity right now to be together as a family, we need to take it. It was extremely hard being on my own with these two babies for the first three months. While I love them more than anything in the whole world, it was very trying at times, and I needed their father. And they deserved to have their father around, too! And Michael deserves to take part in raising them, and watching them grow. They're changing so quickly, no parent should have to miss out on this time in their child's life. I had an amazing, incredible, devoted, caring Dad, who is a part of all my earliest childhood memories. I want my children to have those same kinds of memories of their Daddy. If that means we have to hang out in Korea for a couple years so he doesn't end up in some desert somewhere, then I guess that's just what we'll have to do. So, I don't hate Korea. Right now the three most important people in my life are here. And it's a neat experience living in such a different country. It's not a bit like the states, but that's not a horrible thing. Different isn't necessarily bad, it's just different. How many Americans ever get the opportunity to say they spent time living outside of the US, immersed in a new culture? It's an opportunity to see life outside of my little box, and begin to appreciate what is taken for granted in the states. Every morning, I look out my bathroom window and see a whole new world- literally! It's all new sights, sounds, and smells. Some of it's good, some of it's not so great. But above all else, I have my family, and we're together. And at the end of the day, when we're tucking the babies into their crib, I don't regret for one moment that we're here, and yes, I actually like Korea. I'd like anywhere, as long as I have what I have today.
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