Bali and Korea -- March 29, 2012

Spent the morning thinking about and preparing for my presentation tomorrow to Save the Children staff at a “Lunch and Learn” session, something they hold regularly once a month. I’m sure the program people thought having me come to speak was an easy way to fill a slot; hence the invitation. But I’m happy to do it. I’m not spending a lot of time preparing but did need to organize my thoughts a little and plan to speak to an audience who are not native English speakers. It takes planning to remember to speak slowly and use common words.

Left about 12:15 to meet HaeJung after her exercise at the club for a cup of coffee and more conversation. We stopped by the post office so I could buy postcard stamps. HaeJung, knowing how I take photographs of everything, prodded me to take a picture at the post office. So I did.

The clerk was bemused by this weird foreigner who wanted to take a picture of him at work.

InSook, InAe, and I had decided to go together to a movie. We decided to see The Vow since it was in English with Korean subtitles and sounded like an okay picture. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the theater, we learned that movie had ended yesterday. With a choice between an English-language action film (the advertising for which looked terrible) or Untouchable, a French film with Korean subtitles that InSook really wanted to see, obviously we picked the latter. I think it is a good movie; of course, I missed about 80% of the story and all of the subtlety. May have to see it with English subtitles to figure out the details of what happened.

We went to a CJ Foodworld for dinner – like a food court but containing a variety of nice sit-down restaurants. It’s a big business operation, apparently a part of Samsung.

We went to a noodle restaurant where one could see the kitchen preparation area.

I had a huge noodle and tofu soup, and we shared a plate of fried chicken – again far too much food. If it seems, from the number of "sitting at food table" pictures, that all I'm doing is eating, that's pretty close to correct!

While at dinner, InSook and I spoke about our planned trip to Gwangju on Saturday in order to attend a performance of a Twin Cities Korean dance group which had been invited to be part of a special ceremony opening a memorial to Korean War orphanages. I really wanted to see ChangMi in all their glory. But the reality of a 3½ hour bus ride each way in order to attend a performance of under 2 hours finally hit, and I concluded it would require too much time and too much energy. The good news was that I have gained almost a whole day with friends here in Seoul.

Through great effort, and by being physical and obnoxious, I grabbed the bill for dinner. Koreans are very hospitable and feel it necessary to host (and pay for) all visitors. The concept of “going dutch” is not one they recognize. Given that I invite myself to come to Korea and stay for free with InAe who insists on feeding me when we’re at home, I feel really guilty when my friends keep paying for meals and other treats when we’re out. So this time I was able to reciprocate a little.

We took the subway, InAe and I getting off and letting InSook go on to her stop. Then home and, eventually, to bed.