mgedwards – Page 300

Meeting up with old friends

On Friday evening two of my fellow classmates from the University of Washington MBA program met up with me and a few of my colleagues for dinner. We met in Itaewon at Santorini, a great Greek restaurant in Seoul. I haven’t seen my classmates since we all graduated in a big auditorium on campus back in June 2003. Time has been kind to us. We all look a little older and a lot less like the students that we were. I guess we’re professionals now. We celebrated our program’s rise to the top 20 in the MBA rankings (#18), happy to know that we all got in when it was a hidden gem and are now reaping the benefits of being alumni at a program on the rise in the MBA pantheon. One of my classmates met today with 12 Korean students newly admitted to the UW MBA program. Would I have been admitted now that the program is a lot more competitive? I’ll never know, but I’m glad I was a student there and made the most of my experience. They were happy too they attended the program. We reminisced about the good ol’ days when we all studying in infamous “Balmer High,” a masterpiece of Stalinist architecture, when the building was too hot and the wireless Internet connections were too spotty. It was great to see them and catch up with them. Both now have good jobs working for two of Korea’s largest chaebol, or Korean conglomerates. Of the five who went to school with me, three work for chaebol here in Korea, one works for a chaebol in San Diego, and one teaches English at a hagwon, or private language institute. I want to catch up with all of them while I am here.

My classmates had never eaten Greek food before, and I have not had Greek since I left Washington, D.C. One would assume that I would eat with Korean friends at a Korean restaurant, but they were glad to try something different than the usual Korean bulgogi or bibimbop. We enjoyed the souvlaki and a couple bottles of delicately dry but overprice Australian wine. The restaurant did not have my favorite Greek appetizer, dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), nor did I see avgolemono soup on the menu. I enjoyed it nonetheless and will return often. I absolutely love Greek food. Greek food is the one type of ethnic food I think I could eat every day. I haven’t tested that theory, but if I were to eat just one food every day for two years, Greek would be it.

On Friday a few celebrities stopped by the office en route to the states. I met Comedian Cheong Byeong Don, who often performs on MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Company) television. He was on television tonight, in fact. I heard that "Bi," one of Korea’s most famous pop singers, also passed through on Friday. Meeting famous people is one of the fun aspects of my job. Bae Yong Jun, Korea’s most famous movie star, visited a couple years ago before I arrived. I often do not know the person because they’re famous Korean personalities, but I love to watch the faces and reactions of my Korean coworkers when they come for a visit.

Quiet gives way

Another quiet night at home was naught to be. I was planning to go straight home, but those plans abruptly ended when I drove home with a couple of male colleagues. One wanted to stop for some fast food. At the drive-thru, I caved in and ordered a meal too, as did my other colleague (I was planning to eat leftovers). Here we were, three guys ordering junk food. Burgers, fries, and super-sized soft drinks. “Don’t tell my wife!” pleaded one of them, relishing the opportunity to sneak forbidden food. Of course his wife is right—we really shouldn’t be cramming 1000 calories and mega-grams of fat into our bodies at dinnertime. But we couldn’t help consuming this guilty pleasure. Forget about going into the restaurant to eat at a booth. It’s a “guy” thing for three guys to order take out and hit the road munching on burgers and fries. I dropped off one colleague, and the other joined me at home so we could consume the evidence.

We suddenly realized that his wife had invited me to join them for dinner tonight. My colleague called his wife and said sheepishly, “Um honey, we’ll be over in about 20 minutes. What’s for dinner again?” Here we were, two guys who’d just consumed a gut-busting meal having to cover their tracks because we’d forgotten someone was going to cook us a nice meal. I went over to his house with a full stomach and proceeded to eat a little more. The food was delicious, and somehow I found some room in my stomach to eat more. We had a great time talking about life and about the joys and perils of bachelorhood (the subject of sneaking junk food did not come up). We talked about how my family is doing in China. We talked about getting together more often for dinner. This may be partly out of pity for me as a malnourished bachelor who has to forage in the refrigerator because he’s either not interested in cooking or is tired of having the same leftovers three days in a row. Perhaps it’s because I provide riveting conversation. Then again, maybe not!

After I returned home I noticed a light on at the home behind us. The new neighbors have finally arrived from Washington, D.C.! We met them while we all lived in the D.C. area, and they finally arrived here. The husband will work with me. He just finished spending about 20 weeks learning Korean at the same institute where I studied. I’m glad they’re our new neighbors. They’re great people, and their son is about the same age as my son. They will make great playmates come summertime. I knocked on their door to say “hello,” and they invited me in for coffee! When my family arrived in Seoul, we were in no shape to entertain guests. Yet here they were inviting me in for coffee and biscuits. I should be the one giving them hospitality, not the other way around. I invited them to come over tomorrow and borrow some toys so their son will have something to play with until their household goods arrive. I enjoyed seeing them again. The coffee was delicious.

It’s nice to be back home in front of my computer writing this story. At 10:30 p.m. I finally had a chance to settle in for some peace and quiet. I also have a bit of a stomach ache. I wonder why.

Cherry blossoms, Gabrielle House, and a new Pope

Last night I was just about to sit down and write my daily blog update when my Taiwan colleague called. “Hey,” he said, “I’m leaving town tomorrow. Can you join me for one last drink?” I couldn’t resist. Until then I had had a pretty quiet night at home. I went to buy a garden hose and sprinklers to water our newly verdant lawn, and I made myself dinner for the first time in an eternity. I cleaned up the house a bit—there’s now only a couple of leftover boxes to put away (I’ve been trying to do a little bit each day). It was a quiet night until I went out. We shared beer and lemon soju, a concoction that tasted suspiciously like lemonade. One of the Americans, a big, burly man, had all of us rolling with laughter the whole evening. We had a lot of fun, and I met a few other Americans living here in Seoul, but if he hadn’t called I would have been perfectly happy staying home and domesticating.

Yesterday’s weather was blustery, and I took some time to watch wind blow blossoms from the flowering cherry trees. Cherry blossoms are a gorgeous sight in any weather, but the inclement weather heightened their mystique. White cherry blossom petals gusted on the wind like freshly fallen snow. Petals carpeted the ground around my home, and for a moment I marveled at the whitish scene surrounding me. I was standing in the midst of a dusting of cherry snow. The scene drew me in, forcing me to stop out from my hectic life and admire the delicate swirl of wind-blown petals covering the dark grey sky.

After work today I went with some colleagues to help at Gabrielle House, a home for orphaned and abandoned children with severe physical handicaps. What beautiful children! Many are trapped in unforgiving bodies, hidden from society but loved nonetheless by those dedicated to helping them live normal lives. Their spirits are so inspiring. We played with them and fed them dinner. I fed a teenage girl and sang her some cheerful songs. She could not talk to me, but I could tell by the twinkle in her eyes and squeals of delight that she really enjoyed being fed by a foreign guy in a suit as he sang her endearing favorites such as “John Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt” and “Old McDonald had a Farm.” I love to sing, but I rarely have an audience, let alone a receptive one. The kids really seemed to enjoy it—at least none of them broke into tears at the sound of my voice. I played tag with a boy and gave another a long piggyback ride. I passed around many a “high-five.” We scrubbed the floors on which many immobile children lay all day, and we entertained them for a couple of hours. I wish I could have stayed longer, but we needed to head home after a long day at work. I am so glad I had a chance to spend a little time with these children. I picked up one boy about the same size as my son and cradled him in my arms. He was so light and fragile! I really miss my little boy, and it was a pleasure to hold a boy not unlike my own. It made me so happy to recall one of the many joys of fatherhood. It also made me thankful for my own son’s health. This boy now too has a special place in my heart. We plan to volunteer at Gabrielle House more often. If you live in Seoul and are interested in volunteering at Gabrielle House, post a comment with your E-mail address and I’ll tell you more about how you can volunteer.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI today. It was a strange sight seeing a new face on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. Cardinal Ratzinger was Pope John Paul II’s chief theological advisor and doctrine enforcer for over two decades, a fact that has already been overanalyzed by the media. What is considered one of Christendom’s highest offices has been too heavily defined in political terms. The Vatican’s leadership has always has its political element, but one of Pope John Paul’s main legacies has been the church’s renewed focus on faith. Rather than celebrating the election of a new pope, the analysts and spin doctors are focusing on the political ramifications of Ratzinger’s election and studying the tea leaves to decide whether he will be good or bad for the Catholic Church. It’s unfortunate that Pope Benedict XVI’s honeymoon with the media has already been cut short by media dissection. Any newly-elected leader, including the Pope, deserves a honeymoon period before judgment is passed on their political efficacy. Ratzinger is 78 years old. Pope John Paul II was 84 when he passed away. Because of his age, Ratzinger is unlikely to have a long reign as pope. As a result, speculation on his impact on the church is much too premature. Pope John Paul I reigned less than one year as pope (1978). In my humble opinion, Pope Benedict XVI should receive a warm welcome and be given a chance to reign as in peace for at least a short period of time.