There- 6:36pm

Wednesday August, 24

A whole day spent in Korea and I feel like I never left America. I mean sure, we literally are like the only white people in the area we're staying, but I feel normal. My hand had not left Spencer's since I got here, partially because I'm literally in a foreign land, but partial because it feels at home there.

Yesterday I mentioned we went to the Korean national museum. It was really cool for me because I genuinely enjoy history, and everything was in Korean and English :). Super cool for Spence because he took classes about all of it. Really cool building too and gorgeous views.

Our feet were SPENT by the end so we headed home for a nap.

It was dinner time when we arrived so we took ourselves out to a nice Korean BBQ. Super yum and free ice cream cones out the door. Spencer's favorite Korean tradition, that he made up, is getting an ice cream bar basically after every meal. They're like 50 cents. He genuinely looks forward to it all day.

It was such a nice night we wanted to explore. So we walked around and then decided to hope on a bus and get off whenever we wanted. Korean public transportation is awesome. We take the subway and bus everywhere. My favorite part is the people watching. And being the only white people. We saw some pretty cool buildings and such and then decided to end up at Spencer's old mission home. In 2009 Spencer's mission was absorbed into the Seoul mission, therefore, no longer existing. So his mission home which once housed the mission offices, AP apartment, beloved President/Elder Ringwood's family and was a church is not so much anymore. It is still owned by the church, and is a church, but not quite sure what it's full purpose is. It was really cool being there and seeing the roads Spencer walked. It's such a cute little area.

On our way home we stopped for more ice cream for Spence and at a cute little beauty store and I slept on the bus ride home.

An yang hasayo!

There- 11:43am

Why hello America. I'm sure the "There" title has thrown you off on who is writing this, but sure enough, this is Mrs. Orr. I have safely reunited with my Mr., who is in in fact next to me as I write this, "hi, blog" -Spencer. Yes next to each other we are and I quite like it.

I'll write more details about my flight and adventure to get here and our reunion, but I wanted to just let my family know I am here and safe and we are in our fancy little modern hotel about to leave for some museums. We ate at Dunkin' Donuts this morning so that was homey...and they had fun cups.

I love it here all ready, but it is so weird to ACTUALLY be in a place we have always talked about. And seeing each other for the first time was HONESTLY so weird! Spencer said it was like seeing a celebrity in person. You know what they look like on TV (skype for us), but not in real life. It felt like when a missionary comes home. I just had to keep looking at him and I kept saying, "I feel like I forgot who you were!"

(First seeing eachother)

After he picked me up we took a bus ride to Seoul,

(Money for Bus ride...which was an anomele because although in Korea, they still had a line of English on it "Bank of Korea". Come on, at least own up to your culture on your own currency!)

Then we checked into our hotel the Tria. (More pics later)

We got some food at a super inexpensive place that Spencer has always deemed his favorite called a "Kim Bop Chun Gook". Kim Kim, I have found your new nickname. I can't stop saying it. And I look like a fool when Spencer talks to anyone because I have this like weird half smile, big eyes and I am just in awe...and confusion. It's so funny. The food at this "Kim Bop" was yummy though, and Spicy, AND Spence went next door and got me a Coke Zero. Yum yum and all the food you see was $4.00. Boggling.

Alright. Time to explore Korea more. I just realized all these pictures are mostly of me, embarrassing, I was just such a tourist, "Take a picture of me, take a picture of this". Hopefully we'll blog everyday, per our mother's request, but for now we venture into this new world.

An Yang hasayo!!

Here- Seattle, USA 1:35pm

Leaving for Korea this second. Can't even believe the time has finally come. I would never have made it through this summer without two incredible families, especially mothers, that have supported, loved, and most importantly helped me til they were weak with so many things this summer. Thank you will never be enough. I love each of you more than ever before.

It has been a summer of growth and work and change and learning. I have worked at an amazing place with a wonderful boss and girls. I have used that to kick start my own career in the wedding field and throughly enjoyed planning a gorgeous and fun Sundance wedding. I have had ups and downs, funerals and engagements, and been through lots of fave reds/coke zero/ramen and smiled through every second of it, but never as much as I am right now. Never as much as when I'm surrounded by the people Spencer has come to love, waiting to board a plane with them to Korea, basking in every word they say in their beautiful language. I am so grateful for the opportunity Spencer was given to work and experience Korea and learn so much. It's has been a long, but important summer. And now, with no sadness I end it on a high note, reuniting with my Mr in his second home. I am so happy and I am so ridiculously grateful for all the blessing I receive. Especially the one of knowing how to use chopsticks!



Wish me luck and thanks for anyone who enjoy following us this summer. The adventure comes to an end--Korea/Korean love IM FINALLY COMING!!!!

There- 3:48 PM

Here's what I've learned from watching all 3 Back to the Future movies this past weekend.

1. Back to the Future I is an all time classic. Love the movie a little more every time that I watch it and it's been awhile thus increasing my joy ten fold this weekend.
2. Don't watch the first and second Back to the Futures right after one another. Marty's (Michael J. Fox) girlfriend changes from the first to the second movie (Claudia Wells to Elisabeth Shue)(and no, of course I didn't know that the actress that played Jennifer was named Claudia Wells, that's what the internet is for). It wouldn't really be a problem as she isn't in that much of the first one but they did an exact shot for shot replica of the scene that ended in the first movie at the beginning of the second. Therefore if you watch them in secession you will ultimately watch the same scene with two different actresses. Not that big of deal just funny.
3. We better get a move on technology. A majority of Back to the Future II takes place in the year 2015. This means that in 3 1/2 years we need to have flying cars, hover boards, clothes that dry themselves and awesome Nike's that tie themselves. I hope whoever our next President is they will seriously consider getting on the ball with this.
4. The third Back to the Future is decent. The first and second are great films, I could watch them anytime. The third is only decent. I enjoyed it because of the marathon but if I were to have to watch it by itself it just wouldn't do it for me.
5. My life was slightly pathetic this weekend

Oh by the way, Rachel comes to Korea tomorrow.

Here- Provo 1:56am

Can I have my wedding at Sundance please...oh wait, ah man! Sneak peak at the BIG event.





I've literally fallen asleep writing this 3 times. Bye.

There- 9:23 AM

Explain this to me, how is that when I tell my supervisor/boss that I am going to take a short break, 10-15 minutes a day at the most to stretch my legs, maybe walk around the campus here at TaeguTec, get some fresh air, whatever, he agrees begrudgingly and I can't help but feel that he thinks less of me for doing so but if I were to step out for a cigarette 8 to 34 times a day he would probably join me? I watch the majority of my coworkers (only the men smoke) take at least one smoking break per hour because apparently it's the cool thing to do. Now when I step outside to enjoy a nice refreshing bottle of water or take in the beautiful day we are having I get the stank eye from every one who passes me like I just slapped my boss, his wife and his mother in the face. No wonder people still take up smoking, it's the only way to take a break from work without getting reprimanded. Oh and don't think this is just a male thing here in Korea. The women have their own "smoking break", it's called "congregations in the bathroom" and is signaled by one seniorita walking through the department and giving her ladies the eye brow raise and before you know it you have 3-7 women in the bathroom drinking tea or coffee and complaining about who knows what and cackling the whole time (yes, they cackle). I'm on to you ladies, you think you can hide in that bathroom and pretend like your not taking your own "smoking break", not so fast. So with all this complaining said I am going to fill my water bottle and take a walk around the campus to enjoy the weather and stretch my legs. Take that TaeguTec!!

Here- Midway late

There's lots of tissues next to me...

I prolly just really want my husband back please.


Thumbs up and all

Thanks

There- 9:15 PM

1 week!!! I have officially started my last week of work here at TaeguTec. A week from today I will be making my way to Seoul to pick Rachel up from the airport where we will be vacationing for a week before I return home. I am beyond excited and hope that I can focus at work for the next week. At that point I can only wonder whether my blogging will continue. Rachel does a marvelous job and our "Here/There" entries will turn in to a simple combo here. I will be interested to see the consensus opinion of our blog this summer and if anyone actually is reading what we write and more specifically what I write. Should I continue to input my 2 cents or was one summer enough and now it's time to get the real blogger back on a regular basis? We will see but it has been fun and Rachel's idea for this was pretty cool.

This past weekend we packed up our apartment and moved all of our stuff up to Midway until we can get it down to Las Vegas. It was a lot of work but I got it all done and am glad that is over. Ha, yeah right. I sat over here and did nothing while our families helped Rachel move out. Why do you think I moved here? Obviously to get out of packing. I actually felt real bad and am extremely grateful for all those who helped. I know that I won't here the end of skipping out.

This past weekend was Korea's Independance Day which means after all of the thinking about moving and hard work of packing came a much needed 3-day weekend. Ok the "much needed" is a little bit of exaggeration my life isn't that stressful as an intern here and I don't really have anything else to do but go to work so it was basically just another vedge day, but delightful nonetheless. As I will be vacationing next week (still crazy that it is almost here) I didn't make any plans for the 3-day weekend. Instead I enjoyed some peace and quiet as Myung Soo headed to his hometown for a couple of days which seems to be commonplace here. I enjoyed watching a few movies and some American TV shows including several marathons of the CSI shows. I think there is New York, Miami and Las Vegas CSI's and here in Korea they show them just about every day. I never really watched them back in America but as they are on the only one or two english channels I have a limited selection. I really like investigator/crime/law shows and so I have enjoyed CSI. The weekend was nice though and I headed back to work well rested. I have no idea what this last week will bring but whatever it does just do it quickly. 1 week and counting!!

Here- Provo 10:19pm

I left #109 today


I left it clean, bare and empty


But it did not leave me the same way...no no no, not our precious Lil 109.

But maybe a lil sad.

Here- Provo 11:02pm

Big moving day today...big blog day tomorrow


So much to say

Here/There: Worldwide, our anniversary August 9th

Yesterday was our Anniversary. 3 years. So of course Spencer dropped a dime and flew home to see me.

He brought me roses

We hugged.

We're so excited about our 3 years.

So excited that he even sent me presents. My very own Brian Wilson Giants jersey...thank goodness. I fear the beard. 

And there was for some reason...3 other jerseys for someone else! 1 for each year for Spence...yep. Oh well he deserves it. 

I wish this was a real visit, but I'll take what I can get. Less than 2 weeks and I'll get to be back with my spouse celebrating, via our anniversary trip savings fund, the country of South Korea with my own personal tour guide. Ugh...excited? Understatement. 

Here- Provo LATE

Finally a down day. A Sunday so chill I don't even know what to write...and I don't want to have to think about it.

Night

There- 8:45 PM

Nothing special for a Friday night. I cooked myself some dinner. Pork cutlet (the english translation of don-kasa), potstickers (mondu), spicy fermented cabbage (kimchi), rice (bop), and a Coke (Coke). Went for a run after the food digested a bit and watched "Stranger Than Fiction" with Will Ferrell. A little bit of a weird flick but I liked it. That's it for Friday night. They don't call me the Party Animal for nothing.

Here- Provo 12:18am

Kimi and I went to the temple tonight. It's was perfect, when is it not?

And then we stopped at 7-11 for some necessities: Ramen (could eat for every meal, wish the food pyramid made a spot for it so I could justify), Coke Zero(bubbly bliss), Fave Red Starbursts (literal addiction, pure genius).

Then red box with Nate and Kim at the apt with all my goodies. Good girl/treats date night.

There- 8:00 PM

I'm tired and I want to sleep.

Here- Provo 1:31am

Meetings, consults, time with a particularly enjoyable bride, florists, venues, research, packing, pleasant strolling and purchases at Barnes and Noble, time back on BYU's campus (It's been like 9 months since I've been up there) for the libby (which I was escorted out of) that I throughly enjoyed, discovered pandora (I know I'm late but...genius), chatted with the Mr., spent some time with the roomies, and now I shall read until I fall asleep. All in a day, as they say.

There- 10:00 PM

Nothing really new happening in my life at the moment. The same old 8 to 5 grind every day as I look forward to the end of my time as a semi-bachelor working in Korea. It's been a great experience thus far but there are a few things I miss back at home. It goes without saying that I miss Rachel. Talking with her via chat and on Skype just doesn't seem to be cutting it. It is fun however when we do chat throughout the day and I get to see her humor come out through the written word rather than the spoken one. Miss ya Rach.

I also miss/crave several food items and hence the reason I am writing this post. Korean food is great but there's not enough varitey here. It all seems to be in the same food category. Here are the things that I seem to be constantly wishing that I was eating. Diego's Taco Shop (a delightful little Mexican joint in Provo, you gotta hit it up if you haven't been already), J-Dawgs (a staple as a Provo resident, makes the best polish dog I have ever eaten), Sbarro pizza (I don't know what it is but that greasy pizza slays me), Cheese-It's (Rach sent me some in a package the other day and I forgot how much I ate those as a snack), Dr. Pepper out of a fountain (they have Coke and Pepsi as well as other soda here but there's nothing better than hitting up 7-11 for a cold DP, "Big Gulps huh? Well... see ya later"), Carl's Jr. (because BYU promoted Carl's Jr. on the back of all their basketball and football tickets, one could find me constantly visiting the Star for a Western Bacon Cheeseburger, buy any sandwhich and get a medium fry and drink free, BYU fans, you know what I'm talking about), McDonald's doublecheesburgers (again they have the golden arches but no double cheese, lame), Sugarhouse BBQ (my favorite restaurant of all time, ok one of my favorite restaurants of all time), chicken wings (don't ask me why, you don't try to explain a craving), Hot Dog On A Stick (I don't feel like I need to explain this one), BBQ hot dogs and rice (ask the Taylor family, it's straight addicting), the soft pretzel at any sporting event or entertainment venue (Zachary Taylor if you read this, you always knew how to make that ideal pretzel), the Cougar Tail (I don't really crave 3 mable bars put together which is what a Cougar Tail is but I had to give a shout out to Curry Leavitt, the man loves him some Cougar Tail), Dunford Chocolate Donuts (I do however crave the ever delicious morsel that is the Chocolate Donut, a.k.a. Utah 7-11's Greatest Treasure, a.k.a. Box of 12 at Costco, a.k.a. they now make a cake at a local SLC bakery that is like a Dunford Donut on steroids, thanks Lexi), Taco Time's crisp meat burritos (matched with some mexi fries they'll give you problems later coming out but going in they are close to heavenly), Fish Tacos (I have really taken to these pretty much anywhere I go, my mom makes some killer ones and I crave them just about all of the time), Spaghetti-O's, a nice steak, Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion, Chili's chips and salsa, sushi in America (apparently I like the knock of stuff better, go figure), and kimchi (yeah right, I eat kimchi like 83 times a day).

I don't really crave all of this stuff all of the time just some of it some of the time. This just kind of turned into a list of my favorite foods. There are of course several foods I have not listed but those are what I have been thinking about recently. There is a good chance that upon my return I will enjoy a combination of some (I wish all) of these delicassies. While I am sure this had to make someone hungry, go enjoy one of my favorite foods, for me.

Here- Provo 12:45am

Currently Loving this girl

 This girl

 this girl

 and this girl

Also this adorable bunch 

 and of course...

If you'd like to be added to the list you can cuddle or text with me whenever you can, stay in Provo with me, leave me ridiculously awesome messages, leave me for a week to EFY, support my whole life or be sealed to me for eternity. Whichever you prefer, but those are the qualifications at this point in time. 

THX BYE

Here- Provo 1:30am

Church with friends


Dinner with family...


And I still miss my husband??

SIGH