Bali and Korea -- April 3, 2012

Despite the very hard (somewhat traditional) pillow and too hot comforter, I slept reasonably well. Poor HongTaek sleeping on the heated floor was even hotter and quite eager to get up as soon as I stirred. After showers in the modern bathroom we went to have our “American breakfast” in the dining area. Had to use umbrellas to get there since the rain which had poured all night long continued in the morning.

Despite the “American” food of French toast with Canadian maple syrup, cereal, and orange juice, we ate it sitting on the floor in a traditional manner, looking out at the courtyard through etched glass doors, and enjoying the company of a decorative turtle (or tortoise).

The downspouts on the building were attractive, but the water poured out just above one’s head as one left the dining area.

InSook came by, and we all took a taxi to Sungkyunkwan University where she teaches a once-a-week class in Child Protection. The class is taught in English although when she lectures she does translate key concepts into Korean for the third of the class which has great difficulty with English. The Save the Children video was shown and then I gave largely the same talk I’d given at the SCF offices last Friday. HongTaek also spoke (in Korean) which gave an added dimension to the story.

After the break the class continued with my giving a “lecture” on child protection issues in the U.S. This is a topic on which I am not an expert, but InSook primarily wanted the class to hear that problems in the U. S. are not that different from those in Korea or elsewhere in the world. It was embarrassing to be asked why the U.S. had not ratified the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Children, the only country, other than Somalia, which has not ratified the document. (Great company, huh?) It’s difficult to explain that state’s rights advocates want a state to have the right to imprison and execute thirteen and fourteen year olds and are powerful enough to have their position prevail.

We left the University, InAe joined us, and we had the chance to duck into the Bukchon Cultural Center to see some lovely hanok architecture.

Then we proceeded to another workshop arranged by HongTaek at the Woori Bitkkal Workshop. Along with learning a little about the noblemen who lived in the area (JungIn Choy, the instructor, was able to present information in both English and Korea), their attire, and the importance of the fans they carried and used to convey status, we used material to make bookmarks.

We had a great time, with lots of laughs, and actually managed to produce three bookmarks (among the four of us).

The rain had stopped, but a fierce north wind made it quite cold as we walked to a Korean restaurant for our last meal together in Korea. As always, lots of food.

After a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop we walked to the subway station where HongTaek’s three daughters arrived for a brief visit. After meeting them InSook and InAe left for their homes, and the five of us returned to the Guest House for a little “conversation” and exchange of gifts. Here are HongTaek and her daughters.

The girls left at 9:30, and I had to unpack, reorganize, and repack in preparation for the long trip home tomorrow. HongTaek tried to be helpful, but I really needed to be left on my own to try to fit everything into the suitcase. That was complicated by the fact that InSook as well as HongTaek had provided additional gifts that needed to be packed somehow. Finally I was reasonably successful with packing, finished writing my journal for the day, and went to bed about 11 for my last night in Korea.