We’re in the final stretch of 2021, and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling quite the sense of deja vu. I remember feeling such a sense of hope for 2021 after the dumpster fire that was 2020, and though 2021 has had its fair share of highs, it also offered a significant series of lows. But, nevertheless, here we are, about to turn a page on yet another chapter. We wrapped our first Christmas on the peninsula, and Covid made sure to rear its head at the start of our first winter in South Korea. Overall though? Things are good. Life is good.
I’d be lying if I said Christmas wasn’t a complete 180 from our normal Christmases. We spent it a full 14 hours ahead of family in the US, which was definitely a strange thing, but we had a great time as a family with a low-key holiday. If you follow me on instagram, you might’ve seen that Covid came into play on Christmas Eve, yet again, with a directive from Ryan’s leadership at Humphreys mandating that all of 2ID be on lockdown barring essential activities. So, any holiday break plans we had? Gone.
Thankfully, families aren’t included in the mandate. The kids and I are free to move about as we need to (within reason, of course), and we now have to present our vaccination cards at establishments, as well as a Form 49, which states our CDC vaccines are recognized by the Korean government. It’s a hassle, but it’s a far cry from our lockdown last year.
The kiddos have been amazing with all the curveballs of our first winter in South Korea. We had a few tears from Porter, who desperately wished for a white Christmas like the ones in New Hampshire, but they’ve rolled with it – even when our much-prayed for snow melted in 24 hours before Christmas. We’re enjoying a good break from our normal routine, sleeping far too late, enjoying one too many bowls of popcorn with the smell of Christmas-y candles in the background, and generally shirking all responsibilities unless absolutely necessary.
To be honest? It’s nice not to rush about everywhere, though we do miss adventuring.
For now though, we continue to ride this next proverbial “wave” of transition. Spencer and I are heading to Seoul tomorrow for another job, there’s a Christmas dinosaur on our countertop that’s starting to hatch (at least, that’s what I think it is…Santa’s directions on the box were in Hangul), and we fully intend to stay warm and in from the cold of winter in South Korea while we have to because, yes, it’s cold. So, cheers to wrapping up this year, my friends!
I hope your Christmases were merry and bright and that you, too, are ready to ring in this new year in style.
