Just Say NO

To a Christmas card list that's as long as your arm, that is. Sending out hundreds of cards is a waste of your valuable time, energy and money. There are two categories of people on your list, right? People you have other contact with, and people that you only exchange Christmas cards with. If you don't like someone enough to talk to them when it's not Christmas, just cross them off your list and be done with it. If you do care enough about them to call, write or see them at other times, hurray! You can call, write or see them some other time! No need to send them an insincere, mass produced card. Since your list is now much smaller, you can send a nice picture or personal note! Or, just tell them you're not sending them this year. Your nearest and dearest will understand. Joy to the World!

Anonymous, Guest Blogger

Farewell, Osan: One Mom's Tour

As our time at Osan Air Base comes to a close, I've been doing a little reflecting. Being our first real assignment after tech school, I didn't really know what I was in for, not including the fact that it is in a different country. What I experienced when I first got here and what I experience daily now are worlds apart from each other. From living off base, to moving on base, then back off base, then finally back on base again, it has been quite a ride.

When I first got here, we didn't have any children yet. It was just the two of us, free to do (almost) whatever we wanted. I quickly noticed that what the majority of people here did was party. Seriously, every night. Now as many of you guessed, these were mostly the single people, with no family to go home to.... or married people, here unaccompanied, pretending they were single. It all seemed a little chaotic to me. Aaron and I would refer to this base as the base of alcoholics.

When we had Lucas, I entered this entirely new atmosphere. Full of mommies, babies, playgroups, breastfeeding, morning coffee with friends, support, community, and for the first time since coming here, friends. I met people I could connect with. People that were going through or had recently been through the same things I was going through. For the first time since Aaron joined the military, I had people I felt that I could really talk to. It was, and has been, fabulous!

I learned what it was to be a military spouse while here too. What it means to really support your spouse. My wonderful husband is serving our country. Though he can't tell me what he does, I know for the most part he really enjoys it, and is good at it. Granted, we have it a lot easier than some because he has a steady Mon-Fri 7:30-4:30 job, but the women here have shown me how important it is to support our husbands and keep our families happy, healthy, and in line, so that they can do their job and come home to an inviting atmosphere.

I love that this is a "walking" base. You walk pretty much everywhere here, or at least we do. The downfall is that there isn't a ton to do, so for entertainment we usually end up walking to the BX, seeing if there is anything we can't live without, and then walking home. Fun huh? This base is such a small community. It is nice walking anywhere and running into at least two people you know. I've lived in a couple small towns before, but I've never felt the sense of community that I have felt here. This might be due to the fact that we are in a different country with a different language, so we cling to our own. We are the minority here, so we depend on each other.

It has been fun and interesting experiencing the culture here in Korea. It has been fun getting to see the old fortresses, palaces, shrines, folk villages, etc. My husband knew quite a bit about this country before we came here, so he already knew the culture, but I quickly caught on. The driving is one of the scariest I have ever seen. I have seen people drive on sidewalks, not stop at stoplights (which is very common), and not pay any attention to crosswalks. Oh and you know how in the states where there is an intersection with yellow flashing lights signaling you to yield and the other side has red flashing lights signaling you to stop? Most times Korea just has yellow flashing lights on both sides, so it is a free-for-all. It gets pretty interesting, and we have experienced some SERIOUS road rage. I have learned that Koreans have a different view of personal space than we do, their men are very feminine and "close" to one another, and most that we have met are very prideful. Aaron has had conversations with Korean teachers both here and in the states that would argue with him for days that their language is completely original, when it was actually based off the Chinese language. Same goes for their architecture. Korea has also apparently built the largest church.... I would have guessed the largest church would be near the Vatican or something. The funniest thing I think I have heard since being here is that the Korean culture believes in this concept called "fan death". Aaron has read published articles on this topic. They say DO NOT sleep with your fan blowing on you (which you totally want in the summer because they don't have central a/c), because it will kill you. Yup, you will die of "fan death" if your fan blows on you while you are sleeping. Uh huh.....riiight. There is also this terrible smell here, which we call the Korea smell. Before coming to Korea we couldn't place what our dogs absolutely disgusting breath smelled like. Well we figured it out, it smells like a Korean alley, yuck.

All in all, it has been a good three year tour here in Korea. We are so terribly excited to go back to the states, and don't plan on coming back to Korea if we have a say in the matter, but it was good for us to experience this. Thank you to all the wonderful people that I have gotten to know while stationed here. Many of you have shaped me into a better woman, wife, and mother.

Disaster: Would You Survive?

Back in my pre-baby life, I worked for the Army Corps of Engineers, running emergency construction projects. In the spring of 1999, I was in Kellogg, Idaho, building a chute to channel some anticipated floodwaters away from the town. This required digging a trench for a large culvert in a narrow canyon. The culvert sections had to be fastened together inside the trench. If you don't know a lot about trenches, they are extremely dangerous. Dirt is very heavy, and someone inside a trench can be crushed to death even without being buried. So, whenever the workers were in the trench, I was watching very carefully, ready to warn them if I saw any movement on the sides. Sure enough, one of the sides caved in. And, I stood and watched the dirt fall in slow motion and said nothing. Why? I had no idea, and it has bothered me ever since. But guess what? It turns out I was in denial, and it's a common, but surprising, response when something disastrous happens. Luckily, that day only a small part of the trench wall fell in, the workers jumped clear and everything was fine.

I just read 'The Unthinkable; Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why' by Amanda Ripley, and it was an absolutely fascinating look into risks and how the human brain and body respond to, well, the unthinkable: plane crashes, shooting rampages, and natural disasters.

The author studied many different incidents, from ferry sinkings to Virginia Tech to fires to 9/11, and found that in every case, survival depends on regular people at the scene, not on professional responders. By the time emergency personnel arrives, it's too late. But there's no training for regular people, so we have to be responsible for ourselves. The good news is that our risk of facing some catastrophic incident is much lower than our risk of say, having a stroke. But for various reasons related to our humanness, we dread disasters much more than the common diseases that we're much more likely to suffer from. So, eat your vegetables, get your exercise, quit smoking, meditate! And there's more good news: there's also plenty we can do to up our odds of survival in a disaster.

Some common reactions are not what you might expect: In disaster after disaster, investigations have shown that many people don't react; they simply fall into a stupor, as if paralyzed. It takes a jolt to snap them out of it and get them moving. For this reason, flight attendants are trained to shriek at people in airplane evacuations to get them moving. 'Milling' and 'Gathering' are also common responses. In the WTC attack, people in the towers were slow to evacuate for several reasons, but many of them stopped to gather belongings, and to discuss the situation with others. Group dynamics are always interesting, but in a disaster, people tend to herd up and wait to be told what to do. And that's fine if there is someone there who knows what to do, but that's not often the case.

When something happens, survival depends on you and those around you. And, like everything else in life, it's the simple things: Read the safety card on the airplane. Find the nearest exits and count the number of rows to get there. When you enter a high-rise, find the stairs and know where they go. Drive defensively. In general, have some situational awareness. Make a habit of looking around you and pay attention to what's going on. And breathe. Studies have shown that the same breathing patterns that help you meditate or soldier through labor can keep you calm in an emergency.

Living here at Osan, I am pretty complacent, but the reality is that there is a constant threat of aggression or terrorism. How would you react? Think about it, and make a plan. It might save your life.

Anna, guest blogger

Directions: Dream Depot

Dream Depot is an office/party supply store in Songtan. It would be good for office supplies, wrapping materials, and party favors with some other things thrown in, such as paper art supplies, some scrapbook things, and other random stuff. The top floor is office supplies and the other stuff is in the basement.


To get there:

• Turn R. out of the main gate


• Turn L. at the Triangle of Death


• Go over the bridge


• Turn R. immediately at the end of the bridge


• Turn L. at the 2nd set of flashing traffic lightsDream Depot is on the right on a corner a block or two down. Dream Depot is written very small, but you'll see the word "Stationary" in English.

Confessions from chaos: Stop the Insanity!

My house is a chaotic mess. My dishes are never done, my laundry is piled in the hallway, my kids have runny noses and long, dirty fingernails. My kids watch too much television and I drink too much wine and not quite enough coffee. I never go to the gym and spend way too much time and money online. My husband is neglected and my house plants are dead. My important papers are piled haphazardly in a bin in the closet and I can never find anything I need. I am forever buying new stuff because I can't find the three or four I already have: flashlights, umbrellas, stewed tomatoes, gloves, sunglasses, batteries, whiteout, blank cd's.....

Enough is enough! The new year is coming and I'm considering a radical resolution: To boldly impose order where none has existed before. Trouble is, I have no idea how to go about it. Oh, I've read all the organization books and checked out flylady and all the rest, but nothing has ever helped for long. But this time, it's different. I mean it this time. Really.

So here's where you come in: I need some help! If you can walk through your house without a Lego injury, if you aren't able to collect enough earwax from your kids to start a bonfire, if you can put your hands on your will within five minutes, give me some tips! If not, wanna come over for some wine? Any night is good for me.

Anonymous, guest blogger

Trashing the Environment for the Holidays?

I just read that Americans spend more on trash bags than 90 other countries spend on everything. I knew it was bad, but that's pretty shocking. If you've spent even three days in Korea, it's obvious that garbage and recycling is taken much more seriously here, and I understand that the situation is similar in the rest of the world, where resources are scarcer than we have enjoyed for decades in the US.

But the times, they are a-changing. Our landfills are filling up, our air and water are dirty.There are even contaminants in breastmilk! In the Pacific Northwest, the Orcas are starving to death because there aren't enough salmon to feed them. The list of environmental damage goes on, and on, and on, and it's all a direct result of overconsumption and the manufacturing, packaging, shipping and other activities that support it.

That's all pretty dreary, I know, but there are plenty of steps we can take. With Christmas coming up, I am already dreading the hefty bags full of wrapping paper, excessive packaging (oh, how I hate those wire ties that fasten toys to layers and layers of cardboard and plastic!), shopping bags, and boxes.

Here are some ideas to reduce the Christmas impact on the environment:

1. Consider environmentally friendly gifts: reusable grocery bags (Envirosax makes some really cute ones!), reusable BPA-free water bottles or sippy cups (Sigg, Kleen Kanteen, Safe Sippy), battery-free toys made from recycled materials (Sprig, many more).

2. Request, and give, gifts to charities like World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org/), Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org/) or 'adopt' a penguin, snow leopard or other endangered animal at World Wildlife (http://www.worldwildlife.org/) in lieu of a traditional gift. I have plenty of people on my list that don't need another scarf, pocketknife, toy or pair of gloves, and even kids can appreciate helping animals, or sending a seed kit or a flock of chickens to a family in Africa. You can even send a backpack of school supplies to an American kid in need.

3. Use environmentally friendly wrapping (use foil and then save it for use in the kitchen, or use kids artwork, or the comics from the Sunday paper). Try incorporating the wrapping into the present by wrapping a hat and gloves in a scarf, tucking some little girl's jewelry into a purse, or wrapping baby's presents in a super soft blanket tied with a ribbon. The possibilities are endless!

Add your own ideas in the comments, or send a post to osanparents@gmail.com!

Anna, Guest Blogger

Directions: Star Wallet (Photographer)

Question: For all you mom's that have taken or are planning on taking Christmas photos, can anyone recommend a studio either downtown or kind of close?

Answer: I haven't taken Christmas photos down there, but we ALWAYS go to Star Wallet. We love them! A little tip: If you go there, order a smaller picture of all the ones you like so they touch them up, then order the cd and you can control all the printing from there.

To get there:

• Go down the main strip downton and turn right at the second alley. At least I'm pretty sure it is the second.
• It is on the far end on the left side.

Or, it's probably easier to spot this way:

• Another way to go is to turn left at the triangle of death and then take the alley to the left right before you go up the bridge.
• It will be the second or third store on the right. There is a drug store on that corner too to help you identify it.

Tori, Guest Blogger

Sam Il Bulgogi House

Bulgogi is big in Korea. In fact, it is the national dish. Thankfully, it is also quite tasty and if you haven't already done so, try it. Sam Il Bulgogi is a good and popular place to go. It is an easy place to find in the Sinjang Dong market outside of the main gate and most people know where it is if you ask.

When entering the restaurant, remove your shoes and step up on to the floor of the restaurant without placing your feet on the "dirty" entry-way floor. Remember to wear socks!

You can sit at either at traditional floor level Korean dining tables or you can sit at Western style table and chairs. They do not have high chairs, but will allow you to bring a stoller in to the room for the little ones. Or, you can bring a portable booster seat and sit it on the floor or in the chair at the table.

The restaurant doesn't exactly accomodate children in the American sense of the word, but they love kids and appreciate them being there. Kids enjoy sitting at the table on the floor and watching their food cook at their table. Overall, bulgogi is a pretty kid friendly food because they can eat only the parts of the meal that they want.

The best things to do is order one or two orders of your preferred bulgogi (beef is traditional, but chicken is also very common.) You can pick spicy or "sweet". That should feed 2-4 of you comfortably. Once you've ordered sit back and relax. Enjoy a drink and watch some silly Korean TV. It is an informal place.

The wait staff will start your table BBQ and start cooking the meat which is marinated according to your order. He/She will also bring a myriad of small bowls containing condiments, such as kimchi (pickles vegetables, such as cabbage), rice, and lettuce leaves. The most important part of the meal is the kimchi, so don't put it aside. It would be considered rude. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find at least one of the types you will like if you need help knowing what you are eating, just ask. They are very helpful.

When the meat is cooking/cooked, the wait staff will cut the meat in to (large) bite sized pieces with scissors and now it's time to eat! The traditional way of eating bulgogi is to take a leaf of lettuce, place some rice, kimchi, and meat in the leaf. Wrap the meat tightly around the contents and place the ENTIRE thing in your mouth, so don't make it too big. You can ask for more of your favorite condiments. I particularly like the Korean pancakes. Yummy!

When you are done, you will pay for your bill in the entry way. You can tip. While tipping is not customary in Korea, may of the places outside the main gate understand that this is the way Americans show appreciation for their meal.

Helen, Guest Blogger

The Perks of Being...Wrong?

Shannon is working on her Doctorate in Education and has agreed to provide regular material for our blog that is based on her research. Below is a book review she has written about mindsets that are useful for both parenting and education.

While reading the book, Mind set! Reset Your Thinking and See the Future by John Naisbitt I found myself relating too many of his 11 mindsets but the two that seemed to be the most applicable were mindsets 4 and 10. Mindset four addresses the idea that it is not always good to be right or at least one should not feel the compulsion to always be right. Close on the heels of mindset 4 is mindset number 10 and it states that one should not add unless you first subtract. It is with these two mindsets that I most closely align my thinking and recognize as important for my success professionally and personally.

The realization that being wrong can still lead to success is a freeing fact and one that applies all too well in my professional and private life. Mr. Naisbitt (2006) talks of Albert Einstein a well known genius who made tremendous discoveries for Science and the world through the lengthy process of trial and error. I am certainly not comparing myself to Einstein or anything close to that but rather I see the similarity in our mindsets. I have always been a fearless person and at times this has even been to the point of recklessness. In my professional career I have experience in several fields and have often been told that I have “Done it all”, but there is much to do in the life I have left to live. Fear of failure has never been an obstacle to my decisions in life whether it was professional or personal. If I see or hear of an opportunity that I think will be beneficial or enriching to me, I step out in faith and try this new arena.

As a Social Studies teacher I am constantly adding to my knowledge base in an attempt to keep up with the changing times. History is an ongoing subject that grows second by second, hour by hour, and day by day. It is virtually impossible to constantly be aware of all the history going on in the world. As a result of this enormous growth of information I am often unaware of events or outcomes as it relates to my field of study. I am cognoscente that as change occurs old information becomes outdated and simply wrong. Information such as the world being round and not flat or that the Sun does not rotate around the Earth, but the Earth in fact rotates around the Sun.(Granted I was NOT teaching when any of the aforementioned theories were taught as correct…despite how old some of my students think me to be) So when confronted by a student who inquires as to why they have information that disagrees with what I have said, I am not afraid to admit that I may have outdated information and I welcome the new input. If I feared being proved wrong I would do well to find another line of employment as many students live for the opportunity to find a gotcha moment with their teacher.

Having a child creates a whole new set of reasons why not having to be right is powerful. First, there are too many books on how to raise your child and too many philosophies to really decide whose is better. The best method in my humble opinion is to do the best you know how and follow your instincts. This method is at times risky and prone to error. My decision to give my son chocolate and strawberries before his one year birthday was wrong. It turns out he is allergic to both items and would have been less likely to react had I waited until after his first birthday. Though the results of my error had only a minor impact, other choices could prove to have more severe consequences. As parents we cannot abstain from making decisions about the welfare of our children regardless of how afraid we are to make mistakes. So I do not allow the fear of being wrong to prevent my trying to do what is right.

When I start my “to do list” I am often reminded of the expression, the straw that broke the camel’s back. The weight of one straw is rather insignificant when taken alone, but when added to the hundreds of pounds of other straws it may become the crushing blow. After having my son I quickly realized that my priorities had to not only shift but change entirely. The idea of having a spotless home became a memory only to be recalled when family or friends were visiting. In place of the spotless home came a box of toys, a stroller, a diaper bag, a diaper pail, a high chair, a bassinet, a play pen, a bottle of milk, a pump, a monitor, a tube of diaper cream, and a host of other baby items littering the house. I realized that caring for my son meant giving up something else I once did in his place.

As a teacher we have such a heavy demand on our time that it is laughable when I hear people say that teachers only work 9 months out of the year. If you compared the hours teachers put in during the school year, to the hours of any 40 hour a week employee I think it would quickly become apparent that those few months off are little compensation for the over time teachers actually work.(Not to mention that many of us attend courses to maintain our certification during the summer months) Several times I have had Principals ask me to coach one more team or sponsor one more organization when I was already the coach for two sports and the sponsor of the debate team. I know in order to be effective it is imperative that I learn to use Naisbitt’s (2006) tenth mindset, “Don’t add unless you subtract” (p.89). Time is a limited resource and cannot be stretched to accommodate more activities, despite the prayers of countless students over the ages. There are indeed only 24 hours in a day and only so many actions that can be accomplished in that time period. If you want those actions to be successful and not sloppily completed then you must realize that it is better to do three things well than ten things poorly.

Shannon G., Guest Blogger

Osan Parents Sound-Off: Winter Destinations

Question: What is there to do around here when the Winter comes?

Answer:

• In the shopping mall where Lotte World is in Seoul, there's also a large indoor ice skating rink. Just DON'T GO THERE on weekends or Korean holidays. Weekdays / US holidays are best.
• There's a modest aquarium at COEX Mall.
• In late Dec / early January, there will be some artificial snow sliding areas in Seoul.
• There are indoor water parks such as Ocean World - Vivaldi Park (ski resort and indoor water park) in Hongcheon. The trick is to find a Korean friend who can get a discount rate at the hotel. They can be very pricey, even for modest accommodations.
• One of the best known ski resorts - now indoor water park too - is Phoenix Park. Korean winters tend to be rather drab and dry. Much of the snow falls in Gangwon-Do Province - to the east / northeast of Seoul. That's where most of the ski resorts are.

Answer: You could start with Lotte World (indoor/outdoor amusement park) and Tiger World (indoor waterpark/spa and snow hill).

Answer: E-Mart and Lotte Mart both have indoor play areas for the kids while you shop. The supervisor at E-Mart usually speaks enough English to understand what you need.

Answer: Everland has seasonally appropriate activities. The CoEx Aquarium is a decent place to spend the morning. Just get there early or there will be lots of people. It reminds me a little bit of a Korean Manalay Bay (Las Vegas) aquarium. It is definitely an interesting cultural experience. Not just fish!

Thinking about Obesity in American Children

“America has a pandemic obesity problem. Although a widespread overweight condition is present in all industrial countries, the United States now has the highest occurrence, with estimates of more than one half of its population currently overweight or obese” (Tillotson, 2004, p. 617). The trend of obesity in America first came to my attention when the book and movie Supersize Me came out a few years back. Though it was not a book or movie that I actually read I did listen to the pundits as they discussed the substance of the author and film makers’ story. It caused me to pause the next time I had a craving for a Big Mac and some greasy McDonald’s fries. However, the pause was short lived and I like many other Americans have since gone on to gain more weight and eat more junk food with less exercise. Recently I listened in shock as the airline industry announced a plan to possibly consider charging passengers by their individual weight rather than just the single seat they purchased.

When I was a young child we had television and later in my adolescences the emergence of video games came with Atari. I distinctly remember being told by my mother to turn off the television and go outside and play. I also recall being forced to come back inside when the Sun began to set and Mom called my brothers and me in for dinner. About 20 years ago, and some years after my Mom called me in for dinner, I recall babysitting for my nephews and when I told them to turn off the TV and go outside they simply elected to go in their rooms and play computer games. Both of my nephews have struggled with obesity and this struggle continues today. They are in my opinion examples of a growing trend among America’s youth. “A constellation of social changes, including the rise in the use of pre-prepared and fast food as well as soft drinks, the decline in everyday activity such as walking to school, the extensive availability of computers and videogames, and increased amount of television viewing, has been linked to the increase in obesity among children and youth” (Belsky, Bradley, Friedman, Houts, Nader, O’Brien, & Susman, 2007, p.1469).

In 2001 the U.S surgeon general David Satcher claimed that obesity was a major problem and could lead to as many at 300,000 deaths per year and even cause more preventable disease than cigarette smoking(Oliver, 2007). Although the numbers seem to be larger than can actually be possible, it would seem that obesity has increased health risk to Americans. Part of this problem lies in Americans choice of a more sedentary life style and part reflects the growing pattern of eating food prepared outside the home. Fast food was not the only item noted to cause obesity to increase; the authors also drew parallels to the prepared foods bought and then eaten at home after being heated. “Currently, nearly half of Americans’ total annual food purchases are for food that is fully prepared and consumed either outside the home or brought to the home for consumption”(Tillotson, 2004, p. 618).

In addition to selecting poor diet the articles also noted that physical activity had notably declined in America. “The decline in physical activity levels of young children seems to be combined with a high prevalence of obesity and overweight and a reduction in the number of young people wanting to take part in organized sport”(Al-Nakeeb, Duncan, Lyons, & Woodfield, 2007, p. 2). As a coach I have noticed a reduction in the number of kids willing to even try out for a team. My first year as a high school coach we created a middle school team to allow more participation among students interested in playing, just a few short years later we were forced to cut the junior varsity squad because the numbers of willing participants had dwindled to such a small group. When I asked students why they elected to no longer participate the responses ranged from not having enough time to not having any interest in sports; regardless of the reason it was clear that athletics were no longer a priority.

One study looked at the link between community parks and the activity level of residents residing within one mile. What was concluded was that the amount of activity depended on whether there were organized sporting events or whether it was merely an open park with any number of sedentary activities such as chess or picnic tables(Cohen, Golinelli, Lurie, McKenzie, Sehgal, & Williamson, 2007). Increased physical activity was a key in keeping me healthy and in shape as a young person and an adult. It appeared in the articles I researched that this aspect of life still holds true but that fewer children are electing to become active. “The increasingly robust evidence that emerges from recent research findings indicate that physical activity is an important preventive measure for avoiding unhealthy weight gain”(Al-Nakeeb, et. al, 2007, p. 3).

One really does not need to read lengthy studies completed on the obesity epidemic to find evidence that American children and adults are growing to an unhealthy weight. All that would be required would be a look around in the mall or the local restaurant to see that our waist bands have expanded beyond a healthy measure. The question at hand would be how to deal with the problem of obesity. “Considering the prevalence of the overweight condition today in the United States and its predicted future social and economic costs, obesity can no longer be considered as just the individual’s problem, but rather should be seen as a broad population problem requiring attention by government”(Tillotson, 2004, P. 638). It appears that once again Americans may find that their salvation will come at the hands of the federal government or can we for once take responsibility for our own actions and shake off the excess pounds?

References:

Al-Nakeeb, Y., Duncan, J., Lyons, M., & Woodfield, L. (2007). Body fatness and physicalActivity levels of young children. Annals of Human Biology, 34, 1, p. 1-12.

Belsky, J., Bradley, R., Friedman, S., Houts, R., Nader, P., O’Brien, M., & Susman, E. (2007).The ecology of childhood overweight: a 12-year longitudinal analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 31, p. 1469-1478.

Cohen, D., Golinelli, D., Lurie, N., McKenzie, T., Sehgal, A., & Williamson, S. (2007). Contribution of Public Parks to Physical Activity. American Journal of Public Health, 97, 3, p. 509-514.

Oliver, E. (2007). Fat politics: the real story behind America’s obesity epidemic. Journal ofHealth Politics, Policy and Law, 32, 1, p. 132-138.

Shannon G., Guest Blogger

Seven Ways Osan is Better than the States

1. Spa pedicures at rock bottom prices
2. Commissary is way cheaper than Safeway
3. Shopping is fast with no annoying choices to slow you down
4. A tank of gas lasts 6 weeks instead of 3 days
5. No need to try to keep up with the Joneses because they have to buy the same stuff at the BX that you do
6. 'Overseas COLA', aka 'Handbag Allowance'
7. There's always a great explanation for a bad hair day

Anna, Guest Blogger

Osan Parent Sound Off About Travel Distractions

Question: We are planning to hop to the states in October with Weston and Shane (3 and 1) and I am wanting to make some little travel activity packs with things for them to do on the way. Does anyone have any suggestions for travel-friendly things that will occupy them for as long as possible?

Osan Parents travel A LOT! Here are some of their tips for keeping the kids distracted and happy en route.

Answer: When Austin was younger the V-tech books kept him busy. They are hard plastic and have lots of things to push to make noise. Coloring worked good for him this last trip. Go for color wonders, Austin colored on the tray table with crayons last time. Of course the portable DVD player with fav movies is a must have. Books are nice too. They take up some time.

Answer: Model Magic Clay and Color Wonder markers with coloring book. Both from Crayola. Portable DVD player (they even have one with games that we got for Jack when he was 3. That one is by Colby.)

Answer: This is going to sound weird, but Charlie loved it. Buy a box of tissues and let them pull out every single tissue in the box. Also buy little cheap-o toys and wrap them individually. Then let them open and play with them one at a time. Using a tissue box (perhaps the one that they ripped all the tissue out of?!) throw in a few different textured items and without them looking in let them try to figure out what it is (yarn, rubber bouncy ball, safety pin, matchbox car, etc). I bought an aquadoodle that works great and you don't have to worry about them coloring on anything they shouldn't. The crayola color wonders do the same thing.

Answer: I packed the travel size magna doodle, they aslo have a mini version too. Crayola has this packet you can buy that has black paper but you use they special marker and what ever the kids draw show up in rainbow patterns or sparkly some are plain others have batman and the like. We also couldn't leave without the favorite stuffed animal, a small one though. I packed flash cards for all the kids, 9,7,3 and baby at the time. For the little ones we used a hole punch and put the cards on a ring.

Answer: I know this sounds hokey, but I took fruitloops and cheerios and a ball of yarn (small ball) and my kids made bracelets and necklaces and even gave them away to other kids on the plane. They had a great time and it was a great snack since they did not particularly like the menu on the flight! I got them making patterns and we did it for a long time. Also, you might want to take your own plug in headphones. My kids do not like the earbud style they gave us on the plane.

Answer: Be sure to ask for kid friendly meals on your flight. That made such a difference for us. Some of the meals were better than what was served for the adults.

Answer: Bring a mixture of things they're familiar with that they like (books, writing materials, etc) as well as some new "surprises." They get bored easily, and of course have short attention spans. They also can get anxious being stuck in such a confined space (like who doesn't). Let them roam around a bit when it's okay to do so, but stay with them the entire time. It may be appropo to bring a travel seat for the 1-year old, but don't bother with the 3-year old. Be sure to pay for them to have their own seats; it's worth the extra cost. A favorite small pillow may be useful. The 1-year old may have trouble with ear pain as a result of changes in cabin pressure during altitude changes, especially during descent / landing. So a pacifier may come in handy if still using one. Something appropo to chew on can alleviate the discomfort, at least to some extent. A lightweight foldable stroller is good to bring along; usually checked before boarding but brought to the jetway upon disembarking. The 3-year old might like to look out the window and see what's happening; can sometimes alleviate frustration.

Answer: Crayola Color Wonder has gotten us through many, many international flights. If your not familiar with them, they will only write on the color wonder paper/coloring books, so you don't have to worry about a huge mess! Our BX carries them too!