Worst week in Korea

---

Let me replay the last two weeks:

After finishing my last blog, I went to sleep, woke up early, and ventured off to Seoul with Jake for the first time since training.

After a really fun and busy weekend in Seoul (filled with lots of pictures) I was excited to edit pictures and blog about the weekend. So, on Tuesday night, when Jake went to play Wii, I stayed in and emptied both my cameras contents onto my computer.

Wednesday morning, Jake notices 110,000 won is missing from his wallet ($100US). We try to figure out what he could have done with it in the 18 hours since he withdrew it from the bank. We could come up with nothing besides a student stole it, which didn't really make any sense. Then, he decided to go on a bike ride and quit thinking about the money for a while. On his way out the door, he realizes his Oakley sunglasses are no where to be found. He uses them everyday on every ride and always keeps them in the same place. Strange...but he goes on a ride anyway. Sun and bugs in the eyes.

Meanwhile, I am going crazy trying to think where his money and glasses could be. He gets home from his ride right as I am about to head to work because I need to stop at the bank and post office on my way. It is important to mention: Tuesday before we left to work, a woman who spoke no English came to our door and said she needed to fix our bathroom. She called our school and had the director translate for us and we found out that she was our land lady and needed to do something to the bathroom floor. Because of this, we could not use our bathroom and instead we had to walk to the apartment next door, which is empty, and use that. Back to the story: Jake goes next door to use the bathroom right before I am leaving to work. I lock the door (subconsciously) and leave to work like I do everyday. Since we have no phones, I didn't find out until an hour later that Jake was locked out of the apartment, wearing only underwear, and had to walk to our friends who live a few buildings up. I go to the bank, rush to work in time for a meeting and see Jake wearing capri's, a t-shirt, and nike sandals. For about 30 seconds I had NO IDEA what was going on. Jake is always in a suit and to see him standing in the hallway at school like this was not making sense in my head. Then he told me I had locked him out. We were having a WONDERFUL day....

So Jake had to walk BACK home from school, in super hot weather, change into his suit and walk BACK to the school. And of course, he missed the meeting.

All day we are still trying to figure out what happened to the glasses and cash. Then we go home from work...lock our doors and windows and attempt to sleep. My head is spinning from a very stressful day and finally, I sit up in the dark when I realize I haven't seen Jake's big camera anywhere. I had just used it Tuesday night to upload pictures...and it's pretty big and usually sitting out...and for whatever reason, I realized I hadn't seen it. I jump out of bed and start looking for it in the dark. It's no where. I tell Jake..."your camera is gone." I start looking for my camera: also gone. Instantly, we realized our stuff had been stolen. Made for a GREAT nights sleep. NOT. It was so creepy realizing that someone had been in our place...and WHILE we slept. We had gone to bed at 2am with all our stuff, and woken up at 10am with 4 expensive things missing. All four of the things were on a desk underneath the window, which was open for cool air during the night. And we live on the second floor.

The next day we get up, walk to work early, and tell our director that all of this is missing and that someone broke in. He came to our place with us, looked around, and then we filed a police report. Three cops came to the school and filled stuff out and then they took Jake with them back to the house and poked around. Obviously, there isn't much anyone could do.

I went through phases of being over it, and then suddenly being furious that someone could do that, and WHILE we were there. Of course, for me...it's just about the cameras. I'm in a foreign country with no camera. That is equivalent to my worst nightmare. I take pictures everyday, I love taking pictures. I sold my SLR before I left because I knew I'd have Jake's to use and we didn't want to pack two big ones. And I had just bought a new small camera last year. No fun getting things stolen. It's a first for both Jake and I...and it's one I could have done without.

HOWEVER, some of my first thoughts were: thank you Lord I just emptied both of my cameras. (That is sick and disgusting to think of some stranger having my cameras with pictures of me and my friends and everything I've done ON IT) thank you Lord they picked up Jake's wallet, stole the cash, and PUT IT BACK DOWN! (All of his credit/debit cards and his dad's license are in there) thank you Lord they didn't take either of our laptops! (I would not recover from that one) thank you Lord they didn't reach two feet over and steal my entire purse which also had a lot of cash in it. And finally, thank you Lord we weren't hurt or threatened throughout the whole thing. So all this to say: It could have been way worse and we learned a good lesson.

I'm sad that this blog is replacing the one that I was so excited to write about our weekend in Seoul. I will follow up with that one. This one is dedicated to the worst week in Korea. There were a couple other things besides being stolen from that took place last week. I was seriously wondering if the week would ever end.

Today, the Chief Police Officer showed up at our house, shook our hands, and said in broken English that he's sorry for what happened. He looked around near the window...and then shook our hands again. He told Jake that I was very beautiful...and then looked at pictures of Sofia (and everyone else) on our fridge and asked who she was. We showed him Destiny and said it was her daughter. He asked if she was married. Ha ha...yes, she is. "Very beautiful....beautiful family. Happy family." Yes, I said, full of pride. They are all very beautiful.

Before they closed the door they said, "we will find the suspect very soon." While I doubt that is true, they also said they will be patrolling the area very often. It was really kind of him to come by and somehow, it made the whole situation better.

---

Comments

[Jeanne Curtis]

Oh, Bet, this made me so sad but I love the perspective you gave it in the end. I am so thankful that you didn't wake up and that above all else, you and Jake are safe. A hard but valuable lesson in life of which you'll have many more! I love you! Take good care of each other. Jeanne

[Lacey]

Oh man, so sad and frustrating!! Way to be thankful and look at the positive side. That is really nice that the chief police officer came over, and so sweet what he said about them. Haha, "Yes, I said, full of pride. They are all very beautiful." Haha, that's great! Although you shouldn't hold on to this thought, I have some feeling that your camera may miraculously show up again, or something. Im gonna pray that it does. Remember that time you prayed for my computer to turn on? :) You're awesome. Thanks for sending me flowers and beautiful cards in the midst of the worst week in Korea. You're wonderful! love you!

[Stephanie]

That sucks...
So sorry you had to have a week like that. You must feel sick to your stomach when you think about it. I'm thankful that you are OK.

[Tina DeVries]

Grateful!
Everyone is sorry about your losses this week, very difficult and trying. I appreciate your positive attitude bethany and know you two are thankful you were safe. Love you lots! Mom