Tuesday April 27, 2010- A Busy Day in Cheonan

We packed our bags and bid a fond farewell to our second "homestay" families in Cheonan. By car, we went to the Hoimyung Chemical Plant for a board room talk with coffee, tour and luncheon. The plant manufactures and sells chemical and electronics cleaners. The head office is in Seoul; the Cheonan plant opened in 1994. We were surprised to see four security guard dogs on duty at the facility. For our tour, we removed our shoes and donned slippers for cleanliness.
Next we drove to Dangkook University which is noted for its excellent medical school and hospital. We again were given coffee in an elegant board room with fresh flowers and an impressive video about the school. Later we had a tour, including an extensive tour of the hospital. We were even allowed to be in the radiology rooms with the doctors who were reading MRIs as they were being performed. We were also allowed into the large Emergency room!
To add to the excitement, we went to the local police station and saw people in their jail cells by television camera. At the Special Unit Division, we were given coffee and exchanged business cards. We told the police that we felt very safe in Korea and the police were delighted to hear that compliment. Then we watched as a group of talented children were given a musical presentation by the police band. They were also given hats and vests to wear. On the tour, we were impressed that children were allowed to drive mini cars, similar to those at a USA amusement park, and were taught correct driving habits. Obviously, responsibility and obeying the law starts young in Korea.
In the evening, we attended a huge, formal Rotary meeting with a large banner to welcome our GSE team. We listened to a speech from a group of Rotarians visiting from Japan. Next, Val gave a speech of introductions and deep thanks. We exchanged banners from our sponsoring clubs during a formal photo shoot. Following the meeting, we ate dinner at a lively restaurant where we met our new "homestay" families. It had been another busy, successful day!