Started off at home with a lot of events as spring rolled into the Kentlands – it was great catching up with friends and Annelise and I laid the groundwork to dominate a local contest. The time back in the Kentlands cemented our decision to buy a condo there to be our home base regardless of where we end up on a temporary basis over the next 10 years. This is place #3 for us in the Kentlands, all that is left for us is the retirement home. Sharon and Annelise are staying back for Annelise’s senior year – tough decision but some logistics could not be overcome with all of us moving. So we are in the process of simplifying life – but of course that take more work up front (mostly by Sharon). So if anyone wants to buy a house or a sports car that is a little too red for Annelise and Sharon let us know.
I was given some advise from an ex-Samsung employee that I met when I was home and from a couple of the younger employees- I’m not socializing enough. That is work to them and building relationships with your team is the way to get things done. So several team building dinners over the last two weeks – food highlights were trying shredded jellyfish which was pretty good (on the left below) and a sea sprite, not my favorite. The interpretation highlight was that I was asked to say some words after one of the dinners; I said the normal rah-rah stuff, then asked if I had anything else to say, and I said some more highly motivational words. Then – I was asked – anything else – to which I replied – “sorry out of material…” and one of the team said “are you going to pay for dinner?”. That is all the motivation needed.
Hair cut round # 2. The first place I went in January Sharon noticed on her visit said “Hair Kelher” which may have been “hair curler” explaining my inability to get a haircut. Found another place and got to the chair, they had scissors, and we started the discussion. Again – a bunch of Asian boy band cuts. I then she pulled out google translate and translated “too old, just basic haircut”. She then navered (naver is the Korean google) the only white name she probably knew in Korean and this guy did have a bunch of different options. The final result looked just like the picture (at least the haircut). She was very quiet and focused during the haircut but asked if I was a teacher and when I said I was with Samsung she became very friendly and I was very handsome man. Should have worked for Samsung before I was married.
Lastly, some of the expats rallied for a hike. We got the full experience – a perfect day with 100,000 of our closest Korean professional hiking friends. It was a 2,500 ft elevation change and was at the same park that I took Sharon and Annelise. Total mayhem. But this time we went almost to the top…just too crowded for the last 100 feet. Plan was 1 hour subway out, 4 hrs on the mountain, Korean BBQ and refreshment locally, and back to Itaewon to freshen up and go out for Saturday night. After 6 tough hours we had a great BBQ but were done and after an hour on the subway home, I was in bed by 7pm. Had a team picture at the end with some of our fellow hikers.
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