No More Rapunzel

And so began many wonderful experiences in Korea and across Asia – not only did we live in Seoul, we lived very well.  If an Elton John concert was coming to town, we could sit in the front row or Nora Jones or Il Divo.  If we went to a restaurant, Rich’s assistant always made the reservation and we had a terrific table and service. The kids were finally settled into a school routine.  I missed the sports availability and the two oldest were bused 45 minutes to an hour each way, but there are always challenges so it did not seem too tough. We had been given a driver for the family; at first I thought it was an invasion of privacy and a loss of independence.  But I got used to it and started to really enjoy how much easier it is in a big sprawling city, where I could sit in the back and do crossword puzzles-- while someone navigated through the ever-present traffic.  My third child went to preschool and the Korean moms were warm; I accepted their invitations for play dates and started to make some friends. As our first year came to a close, we were becoming comfortable in Seoul and Korea was becoming comfortable with us.