January 20th 2008 - Onsan family
January 20th 2008
Visit to our Onsan Family
Esta semana estubo llena de cosas. Partimos con la agradable sorpresa que el lunes estaba todo nevado ! increible ver la cuidad blanca , se veia muy lindo . Luego un almuerzo de despedida para Lilian y Hubert. Se vuelven a Francia por un tiempo y luego si resulta vuelven a Ulsan en un par de meses .
El dia Jueves tubimos nuestro 1er "Name Giving" del barco Alexandra. El dia jueves tubimos una comida con 50 personas. Venian de Dinamarca, España , Tokio, Suecia , Inglaterra , etc. Lo pasamos bien. Al dia siguiente partimos el dia con la ceremonia de nombramiento del barco a las 10.30am. en el puerto con un dia de sol muy lindo pero frio y con un viento increible. Despues un almuerzo en el astillero "SEKWANG" que es donde trabaja Peder. Luego del Almuerzo el 2do nombramiento del barco Ocean Prize. De ahi ( ya eran las 16.00 ) fuimos a la casa a cambiarnos de ropa, tomarnos un tecito bien caliente y partir denuevo al centro a las 18.30 para una comida en un tipico restaurant coreano. Volvimos a las casa a las 23.00 muertos de cansados . El dia fue super largo pero entretenido. La ceremonia es bien solemne , muy linda.
El sabado no hicimos mucho , Peder fue a trabajar como siempre y luego queria comprar una bicicleta asique fuimos a ver algunas . Y hoy domingo yo fui con Nicola a visitar una familia en Onsan , una cuidad a unos 40 minutos de la casa . El matrimonio adopto a 7 niños con problemas , ya sea mentales, motrices, etc. y los cuidan . Es increible ver como esta pareja se las arregla para dar cuidados especiales a cada niño. Con Nicola estamos en un comite que ayuda a recolectar plata y organizar eventos como una Navidad , Dia del Niño entre otroas cosas a un orfanato y a la vez a esta familia. Esta vez pudimos llevarles un voucher para comprar gas para la calefaccion de este invierno. Tenemos muchas ganas de poder ayudar a esta familia . La señora nos contaba que algunos de los niños cuando llegaron a la casa solo se arrastraban y ahora se sientan y con un poco de ayuda caminan. La casa es muy sencilla pero fue una gran sorpresa para nosotros poder ver a los niños contentos con nuestra visita y sonriendo .
Algunos vecinos ayudan a esta familia , ya sea comprando cosas de almacen o llendo a jugar con los niños . La mayoria son mayores de 15 años , pero mentalemente no superan los 6 años. Hay dos que van al colegio normal y los profesores les ayudan y les asignan compañeros de curso que les ayuden con las tareas.
Aqui les pongo fotos y de paso les cuento que parto a Japón el martes con 3 amigas y vuelvo el jueves, asique ahi pondremos fotos.
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The past week was very busy here in Ulsan. We awoke on Monday to find the city covered in a fine layer of snow. It almost looked like home ! Unfortunately it only lasted for a few hours in the morning, and had soon melted away. For lunch we met up with Hubert and Lillie.l They were moving back to France the next day, but we are sure that we will see them again here in Korea. They have already been here a few times and did expect to be returning.
Tuesday I had been invited for lunch by the yard. Just me, the yard paint guys and the maker of the paint. We have some huge arguments and disagreements at times, so it is quite good to meet in a more relaxed manner. Wednesday Paula and I had lunch with Ann Marie and Bill at the new Foreigners Compound, so you can see that we have been living the high life this week. As if this wasn't enough, we were invited for dinner at the Lotte Restaurant on Thursday. This is probably the top western restaurant in Ulsan, so it goes without saying that we had a good excuse to go there ! A lot of visitors had come from Denmark, England, France, Sweden, etc. to join us for the name giving of two of our vessels. They had spent a few days sightseeing in Seoul before arriving in Ulsan - just enough to be hit by a bouch of Bulgogi spray ! (Moctezumas revenge or just diarrhoea in plain language). We should have been about 50 people, but were reduced to about 35 for the first 2 hours until the last of my colleagues returned from a long days work onboard the vessel. The dinner was excellent though, as was the wine !
Friday morning we went to Pier 7 for the naming of Alexandra Kosan. Our agent had arranged a pavillion and a small cocktail party (at 10:30 in the morning!) and the vessel was all dressed up for party. After a warm welcome by the crew, the speeches were delivered and the champagne dropped. A very nice arrangement where all went by the book, thanks to a great effort by our agent. From there we went back to the yard, where we were invited for lunch in the new administration building. After a nice lunch and a short presentation of the yard, we went on to the second name giving of the day - Ocean Prize. A few of us jumped on the suggestion to walk instead of taking the "bus" ... a classic misunderstanding as the "bus" actually was a "boat" and we were left standing on shore ! The name giving was going to take place from a barge, so they had send a new tender for us. We arrived just in time to see the champagne breaking and the balloons take off ..... waaaay to early ! The barge was moving around a bit and pulled the wrong strings, so the whole ting took off too quick. The poor Godmother had to do her speech and cut the line well knowing that there was neither champagne nor balloons left ! But only after waiting for the power to come back on !! Needless to say, it was a bit of a disaster !! The day ended with yet another dinner with the guests ! Paula and I declined the after-dinner drinks in the jungle bar ...
It was back to work Saturday morning, and in the afternoon Paula and I went shopping. First to the supermarket and then I wanted to look for a mountain bike. I got so hooked on biking again after the trip with Geoff a few weeks ago, that I have decided to buy a bike. Sunday we went to look in another shop and met a Korean guy who promised to help me find a second hand bike. The locals are really nice when I get to meet them outside of work ! To keep the weeklong tradition going, we went out to Bennigan's for lunch, and ended up with our bellies so full that we couldn't move ! Good thing I had already been playing squash in the morning while Paula went with some friends to see a family that they sponsor.
Aqui un poco de la Nieve del Lunes / Monday morning we woke up to this.
Asi era la vista desde el balcón. Se veia espectacular . Nos recordo nuestro Malmö querido !!!!!!!
Monday morning from the back of the apartment.
El Lunes la comida con Lilian y Hubert. Ya nos escribieron que llegaron bien a Francia .
Monday's lunch with Lilly and Hubert.
El Name Giving del barco Alexandra Kosan . Mucha gente y ahi pueden ver el barco !.....a ver si al otro barco le ponen "Paulita Kosan" . Los nombres tienen que ser de mujeres y terminar en letra A !
Alexandra Kosan at the name giving. Cold but sunny, this was the one name giving which went according to plan.
Nicola con una de las chicas. Ella va al colegio y hace Taekwondo.
Nicola with one of the sponsored kids. The family is in fact a couple and their 7 adopted handicapped children. Some of the foreign wives arrange fundraising events to pay for their heating costs, contribute to the food cost etc.
Ella esta recien dando pasos con ayuda. Cuando llego a la casa estaba solo en el suelo y gateaba.
This girl has recently started to walk with a bit of assistance. When she first arrived at the family, all she could do was crawl on th efloor.
Otro de los niños. No se como escribir su nombre, pero estaba siempre sonriendo . Muy lindo poder compartir el tiempo con estos niños. Son muy cariñosos .
This is another of the kids, which name I do not know how to write. He was always smiling and it was a pleasure to meet and spend time with the kids.
Despues fuimos a almorzar con Peder. Aunque en realidad hemos pasado la semana comiendo , asique creo que el lunes tendremos que hacer ayuno o nos vamos a reventar !
Us at Bennigan's on Sunday. I think we have been eating out to last us a month now !