10 months

10 months to the day.  Greenville was behind us.  Yeongju was on the horizon.  

We crossed the ocean of no return.  Bound for a new world, full of new people.  New foods.  New languages.  New toilets.  It was an exciting time.  Everything was changing.  Everything had changed.

Together we stepped off the airplane and saw...McDonald's.  And then Starbucks.  And Americans.  Too many to count.  (Did we transfer to the wrong plane back in San Francisco?)

10 months ago (and 2 weeks into our marriage), Jessica and I exited the International Arrivals gate at Incheon International Airport with a trail of luggage.  Our lives jammed into several large suitcases.  We just stood there.  

          Well what do we do now?

It was Sunday evening.  Someone from the recruiting agency would be by the airport to pick us up in the morning.  But until then we had to figure out what to do with ourselves.  I had $80 to my name.  So naturally we opted for coffee at the Dunkin' Donuts kiosk.  After that we counted what was left, guessed we had enough for a hotel, and boarded a shuttle bus into a very unfamiliar night.

In the time since that night I've learned a lot.  About myself.  About Jessica.  About us.  About people.  I've learned that beans on your ice cream isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I've learned eel and tomatoes for dinner is good for stamina.  (If you know what I mean.  wink wink.)  I've learned that children are children.  America.  China.  Taiwan.  Korea.  People are people.

But most importantly I've learned that Jessica and I can do anything.  At home or in Asia.  Whatever we set our mind to.  We're a great team.  We work well together.  We share goals and dreams.  We're best friends, which has been our secret to a smooth first year of marriage away from home.

          .....that and a steady diet of eel and tomato soup.