Street Preaching

I was busy getting ready to go to lunch with my friend Mijin yesterday and I thought there was a parade coming because there was a trumpet and drum playing outside, but they were playing hymms that we sing at church. I hurried to the window and this is what I saw happening. There were five people 2 men, 3 women (1 man played the trumpet then he sings and preaches, 1 man played the drums, 1 lady sings and the other 2 ladies were passing out tracks to the businesses and to people. I posted it because I thought Pastor Moore and Sue would enjoy it too like I did. I apologized for the amateur cinematographer.. lol .. I don't know how to edit it. (I was standing on a chair by the windowsill).

Total Eclipse of the ........... Sun?

Total Eclipse of the .............. Sun not really, it was only 75-80%. It was 100% in some parts of China and India. Jesse wanted to go to China for this. It was very interesting day, it was light but it wasn't hot at all for about an hour it was very pleasant. I'm glad it was a nice sunny day.

The amateur eclipse follower. See him with his invention. A pringles container with a pinhole on one end and he covered the other hole with white piece of paper. It worked. It was tiny but you can see it.

I tried taking a picture of it while it was covered with the clouds but it didn't work. You can really see it with just a little covering of the clouds.

We went to the golf course and they were using a lighting cover and it was very clear to see.

MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation)

The Military keeps you occupied during downtime too. Inside the Base, there's golf range, bowling alley, pool (billiard) room, electronics (x-box, wii)room, swimming pool, baseball field, I haven't seen the basketball court there must be one somewhere, movie theater and I am sure there are other things to do to keep the young and energetic busy. I don't remember having all these when Jesse was in the Army 19 years ago. Very Interesting..

The library.....one of my favorite hangouts. Next week I'm checking out the fitness center.....ha ha ha.

Sorry, I took this sideways and for some reason I can't rotate it. Lol, I just had to share it. We had dinner at the bowling alley the other evening before going to the movies and this is what they were doing. Bowling carrying a backpack loaded with 30 lbs. of stuff. One guy was doing great he had 5 strikes in a row.

Lord, Thank you

The Lily has bloomed 3 flowers...........and

There is sunshine in my world today!!!!!

Thank you for your prayers, yes there's sunshine the last 2 days and I am happy even though I have a cold. I have not been sick since the cancer but I am doing good.

Sad and gloomy

Rainy days and gloomy days always gets me down........

It has been pouring I mean downpour every other day and dark and gloomy on the others here. I am claiming I have SAD disorder and I am not kidding. I missed Arizona and the sun, even though it's hot there.

I have been coup up most of the time, and my aches and pain doesn't help it and it seems like it is getting worse, I have resorted to taking pain pills which I hate taking, I don't take it all the time, I only do it when it is unbearable and lately it has been. I am tired of being tired and being in pain. Jesse tries so hard to lift my spirits. We met at the Base yesterday and even though i am in pain I went and we went to the recreation area and he was trying to teach me how to play pool and even that it was painful.

Today, he is taking me to the movies just to get out. It has been pouring most of the day and I hope it let up a little. He said we are going to take a taxi for the 1/2 hour walk. I will probably talk him into walking if I can do it because I know it will do me good.

Please pray for me ........I need your encouragement. I am trying to hang on to Phil 4:13, and I need more sunshine.

The Third Week

Here I am 3 months after chemotherapy.

I thought I am going to post my picture to remind you ALL LADIES to REMEMBER to do your monthly CHECK UP. EARLY DETECTION is the KEY!!!!!!!!!

This cute thing is in every light post in our area.

I have noticed that the edges of most of the sidewalks have granite.

This is the beginning of my garden and I am so happy my Asian lily finally bloomed and another one is opening soon.

Senior bicyclists from Seoul resting.

Melissa asked me what do I do all everyday? Funny thing is I do keep busy. I walked to the Base everyday either to go and check the mail, have lunch with Jesse, go to the library. It takes about 1 hour back and forth. Most times Jesse and I walk again after dinner or go downtown to walk and look around. This week has been interesting. I was able to communicate with the cleaning lady, Hwaing. I don't really need her but she comes with the lease, she comes every 2 weeks. She is very nice. The above pictures are pictures I've taken on my walks to the Base. I spoke to one of the senior bikers and he told me they came from Seoul on their way north of us and then turn around back to Seoul total of over 100 km back and forth. He told me he is 70 years old. He spoke pretty good english and he has 3 brothers in N.Y. He asked for my phone number "LoL" I don't know why he wanted it but I didn't give it to him. There was probably about 50 men and women. I also met the Fire Chief of all the Bases north of Seoul. Jesse and I shared a lunch table with a young man from South Dakota.

More of Third Week of Adventure

Even though Jesse is slightly under the weather, he still wanted us to go and see Camp Stanley. It is in a mountainous area and about 20 minutes away from us by taxi. There's really nothing different from the other Bases that we've seen and visited (Camp Casey, Yongsan Base and of course Camp Red Cloud) and the neat thing is we came back home free. We are learning new stuff everyday and today we learned that there is a bus that go from Base to Base and they are free. You can't beat that.....

Third Week of Adventure

Household goods delivery

It took 6 weeks by sea for our household goods from Mesa to get here. I think it is neat how they brought it to our apartment. They brought them through the window.

4th of July

Celebrating America's 233rd birthday away from home was good. We went to Camp Casey, about 20-30 minutes away from where we are by train. Got there about 5:30 pm. Jesse had his hotdog and I had hamburger. It was like home, there was baseball going on, all that was missing was apple pie and Ice cream (we don't really need it). There was a concert of Deana Carter (a country singer) and the 2nd Infantry Division Band from our base (Camp Red Cloud). One of the soldiers from the church that we have been visiting is one of them, he plays the French horn. We met a couple there from our apt. complex with their 2 young twin daughters, (he is a Lt. Col. and she is Korean) and they go to the same church too. The Celebration had the salute to all the 50 states and its flags (in order that they came to the union)which gave me goosebumps because every time they call a state they fire the cannon. There was fireworks in the end which I recorded some of it. Being with the military this time is very different than when Jesse was in the Army, and I can't help feeling proud and blessed. Being here makes me appreciate more of my adopted country.

I am so proud to be an american and we shouldn't take our freedom for granted. Some people don't realized how lucky and blessed we are. I still remember my uncle (who sponsored us to come to America) used to say "You lucky you came to America." I don't remember if I ever told him that I do. Growing up in the Philippines then coming to America as a teen, then coming here and experience another culture is really different, some people may even call it a shock. But I am here for only for a little while and I might as well enjoy it.

Blackhawk

About to take off

Up and around

Up and Away!!!!!!!

It was amazing to see one close up and more amazing to see one start, lift up and away. It was awesome to me. I think we live in a no fly zone area because the only ones I see flying are with the militaries. I've seen a Chinook fly by also. I think this is fastest way for the high ranking officers to go to the other bases. I tell you, I'm seeing how our tax dollars getting spent and hmmmm. I just leave it at that.

More Observations of the Korean Way

Like I said last time, the next day was not a pleasant day. Maybe I'm just not understanding their way of thinking, or I misunderstood her (our agent). She speaks pretty well, I didn't think I misunderstood her at all. I finally understood why once Jesse explain to me that night the reason why but I still think it is wrong.

Before Jesse left for work he asked me to go and pay the lease on the apartment. Sure, that's not a hard thing to do, it is a walking distance I can do that. I wrote the amount for a 1 year lease (I've never written that much amount of money in our checking account before). I left the payable to blank since I was going to drop it off at the Realty office then I can asked who it is payable to once I get there. Our agent didn't give me a who so I just wrote the company's name and gave her the check. Then the unpleasantness started, she said, "no, no, no, not personal check, make it cashier's check. I said okay, I'll just go to the bank inside the Base and get you a cashier's check. She said okay. So I walked to the bank inside the base, not that far, and the base is across the street but it is pouring rain and it is humid. I got to the bank and they made me a cashier's check, then went back to the realty office, once our agent saw the payable to part of the check, she started telling me no no no again and I asked her why not, she said, payable to the owner of the apartment or cash, but they prefer cash and I asked "Cash?" She said,"Yes, American dollar," I hesitated and said to myself, I am not walking by myself with that amount of money from the bank, but I went back to the bank anyway. By this time, I was scared and fuming at the same time. Why didn't she tell me from the beginning she wanted cash? I could have at least discuss it with Jesse, (I could not call Jesse because he can't received any phone calls when working). I am not walking out of the base with that amount of money. When I got back to the bank, I told the bank teller my problem and she can see and sense my apprehension, reservations and frustration and she must know the history of the company because once she saw the name on the check, she said that this realty company do this all the time and I said I am not walking out of the base with that amount of cash. The nice teller tells me to have the agent come inside the base and give her the cash there so that the bank camera can take our "pictures" so I have a proof that I gave her the cash I still had reservations about the whole cash thing and I need a receipt. I called our agent to come inside the base at the bank and I want a receipt. I had to go back to the Base gate to escort our agent in as a visitor. Went back to the bank did the transactions and our agent gave me the original lease as my receipt. I wasn't sure if my frustration showed, I was fuming all day and did I say it was raining hard and I was hot and soak at the same time. As soon as Jesse walked in I broke loose. Jesse explained that they want cash because they maybe paying the owners in Korean Won and they wait until the exchange is high. I don't know, I still think it is wrong.

That was a day in the life of Mila, in Korea.

The next day was Great! Stay tune.......

Back of our apartment

Are you dizzy yet? View of our apartment from the back, as you can

see there are several buildings. I think there's a cluster of 12 just in

our area. There are also several preschool on the first floor of some

of the buildings and we have one in ours and there's several playgrounds

and areas to sit, most of the afternoon is very noisy once the kids

are home from school.

Front of out apartment

This is the view from the front of our apartment.

I took this video when it was hazy very early in the morning.

Down below are market places and restaurant. The closest tall

building on the left is the small hospital