April 16, 2010~ 61st Birthday in Korea

We began the day with the GSE Team joining Assistant Governor Tay Yoon Ha and his wife Yong Sun Lee for a spectacular breakfast to celebrate Val's 61st birthday. We learned that South Koreans feel that the 61st birthday is important because it means that one has lived beyond 60. In earlier days, the maximum life expectancy was only 60. Now, with better medical care, folks are living longer lives.
Next, we went to Hongseong Boys High School. It is an exam school where bright and gifted boys are specially selected to study and prepare for college and university acceptance. Following coffee with the faculty and administration, we were fortunate to attend an English class taaught by Annette Briel. We observed the class and then joined in and discussed the assignment with the students. We told the students, faculty and administration that they would appear in this blog! We were delighted to be invited to lunch at the school cafeteria where we enjoyed a healthy, delicious meal.
Later, we ventured to a traditional outdoor market where we observed fish, fruits and vegetables all for sale in a lively outdoor atmosphere. Afterwards we visited three business establishments owned by local Rotarians, a flower shop, book shop and cell phone store. After we exchanged money at the bank, Matt went to a shoe store to discover that he is a size 300mm in shoes. He is also 190cm high, a fact that is not missed by anyone in Korea!
Julie, our translator, took us to Chungwoon University where she is a student. This university has the most modern television and radio broadcasting school in the country. Using a television camera on loan from Boston University, Matt interviewed the chairman of the department. The department chair gave us an extensive tour of the facility with state of the arts equipment. The students and faculty greeted us warmly.
Then we went to a huge wedding catering facility for a Rotary meeting with seven club presidents, plus officials from all seven clubs. We gave our presentation about Massachusetts and Val introduced it in Korean. There were speeches, toasts, banners, live music with a saxaphone player, dancing, gifts and a four tiered birthday cake. What an outstanding day!