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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Re-entry

I feel like an astronaut who was lost on a mission to outer space, and whom everyone had presumed dead. Yet through some miracle, I survived and am re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. My first communication is to say-- It's me, Erin. I know you've all given up on me, but I'm still out here.

Of course, I could never be an astronaut. I despise flying.
But you get the sentiment.

So let's just assume I was abducted by aliens and that's why my last blog post was from about 5 months ago, my blog profile still says I live in Spain (and that I move every 3 years-- ha!), and why my picture header shows my children looking fresh from the womb.

Here's what's gone down with the Schore family since I last posted and announced that our next assignment would be to Korea.

1) Crap. It's hard to remember.
2) Josh graduated from SAASS at Maxwell AFB, AL. It's not important to know what it stands for. (Nerd School)
3) The children finished their school year.
4) We went to Disney World.
5) We drove to Michigan to visit our family.
6) Josh left for Korea in mid-July.
7) The kids and I followed a few weeks later.
8) We now live in Korea. I would clarify that it's South Korea, but I don't want to insult your intelligence. (Fact-- people have asked me if we'd be in North or South Korea)
9) I am homeschooling our precious* cherubs. Who are now 10 and 8.


*almost exclusively between the hours of 9pm and 8am.

I've been living in Korea for over 3 weeks now, but the first 10 days don't count. I had a cold and jet lag and post traumatic stress syndrome from the trip over.
I should point out that the kids did great on our travel day, which included a short hop to Detroit, a 4 hour layover, a 13 hour flight, and a 90 minute bus ride. It's me who is the bad traveler.
I got off the flight hoping that I would like it here, because I was never getting on another plane.

Those feelings are starting to subside. It's like childbirth, I suppose. You eventually forget the pain.
(I should clarify with anyone angry at me for comparing a long flight with seatback entertainment and complementary wine to childbirth, that I obviously had epidurals.)

The first week here passed in a haze of sleepiness and the headcold from Hades. Josh accused me of having contracted the MERS.
During that week, I had to do terrible things like leave the house, go to base, fill out paperwork, study for and take my driver's test.

I am officially the worst jet-lagger ever. I was not motivated to do anything, but we had no choice since Josh had only a few days off work to get us all set up.

I should also take a moment to laud my husband for making this whole process as easy on us as possible. He only had about a 2.5 week head start on us, and he managed to get out here, jump through about a zillion hoops to pick up our sporty Corolla from Seoul, get his driver's license, find us an apartment, receive our household goods shipment, in-process and begin work, and meet us at the airport to save my sanity on the bus ride from Seoul to our new home.
He's my hero.

I can't say how much nicer it was to be laid up with MERS and jetlag in my own (new to me, Korean-style, soft-as-concrete bed.)

I have lots to share about our new home here on the other side of the world, so I'm dusting of ye ole blog. Back soon-- barring any extraterrestrial interference.