My Thai Massage!

My Vice Principal told me I could leave after lunch today, since I was finished teaching my winter camp at 12:10pm!  Wooo hooo!  So, I packed up my stuff and headed down to the bus stop at the bottom of my school's hill!  I stood there, debating for a couple minutes about which bus to take - a bus home or a bus to anywhere!  I chose the bus to anywhere!  I call this adventure-style-bus-riding, "bus hopping!"   I take a bus for 30 minutes or so, people watch, and enjoy the ride, and then switch busses!  It's a great way to see the city, and it's FREE entertainment!  You can't go wrong there, right?!

Well, I had been "bus hopping" for about an hour and a half by this point, (I know, that's a long time!) and was around Nampodong, when I looked up and saw this sign out my window!  THAI MASSAGE! mmmm!  Perfect, just what I needed!  

So, I got off at the next stop and walked over to the building.  When I walked in the building's front door, there was a sign stating that the Thai Massage place was on the 3rd floor, so I jumped on the elevator and up I went! 

When the elevator doors opened, this is what I saw!  Now that's what I call a lobby!  

The place is decorated to the tee with Thai statues, elephants, murals, and gold wallpaper!  I had entered Thai paradise as far as I was concerned; and for 50,000 won ($44.00) for an hour long thai massage, I realized I had just hit the jackpot!  This is the hallway leading to the massage rooms!

 My masseuse was a lovely Thai woman (30 yrs old) name Aoy, like "Toy" without the T sound.  She dug her elbows in so deep, I may have actually squeeled a couple times!  She would always giggle and say she was sorry!  We chatted for the last 10 mins or so, and she shared with me that she has only been in Korea for 3 weeks!  She left her husband and 6 year old son in Thailand for a better wage in Korea!  Her plan is to stay here for 10 months, save all she can, and then bring all her earnings back to her family!  

If you ever need a massage, please go here and ask for her at the front desk!  She's awesome!

As if the massage, the decor, and the masseuse weren't enough... they brought me coffee afterwards in gorgeous traditional Thai china!  

I'm feeling more relaxed tonight than I have in a long time... almost as if my body is 15 years old again!  It's amazing what a nice, spontaneous, Thai massage will do for the body!

COSTCO run...

Aaron and I were both really missing home this afternoon and the luxuries of buying things that we like to eat!  He said to me, "I wanna be surrounded by stuff from home.  Let's go to COSTCO!" hahah.  Since COSTCO is basically the only western food store we have in Busan, we gave in and got a membership!  Well... actually, let me rephrase that.  We split the price, but Aaron's picture is on the card!  No need for 2 memberships, when we like shopping together anyway, right?!  :)  Yea, we're gold members... that's right!

  

We were shocked when we got there!  I've seen crowded COSTCO's in America, but nothing like this!   uuuggghhh!

We opted for "no cart," since really, how is anyone supposed to push a cart through these crazy crowds!  We just loaded things into our reusable grocery bags while we shopped!  It kinda felt like we were stealing stuff all day!  But, we didn't!  We paid!

Aaron has asked me 3 times since we left, "What item are you most excited that we bought today at COSTCO?"  hahaha!  Obviously he's pretty excited!  Chicken, cheese, tortillas, pesto sauce, and a great deal on FUSION razors sure make him happy!   I'm just happy to have a gigantic box of Honey Nut Cheerios to greet me in the morning! 

Thank you COSTCO!

Restoration...

I've begun the process of packing up my place, since I'll be receiving the keys to my new apartment on Yeongdo Island in just a week!  I can barely contain my excitement!  More about the apartment later!

My point is, I was working on taking down special pictures, Christmas cards, and notes that I've received since being in Korea!  Back in July of 2009, I began hanging post it notes, on the back of my bathroom door, of encouraging things that friends and family had sent over e-mail, or through the snail mail!  I even wrote a couple notes from Jesus to remind me that he was in control, and loved me unconditionally!  I did this back when life was looking unsure for me, and when a kind word was what ultimately got me out of bed in the morning, and kept me pushing forward!  My, how I've come a long way since those days!

Anyhow, tonight, I was pulling those post it notes down and reading each one as I gently peeled them from the door!  There was something about this one that caught me in my tracks!  

It goes without saying that the following people played a huge part in my restoration process... I like to think of them as my little angels!  Thank you to each of you, for your encouraging words, notes, and letters!  I have read them over and over again, as they held their special place on my bathroom door, and I have physically felt your love, from across the ocean!

Rachel Shinn, Kirstin Murphy, my mom, Kathy Gross, my dad, my sister, Sherry Gregory, Aaron, Neil Gatten, Erin Werner, Lynzi Irvine, April Heuseveldt, Krista Palmer, Jill Bould, Katie Olson, Megan Sirulnik, and Jan Pickett. Mayo, Sarah Ashley, Karyn Hill, Kelsey Rusch, Molly and Chris Anderson, Shondra O'Meara, Stella, Cassie Robertson, my aunt Barb, and of course, my greatest fan and the ultimate restorer of my life, Jesus!

Carlos and Jessica!

I was given the greatest news yesterday, from Carlos and Jessica!  They both got University jobs in Seoul, and are staying in Korea for another year!!!   Aaron and I love these two and were devastated to hear that they might be moving back to the U.S. in February...  But, our devastation has been replaced with utter excitement and relief, knowing that they'll be staying!  

There are some friends in life that you just don't wanna live without!  Jess and Carlos are those to us!  Now, if I could only get Truchen to stay another year!  Then life would be perfect!

Welcome Home!

Busan welcomed Aaron and I home with it's stunning lights, from the window of our plane on Wednesday night!  It's the first time I'd flown into Busan after dark, and it was a beauty to behold! 

As much as we both miss our families and friends back in America, and the convenience of speaking english to any and everyone, we're both happy to be home and settled back into our life in Korea!   Here's to a great 2011 in the land of the calm!