DMZ

On Saturday Matt and I got tickets for a DMZ tour. DMZ is short for the Korea Demilitarized Zone. It is the are that separates North and South Korea. The bus left base early at 7am and it was about a two hour drive. The tour took us to about four different tourist sites before we actually got to drive into the DMZ.

One of the tourist sites was a train station the South Koreans built in hopes that unification will happen between the North and the South and the train will go from South Korea's capital Seoul to North Koreas capital Pyongyang. We were able to buy a fake ticket to Pyongyang. The train station cost $8 million dollars to build and has been deserted since it was finished.

My ticket to North Korea

Matt and I in front of the train station

The best part of the tour was actually getting to go see the line that separates North and South Korea. The process is really serious and you need an armed military guard to take you to the line. Before you go everyone signs a form stating if you decide to cross the line, they are not responsible for you. From where we got to stand you can see the North Korea guards on one side and the South Korea guards on the side you are standing on.

The big building in the back is in North Korea

The blue buildings are used for the North and South Koreans to discuss politics

North Korean guard

Matt and I in front of the DMZ line

The experience was once in a lifetime and I am so glad I was able to share it with Matt. It is crazy to me that things like this still go on in the world. The only thing I wish we could have done was go inside one of the blue buildings. Matt got to do it last time he went and part of the blue building is in North Korea. The North Koreans were doing construction so we weren't allowed in the buildings this time. We did get to see the changing of the North Korean guards which was really cool to see too.

Matt and I are going to a city called Busan for the memorial day weekend. Busan has two beaches that are suppose to be really pretty. I am excited to get off of the base and go explore other areas of Korea!

JMU in Korea and Soju

I had a great weekend doing a bunch of tourist things around Korea. Saturday Matt and I went to the DMZ. The experience was unreal and I will post about that tomorrow with some great pictures!

On another note, when I was shopping around Songtan I found a JMU jacket! So crazy JMU made it all the way to South Korea :)

GO DUKES!

Saturday night Matt and I went out with some of his friends. I tried sweet tea soju and cherry soju. Soju is the Korean drink of choice :) Let me tell you it tastes so good, but does not make you feel so hot the next morning!

Me and Min Ju

Drinking a bowl of cherry soju

Also Saturday night I found out one of my best friends, Torie, got engaged! I am so excited for her and her fiance and cannot wait to celebrate with her when I get back in the U.S.!

Sunday we decided to go to Seoul to get lunch and have a couple drinks at this craft beer pub. I tried a sample paddle of about four different beers. The beer was really good and surprisingly the Korean brewed IPA was my favorite.

We spent the rest of our Sunday relaxing and watching episodes of the League (such a funny show, if you have never seen it check it out!)

Last minute trip to South Korea!

I made it to Korea! I had been waiting for over a month to get my passport back from Andrews AFB (they needed it for paperwork stuff to get me authorized to live in England) and last Monday they called to say it finally came in. I booked a direct flight for the next day and hurried to get everything packed and done in time. The flight was 14 hours long and I could not sleep the whole time, so I ended up watching 6 movies, so boring! I knew how to catch the bus to the base, so Matt met me at the bus stop on base. I am so much happier being here, it is nice to have my husband around again. Sometimes I know it would have been easier for me to have moved here with him, but you learn from your choices and we now know we will never be separated (unless we have no choice) ever again!

Oh Korea how I have missed you! haha

The first place I wanted to go when I got here was this thai restaraunt off base. The food is amazing and  it did not disappoint this time :) I got the chicken, ginger and onion stir fry and it was delicious!

Yum!

The weather is nice here. It gets kind of hot during the day, but it is not too humid yet. Matt's dorm does not have air condition yet, so it gets a little warm during the day. We are going on a trip to the DMZ tomorrow. The DMZ is the area that separates North and South Korea. The bus leaves super early at 7am and we don't get back till late. I am really excited to go see it, especially with all of the news that was going on last month with North Korea. I will post about it with pictures when I get back :)

Anyways, I am extremely happy and enjoying my time with Matt!

My best friend :)