A Korean Wedding

In October Hero and I were given the wonderful opportunity to attend the wedding of friends here in Korea. The couple had already had a civil ceremony months prior as they needed to complete the necessary paperwork for the groom to follow his bride on her next assignment for the Army.

The day started with a Catholic service. The bride was model perfect, the dress, the hair, the six inch heels. After photos, to include some with ALL their guests we were treated to a reception with all sorts of exotic (to us) foods. As we were leaving the reception area we were ushered into a little room off to the side because the bride wanted her American friends to witness a Korean Wedding Ceremony.

We were told upon asking about the bride's family that this was a special ceremony for just the grooms family as they were the ones who traditionally took in the bride to live with them. As an American I was taken aback because I could not fathom not including my family in any part of a wedding. Nonetheless it was an honor to witness this ceremony steeped in tradition.

These photos were taken with our cell phone, so unfortunately we could not zoom in. And the PAID photographer had the gall to be in my way....*Laugh people*

Bride and groom in traditional Korean dress.

 Bride, groom, and groom's parents

 Bride's Hanbok was so heavy she needed help getting up and sitting down.

Shortly after the tea pouring, the groom's parents threw nuts and dates into the "aapron" of the Hanbul to symbolize the number of children the couple would have. The bride's face when she realized she had caught nearly all of them was priceless!

 It was truly an honor to witness this portion of their wedding day!

Frustration with base agencies

I think know some of my agitation with living here in Seoul comes from the base agencies and how they are run. Today I had yet another aggravating trying character building frustrating experience with one agency in particular. 


Princess LOVES her dance classes. I doubt she will grow up to be a prima-ballerina, but that is not why I drag my self to these classes with her. I take her to these classes because she enjoys twirling in dizzying circles, dressing up in tu-tus, and strutting her stuff like the finest peacock on the farm.

Last week Princess was to start a second dance class (yes a second, meaning two...told she liked to strut her stuff) with the new instructor on base. I was excited because I was hearing AWESOME stuff about the new teacher, I was looking forward to the breath of fresh air she was toted as being. We arrived to learn that class had been cancelled because there were not enough girls signed up. Okay. Why does the other parent have to call the agency on base who handles these types of classes the day of the class while we are waiting to find out. Other parent is told on the phone that an email was sent out, more specifically the email that contains the monthly calendar. Fine.

We go home, I check my email. Nope, not a word in the monthly calendar about a cancelled dance class. We did get an email about the cancelled class...later that afternoon. 

Today we show up at scheduled time. Again building is dark and locked. Again the other mother called the base agency in charge. Today their story was that they called the teacher and she was on her way. Yet the new third mom was on the phone with the teacher at the time who was at a meeting off base, had NOT been called by this agency (as she was currently on the phone with third mom), and had been told by said agency that her Monday classes would not be starting until after the President's Day holiday.

In true Mama fashion I marched my aggravated heiny to the agency responsible and let them know how I felt. A few deer in the headlights, several apologies later (from them) I left feeling a bit better....nonetheless still agitated. 

We shall see if in two weeks we will really have a class......

Kicking and screaming

I came here, to South Korea, kicking and screaming. Outwardly, I had plastered on a happy face. I did not want the world to know how I truly felt. The cat is out of the bag...I did not want to move to Korea. (Who am I kidding, I did not want to move from the life we had begun to build in Utah.)

We have survived nearly six months, and I still feel as if given the opportunity I would run. I try. I try hard to put a positive spin on my life. Daily I tell myself this is a rare opportunity, I tell myself two years is a mere drop in the bucket, I tell myself at least we are together as a family. Truth is, I am running out of lies to tell myself.

Korea is a beautiful country. Her people are kind. Her history is rich. I just have not come up with a way to thoroughly enjoy her as I should. This is why when you find yourself here at this blog, it has thus been empty. I wanted to paint you a lovely portrait of a beautiful country, but I have yet to find my muse.

In the coming weeks, I will begin to post about our time here thus far. I will find the courage to tell you how it is--the good AND the bad.

Until then....peace out.