<p>Incheon airport is wonderful! Plenty of places to sleep, great food, tons of Internet terminals. Mini-hotels. It puts most (actually, in my experience, I should say ALL) American airports to shame. </p>
<p>My older d. makes it home from Italy tomorrow! Younger one should got back from DC (there was a 7-hour delay going out), and leaves for Cairo the 26th. And, boo-hoo, I don’t get to go nowhere!</p>
<p>On my Google searches, I saw that the Incheon airport was ranked 4th in the world, and some were arguing it should have been first. </p>
<p>S2 flew business class, lands at a top airport, and is staying at the Grand Hilton. He flies from there to Santa Barbara, where he will spend the rest of the summer doing what he loves. I shouldn’t be worried, just jealous. Take me! Take me!</p>
<p>Someone asked me what I was doing all summer, and I said “Keeping track of everybody else’s schedules.”</p>
<p>Binx, and Mini, May I join your club? There is no question that my kids lead better lives than I do. DS will leave tomorrow for nine weeks in Aspen…tough life…doing what he loves (which is the same thing as Binx’s son). DD will be arriving home from CA college on Thursday morning. In the meantime, I’m going to “Porchville” for vacation this summer…unless, of course, I have to go and find an apartment for DS in Winston-Salem (some vacation!!). Last summer one kid went to Vienna, Salzburg, and Munich. The other went to Cape Cod and Chicago. I went to Porchville. Maybe one of them will be able to “keep me in the style to which I would like to be accustomed” when I’m in my golden years.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Binx…let’s just figure that your DS is very busy, and doing some practicing with the group, sightseeing, and sleeping!!</p>
<p>Now, that I’ve stopped worrying vicariously, I’m on tenterhooks to find out how the concerts went!</p>
<p>My S went from London to Manchester one summer on a bus for a couple of days. When he got to Manchester, he found that someone had taken his duffle bag with all his clothes in it, except the change of clothes I insisted he pack in his backpack together with a toothbrush. When he arrived back in London, he got his credit card out and spent much of the rest of his time in England in the Gap store on Regent Street. So much for sightseeing.</p>
<p>binx</p>
<p>So glad he made it. For all of their potential problems trips like this can be life-changing experiences…in a good way.</p>
<p>whoa, soozie!
I just stumbled into your “apartment blast” post! Mon dieu! Hope all is ok and she will secure safe housing with no difficulty.</p>
<p>binx… I don’t know about yours, but mine is pretty notorious for going incommunicato if he’s somewhere playing (although he does normally let us know he’s arrived in one piece). And don’t forget the time differences. S could always send a fax from the hotel for a fee. Keep that in mind for the future.</p>
<p>We’re in the “kids live better than we do club” too. Our only vacations for the last six years have been catching an occaisional three day weekend to see son’s performance or daughter’s varsity soccer games often the same weekend. It was convenient that the schools were only 45 minutes apart.</p>
<p>Well, I got fed up with waiting for any word. Yesterday, I emailed the mom, asking for word that my S had arrived and all was well. Nothing. I know she has email, because she had said in advance that she would be emailing the contact info. And would be renting a cell phone because she personally would need one.</p>
<p>This morning (10:30 p.m. their time) I called the hotel. Have no idea what I will be paying for that phone call! Got transferred around a few times. Some minor problems with communication – they spoke good English, but we had the typical problems that come when communicating by phone in a foreign language. (I had lots of experience with that in Germany!!!) </p>
<p>Of course, my S isn’t registered under his own name. I had them look for the mother’s name, but they had no record of that, either. I apparently had the names backward. I assumed that the name that was shared by mother and daughter was the last name. I’ll call the daughter “Jane Smith” and the mother “Mary Smith” (substitute Korean names if you like) – Daughter has always gone by “Jane” - listed on facebook as “Jane Smith”, etc. Mother always signs her emails “Mary”. The hotel didn’t have a “Smith”, but had a reservation for a group of musicians under the name “Mary” - that I thought was a first name. They said it was the last name. Maybe Koreans use first names for business??? </p>
<p>They rang the room, and got no answer. They could not confirm of course that my S was there - only that the group had checked in (which they would have done before my S got there). I left a message with the concierge, who said she would deliver it. I asked for a call back or an email.</p>
<p>It is 12:40 a.m. there now, and I have not received any response. Perhaps I’m evil for thinking this, but I wonder if the mom isn’t going to answer any of my phone calls or emails to teach me a lesson. And won’t pass any messages on to my S. (But he should know better!)</p>
<p>I also emailed a friend of my S’s, whose girlfriend lives in Seoul. Of course, if he’s not there, or is there and lost or in trouble, I’m not sure what I could do about it anyway! I’m very frustrated with my S for not making that “safe arrival” contact that I specifically asked for. He’s generally very polite and accommodating to everyone … except his mother!</p>
<p>So after all that, I am no further ahead. I guess if I had a true emergency, I could call Juilliard and ask them to contact the parents of the other kids in the group, and see if anybody else had contact info. </p>
<p>Yes, violadad, it is normal for him to go weeks without contacting us. When he was at Brevard for the summer, I think we may have heard from him twice. But given the difficulties of the past week, and the distance, I really thought he would find a way to contact us.</p>
<p>This sounds so much like my oldest D. Your S probably got there, and has been busy/happy/tired/distracted. And forgot that his family back home would be waiting for a simple “Hi, I’m here and I’m fine.” He is oblivious to your being worried. He thinks that if he doesn’t call/email/fax with a problem, there is none. I have had to track D down out of state but not out of the country. </p>
<p>I feel for you. You are worried, frustrated, a little p.o.'ed. And you just want him to call. Is is so hard? </p>
<p>My good thoughts and prayers are with you. And thanks for sharing. We are all learning from this. I remember once telling my D that her cell phone was NOT for HER convenience, it was for MINE, and that when she traveled, she best have it with her, charged and turned on!!! I will know now that if she ever travels abroad, that I had better be sure she has a cell that works where she is going. She could go the whole trip and not think to call. </p>
<p>He is safe and OK. But I know you just want to hear his voice. Kids…</p>
<p>I got a call!!!</p>
<p>1:30 a.m. his time. He apologized for not calling sooner. He said he was having an “okay” time. He is enjoying the sightseeing, and even taking some pictures. But he said a camera crew goes with them everywhere, and it is very wearing. (I pointed out a benefit - everybody has to be nice to each other!) He said another benefit is that everytime they eat, the sponsor or camera crew is picking up the tab, so he’s had to spend very little money. The group was aware that they were performing for a benefit, but apparently the entire week is being used as publicity for this cause. (Something about reuniting adoptees with birth families.)</p>
<p>He said the concerts have been fine. He said their prepared pieces have gone well. But there were two pieces added at the last minute - a couple of Korean hymns - that he doesn’t feel are up to par.</p>
<p>He said the flight was great, but no one met the plane. He tried to call the hotel, and got no answer. The first phone he tried was evidently broken, but it took him awhile to figure that out. He said a friendly Korean and his family stopped and asked if he needed help. They helped him find a working phone, then helped him exchange some money, and find the right bus to take to the hotel. He got a key, then sat in his room and waited for everyone to come back. He didn’t get any kind of apology or concern from anybody - just, Oh, good, you’re here. </p>
<p>He continues to be flexible and interested in what is going on about him, but he sounds a little travel weary, too.</p>
<p>Glad you heard! Sounds good: meals and expenses being picked up, sightseeing, and the helpful family at the airport.</p>
<p>This is starting to sound like some bizarre new “reality TV” show, but I’m not yet sure whether the contestant is the mother or the son.</p>
<p>Funny - that’s exactly what I just told someone – He’s living his very own reality show, complete with cameras.</p>
<p>At least I’m not on camera… as far as I know…</p>
<p>I have been following this saga and am so glad you heard from him. But I am struck by the sense that however rewarding or enlightening the experience and however good the cause, his travel companions don’t sound like very nice people. The lack of concern and one-on-one responsibility seems to transcend cultural differences or professional pressures. It’s pretty amazing that complete steangers at the airport were more helpful to him than the adult supposedly in charge of the musicians.</p>
<p>Glad you finally heard from him. It’s only a few days until Sunday and he’ll be in Santa Barbara (sleeping…I hope). It’s been quite an experience…</p>
<p>YESSSSSSSS!!!
binx~</p>
<p><em>SO</em> very, very glad that you heard from him!!! I was gettin’ <em>really</em> worried over here! And it sounds like there was CAUSE to be! NO ONE met him-or even apologized or expressed concern??? Oh boy. That’s pretty scary! Glad he met some friendly people who were happy to lend a hand.</p>
<p>I hope the remainder of his trip goes smoothly!</p>
<p>~b.</p>
<p>I’m glad a couple of you commented about no one meeting the plane. It bothers me very much, but I didn’t know if I was being unreasonable about it. He is, after all, 21. And clearly has handled it with aplomb.</p>
<p>As I drove him to the airport on Friday, we were discussing the concept of parents still being involved with a “kid” who is now a legal adult and fairly independent. I told him that if my 77 year old mother had more foreign travel experience than me, I would be calling her for advice. The smartest people in the world are those who know how to ask for help!</p>
<p>But as to the issue at hand, I am frustrated that they made no effort to meet his flight. I know he sent them the ticket and that they received it. Not only did they not meet his flight, but they made no attempt to have any message delivered to him, nor send him any contact info (such as cell number) via me. Fortunately, I had Googled the hotel, and saw that there were money exchange places, and buses, and such. I shared the info when he called from the LA airport, so he knew what to ask for.</p>
<p>Some day he will perhaps be grateful I hover just bit. 
(He says he already is.)</p>
<p>It is one thing for a 21-year old male to be grateful for his mother’s advice, another thing for him to admit that he is grateful (even to himself), and quite another for him to request it . Two out of three ain’t bad.</p>
<p>binx, you are not being unreasonable at all, IMO. I think the lack iof communication would be rude and unprofessional no matter what the age of the arrivee. Most people on a non-arts-related business or civic trip in a foreign country with which they were completely unfamiliar would expect some level of courtesy and concern from the previous arrivals or manager-on-the-ground, even if that only meant a driver waving a hand-printed sign bearing the correct surname and ready to provide transportation to the hotel. The fact that this is a musical tour should make no difference. Given that this is a trip apparently organized to benefit a good cause but that will also probably cause the organizing woman and her daughter to accrue goodwill and perhaps prestige in their community, it should be considered a business trip and they should apply the same courtesies to their young colleagues as people would in any other context. It isn’t about spending money on transportation but about simple courtesy and concern for someone’s young adult child or just another human being (who is in this case doing them a favor by helping to support their charity).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, I think they’d expect a whole lot more. Anyone remember the episode of *The Apprentice<a href=“yes,%20I%20confess%20I%20watched%20it%20on%20occasion”>/I</a> where the contestants failed to meet Trump when he landed for a golf tournament? And this was his own course. </p>
<p>He certainly should have been met at the airport; if not, he should have been told where everyone was, and not had to wait in the hotel room alone.</p>