District 1260 Blog

Well here we are almost time to go home. As I type, Amanda is re sorting her luggage despairingly I sense, we have much to bring home and not a lot of luggage allowance. I am mentally packing some fond and funny memories. We have had such an amazing time here. But I am missing green England big time now.

So what have i been doing? We Rotary Conference confirmed that Korean Rotary women dress to the nines at every opportunity. I sat there not understanding much but feeling very bedraggled in my creased dress and with sweaty armpits. This has to be a low part of the trip, that we have so little time to draw breath between one activity and another, the relentless pace of needing to be somewhere, attend and 'do', and not much time to tart oneself up for the next event. However, maybe armpit smelling may be a Korean cultural habit as during one of the female singers performances at the conference the woman surely lifted her arm and bent her head to inhale. Elmi and I just glanced at one another and then  fell about laughing. The conference sideshows were interesting. I got to test an eye massaging gizmo that squeezes and pummels the surrounding eye area to releive tiredness.

Word has got round Rotarians about Amandas bout of pneumonia. I nealy choked on my soju when a gent asked me how Amandas breasts were....!

Other Korean language funnies have been we often drive across the Hang Liver Bridgey. And we can get in a tangle in restaurants when asked if we want a fork, we get a plate of pork and if you ask someone to pass the pork you geta  fork!

You get a punked tyre and you might have problems with your face rather than your faith!

We went hiking in the hills yeaterday. You need to know that Seoul is surrounded by mountains but increasingly the hills are being invaded by developments of apartment blocks, to fill the seoulites insatiable appetite to be near the city. We had a lovely walk but the hike in no way resmebles what we might experience in the Lake or Peak district. You cannot escape the development of Korea, there is traffic, buildings and evident pollution even in the forrested areas. It has been another low spot for me here is to witness a country in rapid growth and yet unaware of the impact on the earth of what they are 'achieving'. At the conference the  uk ambassador was alluding to this desparate need for them to start to work towards a greater environmental awareness. He also shares my concern about this problem. However, talk to the average Seoulite and they have no intention of giving up their gas guzzling car or food wastage. Their car and lifestyle defines their status and they cannot imagine it any other way.

It was very good to be out with the 12 strong group of hikers. These guys are an established group from high school, another amazing strong cultural way of being here. They stay conected for life. They meet every week, and have been and are successful professors, professionals, or business men. One of them hosted us at their private garden party which was a delightful home barbeque korean style. It was so good to have had this time feeling space and true ordinary home life after an invigorating walk.

We were supposed to go to a classical concert last night but we spent 4 hours in a huge traffic jam ( and oh boy they do have big traffic problems here) only to arrive to hear the last 3 performances. We then turned back and drove and break neck speed back to Seoul. It was too late to find places to eat and we were so tired anyway. Such a shame. Oh the driving here is generally quite bad! Mobiles constantly in use and altho illegal nobody seems to care. The cars sometimes have small dvd or tvs to watch going along. This is not just for the rear passangers, the drivers seem to enjoy a good watch while going along and on the mobile at the same time!

I have more vocational time next week meeting more midwives and nursing students. There is an interesting and slightly uncomforatble feel about some of the private clinics I have witnessed here. It is more acceptable and common to access private clinics rather than the big university hospital care here. But tapping under the surface you find practice is sometimes less than safe in these largely un audited  private arenas. Its not always easy to discover the truth as obviously relationships for business are important but you get a sense ........

Ah weel, time for signing off now. Amanda is still in despair with her baggage and packing descisions. Time for lunch I think! Paula xxxx