the NEW BLOG is up!!!

Please check out our newest blog in which we chronicle our experiences living in a small rural, community in southern South Korea. Teaching, traveling and trying to learn about a new part of the world. You can find us here:

http://www.dustinandanne.com/

goodbye party!

Dustin's family hosted a gathering of our families for one last party before leaving for Korea.

Here are some wonderful shots from the day.

New era ~ New blog

Here is a photo of our future home...

Yeonggwang, South Korea

We'll be living in the teeny coastal town of Bubseong.

Please follow us along on our journeys at our new website:

www.dustinandanne.com

Please bookmark this site and check back often for updates.

We should have the site active and live within a week!

NOTE: I will no longer be using this blog - as Dustin has created this incredible website to document our journey. However, feel free to peruse it at your leisure and reminisce over the last few years of my life in Japan, graduate school and pre-Korea! It has been a wonderful tool in helping me be more reflective and introspective - as well as hopefully teaching my blog buddies a thing or two about the international scene that I love so much! Thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy the new website just as well: www.dustinandanne.com

We can't wait to share our new adventures with you!

Miss you all! :) ~Anne

last night in my house...

Well the day of departure is finally here... for those of you who haven't heard - Dustin and I are moving to Yeonggwang, South Korea.

We are heading down to our final farewell party tomorrow and our flight leaves Sunday afternoon. Tonite is my last nite sleeping in my bed...that's always weird. In fact, playing the "last-this, last-that" game will drive a person insane, so I've told myself to just focus on the many new and exciting "firsts" that will be happening in a few short days!

Here is our itinerary:

Non-stop flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo = 14 hour flight

Tokyo to Incheon = 4 hour flight

Incheon to Seoul = 40 minute bus

Seoul to Kwangju = 1 hour flight

Kwangju to Yeonggwang = 2 hour drive

Yeonggwang to Bubseong (our new home) = 15 minute bus

TOTAL: ~23 hours

After crossing the int'l date line -

it will feel as though we've traveled for almost 2 days!

Stay tuned for future updates...after some much needed rest!

The Last Supper

Our last "American" meal together as a family - before departing for South Korea in less than 24 hours! My mom, dad and brother have always been my best friends and biggest supporters.
I'm going to rely on that support and think of them often,
while living overseas in the coming year.

I'll miss you and I love you!
XOOXoOXoOXoxoOOXXOxOXOoXOXO

Last weekend at The Lake

Last week was crazy busy trying to get the final preparations ready for our big move. I jammed it all in somehow -- wrapping up both softball and golf leagues, selling my car, submitting my students final grades, visiting with a few old friends, finishing my job, and beginning to pack (er...at least think about what I wanted to pack). To reward myself for the stressful summer - I headed up to the lake with my mom and dad for a few fun days in the sun with my relatives from out of state.
My lovely parents who make leaving difficult,
but coming back so fabulous!

My cousins have adorable daughters...Corrinne is pictured below:

Here is my Grandma -- still going strong! I hope her health strengthens and improves while I am away the next year. She is such a special woman and wonderful Grandma!

I love you "Gi-Gi"!!!

Sophia is another cousin's daughter who has perfected the pout, pictured below:

It's funny, I didn't even graduate from UMD and yet those are the only college clothes we have!? Thought this was a cute picture anyways.... :)

Cousin Mere looks pretty darn good - considering she's in her second trimester! I can't wait to meet my new cousin when we get home!

...and hopefully this one will be OK with having to share the spotlight!

4 days of gorgeous, hot, sunny weather was just what I needed to start to relax and unwind from the crazy summer....well, until I remembered that I had about 10 hours of packing to do in 2 days!!! Fortunately, most everything is already packed and ready to roll for Saturday morning. Wow -- my last days are flying by and the clock is really ticking!

In less than 30 hours, I will be on my way outta town!?!? :) .... ;) .... :(

IEC Graduation Ceremony

These students use aliases while in America.

L-R: Lucy, Miranda, Erika, Sonia and Paul

Here are a few pictures from the IEC graduation ceremony.I worked in the Intensive English Center @ SCSU this summer. The students come from three continents and 13 different countries.They are a joy to work with and I am happy to have both taught and learned from them. Congratulations students!

Below: Students participate in an international fashion show.

last day of classes

Another gorgeous, hot, sunny, humid day... here are a couple of shots from our last day of classes. There were others taken of the entire group -

but won't be up for another day or two.

This group was so outgoing and fun! I will sadly miss these folks!

Hong Kong

Thanks for making such an effort to keep in touch through the moves, the new jobs, and the various countries ... you are a special friend and I'll miss seeing that beautiful smile of yours! Maybe I can catch that on webcam ...?

sEE you SluGGer

It's "Critter" Time

BuBye DaYnA & RuSty!

Thank you so much for the wonderful Italian treat!

We enjoyed seeing you and will miss you guys next year.

(Or until we meet up in the Phillippines! :)

adios ~ farewell ~ anyeong hi kaseyo!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by for one last hangout...it was a random group of friends all inter-connected one way or another, but we sincerely enjoyed spending one last nite with you!
Paff- we're sorry we couldn't make it up to Spicer, but thanks for being flexible and making the trek down to Cloudtown. You will be surely missed!

Big squeezes to you two...and good luck with the move! We can't wait to come and visit your new palace someday soon! :)

Anothony rocks the house... please put out another CD soon!

So many goodbyes - really takes it outta ya!

Hope Dayna and Rusty can join us somewhere in Asia next year!!!???

Pretty snazzy looking group of gals!

xooOXXOoXoXOoXoxoxoOXox

Some special goodbyes...

....this picture makes me smile and yet I feel a couple of tears coming on.

you guys are great friends, but our busy schedules didn't permit

many hangouts this last year.

we'll miss you all and look forward to hearing your stories of new jobs, new homes and new babies?!?!? gosh...we'll miss out on a lot back home!

Eric & Amanda -- we just couldn't get in enough rounds of golf with these two!

Mitch - below - one of my favorite people from kindergarten! Distance has never been tricky for us! Keep in touch babe and best wishes finishing your MA this semester! :)

Bill and Laura - PLEASE please PleAsE visit my parents while we're away. They would love having some young blood around the house! :) And we know you guys won't be complaining about the free beer and wine ;)

Squeezes to all of you! Time flies when you're having a blast - so we'll be back in no time!