Hae Jin and I left the house around 9:00 a.m. and drove about an hour to our first appointment. The agency is working with a variety of schools including Thornton Academy in Southern Maine. Because of the agency’s location Hae Jin arranged for us to meet in a coffee shop of a popular hotel. Our commute between appointments is limiting us to about 3 appointments per day. We spend our commuting time adjusting our presentation to fit the next client and making phone calls. Today we were busy making arrangements for our reception for parents and students on Saturday at the PRAU restaurant.Our last appointment of the day was with the President of a company who Hae Jin has become good friends with. During the first twenty minutes of our time together she and Hae Jin just chatted – girl talk I guess. We learned that she was expecting her first child and that the expected child was a girl.
This agency as many of the others has far fewer numbers than in previous years, but because of Hae Jin’s relationship she will try to send a student to us in January.
I had a dinner meeting tonight with three families who I have known for almost 5 years and who have visited in our home in Dover. These are some of the same parents who helped me a great deal when I was here in 2008 and in fact helped organize the student and parent reception which had 66 people in attendance. We enjoyed catching up with each other and ate at the restaurant where I will hold tomorrow’s Student and Parent Reception as well as our Alumni Dinner. We spent a great deal of time sharing about their children whom I still have contact with. We also discussed at length the situation with N. Korea. They all agree that if N. Korea were to sink another one of Korea’s ships there must be a firm response, perhaps even a military response even though it would put Seoul in harms way.
As the evening wore on all 3 women decided I needed some help with tomorrow’s Parent and Student reception as well as the dinner for former students so they talked to the management of the restaurant for me and gave them very specific instruction as what to serve from the menu to guests and what not to serve. All of the women, sensing I could have used some more help in preparing these receptions offered to help plan and organize next year's meeting, but they made me promise to bring Dottie! I am so appreciative of the many good friends Dottie and I have made through the years here in Seoul. We have truly been blessed.
