Week 1 in Asia

We got to go on several tours of the city our first week here. While on our "business tour" we stood on a bridge that used to be the dividing point of two cities. Now it is one city and we live in this area which is the commercial/business district with sky scrapers and all. Here's a picture of what our streets are like. I think we're getting used to crossing the streets now.

This is a picture of a street vendor that is pulled by a sad little donkey. Something that we've noticed a huge difference in our city is the HUGE increase in the amount of cars (see in the back of the picture). It makes traffic crazy and the city more crowded. Our main transportation is our 1 gear bikes. We average probably an hour of biking a day. (Yes, our bums are sore!)

We thought we would included a picture of our new home and neighborhood, pictured to the right. Just kidding! Real pictures of our home will be later. (It's a work in process right now.) This pic is actually part of the old city, or what remains. A couple years ago it was the old cities 60th year anniversary and it was given a "face lift". Therefore not much of the old city remains. Now it has many new shiny high rise buildings.

We had our first kitchen flooding this week. The washing machine is kept in our kitchen because when you do a load of laundry you have to move it to the sink and take out the tube to the sink (green tube) and put the tube of the washing machine (white tube) in a pvc drain. In the middle of laundry, the tube to drain the washing machine popped out and leaked all over the floor. We had a good inch of dirty clothes water on our floor. Now we have to fight off mold under our kitchen! We're getting the hang of things here now though.

Final Stretch

We only have a few more days left at orientation before we go to the Orient! We'll be going back to NM on Thursday for one more week with family and friends. We fly out first week of April!!!



We've still been experiencing some interesting weather. Last week we got a foot of snow and high of 8 degrees. A couple days later all the snow was melted with high of 80 degrees (see before and after snowman picture below!) This week has been mostly cold and rainy.

We got to go to D.C. yesterday. We got to have a few cultural experiences. One was mastering the metro to get around. We then went to China town (more like China street, sort of) where we ate delicious Authentic Chinese food. We didn't see many people around like we thought we would, maybe due to the fact of it being freezing cold and rainy outside. There were a ton of people in the Museum of Natural History and a Portrait Museum though. We didn't get to do much touristy things like see the white house or Abe Lincoln's Memorial, but overall it was a good experience. We got to see many things in passing and hope to one day to go back for a sunny day of tourism!

Oh, we mustn't forget one more important note. We've become good friends with a Korean family while here. The wife taught Dana how to make Kimchee. She had a fun time learning this unique skill, and John had a good time eating it!

Three and a half weeks left!

We have 3 1/2 more weeks left here in VA. We're getting more and more excited and prepared to get overseas. It's still fairly cold and wet compared to what we're used to. Here's a picture of one morning behind our dorm. There are lots of pretty trees, rolling hills, and a stream here.

We've found the cutest squirrel here; we've named him "Little Buddy". Nearly everyday we see him gathering grass then climbing up a tree to his nest. Some squirrels are psychiatric and climb trees that are about 60-70 feet high and to the top on skinny branches waving in the air.

We've decided to buy a house here because it was so beautiful, we couldn't resist ;). What do you think? It probably only costs half a million dollars!

Ever wonder what 1,500 band aids would look like? Well, as you can see, we bought that many for our shot clinics! The organization we're with gives more vaccines than any other organization except one. Any guesses who's in the lead? The U.S. military! We've already had 2 out of our 3 clinics. It can be crazy because there are more than 100 small children here that don't get out of shot day just because they cry and melt your heart. Many people get 2 shots at one time in each shoulder. By the end of orientation, we will have received at least 11 shots and 2 pill series combined! (Which is what some individuals get!)

We did get to go to the legendary Thai diner with our friends. Dana got Noodles, American hot (her lips and tongue had no feeling at the end). John got a Pumpkin curry, Thai hot, that was on page 18 of the menu! (The first lining of his stomach was eaten away!) We thought New Mexicans knew what hot was, boy were we humbled!

Top 10 conversations here.

It is still really cold here. Stays in the teens and 20's. We should probably try to acclimate to the weather we're going to by taking off our coats, gloves, and shoes... but we're not quite that hardcore!

No... the below picture is not out of focus. It was really foggy the other day; this is a view of the half frozen lake. It wasn't raining, but when we walked outside our clothes would become very wet and cold from the humidity and fog. "Are we in a cloud?"

In the mornings we wake to find everything frozen solid. The grass, trees, bushes, and pathways. It's like walking on ice. It is very fascinating and beautiful - especially for New Mexicans! Click on the pictures to enlarge and see the ice.

It's funny getting to know people here. The conversations, especially the conversational starters, all seem the same. We've compiled a top 10 list of conversations we've had with dozens of people here:

1) What's ya'll's names?

2) Where are you going?

3) Where did you come from?

4) What did you do before?

5) What will be your platform?

6) Will you go career?

7) What will you do when you get back?

8) Do you have children?

9) How long have you been married?

10) Have you been there before?

We've been here for 4 days and it feels like we've been here for a month. We've learned a lot and have gone deeper into conversations with people. We even made out first trip out of the barracks to make a Walmart run with friends last night :)

Home Sweet Home... for now.

We made it safe and sound to VA

for some training! It is currently 27 degrees and snowing/hailing. We are one of the unfortunate to stay in the dorms, on the second floor. (Yes, Paul and Nat - same building as you! Thanks a million for the box!) We pushed the 2 twin beds together and rigged the twin sheets to make it seem like a king size. We will live in a bedroom with our own bathroom. There is a ktchen/laundry area down the hall. We have all the cafeteria food you can handle, I mean dream of! We are excited that we got assigned to be on the "Medical team" here. We've already made some awesome friends and are excited for these next 8 weeks.

There and Back Again; A Dygert's Tale.

We have traveled all over the place to spend good time with family. We spent a week during Christmas in Alamogordo with John's family. Here is a picture of John and his family at Christmas dinner.

The funny thing there was that Dana got her 1st drum gig! John's mom asked if she would play for her Korean church and wouldn't take no for an answer. She played 4 hymns on a drum set with a keyboard!

We also got to see some friends along the way and say some goodbyes. Here's us with David

and Elise at breakfast.

Next we went up to Farmington to see two of our friends, Kim and Josh, get married and to hang out with Dana's family for 2 weeks.

We got the pleasure of beautiful snow while up there. We spent one weekend up in Pagosa Springs with Dana's parents and their friends. We got prunny in the Hot Springs.


Dana and her brother Clay even taught John how to snowboard at Wolf Creek! He did so well and made them so proud! He went down Blue runs and even some mogles. Shoot, he even did a jump and landed it!!!

Then we went to Dallas and Longview area to visit John's brother and sister-n-law, Tim and April. They have the sweetest boy, Jacob, who we also enjoyed seeing and playing with.

Lastly we stayed in Las Cruces with Dana's brother and sister-n-law, Justin and Sara. It was a good time not only to relax and spend time with their cute dog, Ulan, but also to prepare for our next place of Virginia.

Hugs and Goodbye's

Well Dana and I have finished our time at Mountainview Regional Medical Center. We have enjoyed so much of our time in the ER and are going to miss so many people. It was hard leaving because we have both created so many friendships and memories (some embarassing ones for John). We are excited to keep in touch with our ER crew and look forward to seeing everyone again in the future!