Out-takes

While much of our schedule is filled with serious meetings, corporate tours and professional chit-chat, we certainly don’t want readers of our blog to think that our trip is without a little fun now & then. In fact, we’re having a great time and we do capture some of the levity in our photos. A select few from our recent misadventures:

There is a national election being held in Korea on April 9th, and one of the main methods of campaigning seems to be loudspeaker music with accompanying dancers. Usually we hear these lovely sounds around 7am outside our hotel window. The other day as Alex and I wandered the streets of Masan, we encountered them in an up close & personal way:

Alex poses with the singing & dancing campaigners for candidate #2.

When we travel between cities we are usually transported in a fancy minibus, which draws a few stares when we climb out of it at our desintations.  As we checked into the Hotel Savoy in Masan, a wedding party saw us and the young people approached us to ask if we were celebrities.   We assured themthat we were not, but when they saw our slick GSE 5100 brochure they weren’t having any of it….they demanded an autograph from Don:

 

We have had many great interpreters along with us on our trip – we get so much more out of our interactions with their help.  When we first meet them, they can be very serious….sometimes it takes a little coaxing to get them to loosen up & laugh with us.   Here’s Susan hamming it up and getting a mega-giggle from our current interpreter, Mrs. Kim:

When we’re very good during the day, our hosts will sometimes treat us to a night of norae-bong (karaoke) and “discotechque” (awesome dancing). Here I am cutting a rug with Mr. Shin, who happens to be one of Korea’s most famous ceramic makers.

Finally….while we enjoy Korean food VERY much, there comes a time when every red-blooded American wants french fries & a Coke. With much determination, we found our monthly dose of grease & sugar at the LotteRia across the street from our hotel. Here, Don & Katherine bask in the smells & tastes of home:

That’s all for now, folks. We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled updates soon. ‘Til then, take it from these students who helped at a Rotary service project in Ulsan: peace out!
 

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