<p>Binx…I will keep fingers crossed for your son. I hope he calls you when he arrives in CA or if there are any delays/changes. Let us know. He has a cool summer planned. Bottom line is our kids are doing neat things, even if there are anxioius moments for us parents.</p>
<p>On my way home today, I heard about flight delays out of all of the NY airports. Apparently 38% of the flights were either delayed significantly (over an hour and a half) or cancelled. It was causing delays and backups nationwide. No reason was given. Made me glad that our kidlets have finished the US part of their trips. Hope they get this resolved before Binx’s son returns from Seoul on Sunday.</p>
<p>We’re already getting nervous about our kids travellng abroad in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, they’ll be able to watch over each other - that’s our consolation.</p>
<p>May he have a safe and uneventful flight.</p>
<p>Thanks, violadad. </p>
<p>I hadn’t heard the news, Thumper. He is flying in on Saturday, but to LA, so hopefully it won’t affect him. He actually lands in LA 5 hours BEFORE he leaves Korea 
- the time changes being what they are. A 13 hour trip “against” the sun. But it seems kinda back to the futurish. He should land in LA about 11:30 tomorrow morning, west coast time (which is 2:30 p.m. EST, I think?)</p>
<p>Keep us informed nyumom - this board is a great sounding board / consolation / encouragement / etc. It has helped just knowing there are people here thinking of S2, and letting me vent.</p>
<p>binx- Thanks for your kind wishes. It seems like the time has gone by since your son left for his trip, and I remember reading your OP, and now he’s almost back already. Hopefully, our kids will be back before we know it.</p>
<p>Hi Binx, hope the trip HOME is less eventful than the trip there!! Of course, I want to know if he was treated to business class again. Seems like the right thing to do, given the trip out! Oh…according to the newspapers, the NY airport issue has been ongoing…not yesterday. Either the talk radio folks were “off” or <em>I</em> was!!</p>
<p>He’s back in the US! Currently on a bus headed for Santa Barbara - tight connection, but fortunately the bus was a few minutes later than he was.</p>
<p>Sounds very happy to be back; looking forward to western food. Was unable to tell me if “it was worth it” - I think he had some good times, and has learned a lot, but there were some definite negatives during the trip. He sounds pretty weary, and I think it will take a little bit of time to process and sort out emotionally.</p>
<p>He is excited about where he is now headed - “Hey! We just passed Mae West’s house!” or “There’s a beach beside me!”</p>
<p>:D 
</p>
<p>Yay Binx! Glad you got the word this time. I hope he will fill you in about his adventures when he has more time and is not as tired. I think my D is likely in Spain right now. All these kids are having exciting adventures.</p>
<p>Good to hear. The details of the trip should make an interesting read. I pick my son up from the airport 10 pm tomorrow night.</p>
<p>Glad to hear it’s going well soozie and binx. My son got no sleep last night at his graduation party and went to another party this afternoon. I guess I’m more phobic about driving than flying. He’s not home and I don’t know where he is. This kind of thing makes me nervous.</p>
<p>Awwwwwwwwww, binx, <em>SO</em> glad to hear that your weary world traveler is HOOOOOMMMMMMMEEEEEEE (well, at least in the good ol’ U.S. of A.!!!) I’m sure your relief is IMMENSE!!! (Mine too!! <em>LOL</em>) WHEW, what an experience!!</p>
<p>Let us know when he’s back in your arms for a BIG SQUEEZE!! :D</p>
<p>love, ~berurah</p>
<p>So glad to hear he’s back!! At some point maybe he’ll you in on the nitty gritty of the trip while IN Korea. I know <em>I</em> would like to hear a little about that part now that the traveling drama is over.</p>
<p>Binx:</p>
<p>This is the sort of adventure that is more fun in the telling than in the living it! Glad the return trip was smooth!</p>
<p>I spent close to an hour with him on the phone. I just thought maybe you guys were tired of my nitty, gritty details. Just remember, you asked! 
</p>
<p>The conversation was “erratic” as S thought of different bits and pieces. </p>
<p>As you know, no one met his plane there, and no one ever mentioned it the entire week. He made his own arrangements to get back to the airport today, too. (The rest of the group is staying a few more days.) However, he said he got a phone call this morning from the hotel desk to make sure it was all arranged, so he guesses the Mother must have said something to them.</p>
<p>The Mother of the pianist, who speaks little English (which means, by the way, that the email I received from the Mother was actually from her daughter!) was very controlling. She did not let the group know in advance what any plans were. Just told them things like, “We are leaving in 5 minutes, you will be rehearsing, and you need to be in concert dress.” She played everything very close to the chest, and refused to share info or warn them about anything. We think (H and I) that she knew that if the kids knew what she had planned for them, they would have refused. </p>
<p>The concerts were sponsored by a large newspaper in Korea, who sold rights to several other media sources. So the group was followed around by camera crews, and interviewed, almost continually. The charity event has to do with Korean adoptees. One of the quintet members (oboe) was adopted from Korea, and they focused much of their attention on this boy. The quintet knew that the organization was taking advantage of this fact, but did not realize the extent of it. The poor kid was really manipulated and used. He bore the brunt of attention, and was clearly uncomfortable. Another problem was the the Korean girl (daughter) in the group (piano) was their only translator. It was a lot of work for her. Apparently things did not always get printed accurately (who knows whose fault), so it was a bit embarrassing.</p>
<p>The night of their final performance, there was a TV special on about them. The group did not get to see it, of course. Apparently they aired the mother’s phone number, and her phone kept buzzing all night with calls and text messages for the adoptee kid. Lots of “It’s okay, don’t be sad, we love you” messages. However, the kid wasn’t sad, didn’t really care about being adopted, etc. So they are all left wondering exactly what spin this documentary took!</p>
<p>All meals were done by the Mother’s or the camera crews’ choice. S had a traditional Korean meal, on the floor, that took very long, and that he didn’t like. (He’s not terribly picky, but doesn’t like seafood, super spicey, or mushrooms. That was pretty much the whole meal.) It was given by a friend of the mother’s. He stayed polite, of course, and appreciative. The biggest problem, though, was that this meal was RIGHT BEFORE a concert and took way to long. They actually got back to the hall (church) 5 minutes before the concert was to begin. They didn’t get to warm up at all. S does not like to eat much before he plays. The Mother’s daughter plays piano, and I suspect she has no idea how difficult it is for wind instruments to perform on a full stomach.</p>
<p>The Mother scheduled part of a day for them to go shopping. The camera crews went, too, of course. The kids spent a long, long time on the streets. “Can you walk back down the street again? We didn’t get a good enough shot the first time.” After some time of this, my S complained that he actually had hoped he’d get to go shopping. The camera crew seemed surprised, but did let them go to a few shops.</p>
<p>That same day, the camera crew wanted to take them out to eat again, but the group said no, they needed to practice. So food was ordered in for them. That was the evening of the main concert. Several other Juilliard students live in Seoul and made plans to meet up with them after the concert. Well, after the concert, the mother announces that the group will be going out to dinner (they’ve already eaten!) with the President of the sponsoring newspaper! 3 of the kids (including S) said, Nope- We have plans. It caught Mother by surprise. I suppose it was rude to turn down the president, but the situation was easily avoidable by letting them know in advance! Mother, daughter, and adoptee still had to eat with the President, but the other 3 went out for a night on the town with their Korean friends. S is unapologetic, after having had the entire day taken over by the media.</p>
<p>S said the Korean audience is a “tough audience.” There were 300-400 people at the main concert. S said they quit clapping before the group was even off stage, and it was really awkward. He felt they played well enough. At one spot in his solo, he lifts the bell of his horn directly toward the audience and plays really loud. At both big concerts he said the audience laughed. It wasn’t supposed to be funny, but he’s glad they enjoyed it. On Friday night, they performed again at the hotel. They played in a conference hall, where about 800 people were attending a joint concert / banquet. S was upset when he learned it was a dinner, because his solo piece is not suitable for “background music.” However, they dimmed the lights for the concert portion and people did listen. He felt the response was good, although due to the language difficulty, he did not get a lot of personal comments made to him. But he did get some.</p>
<p>Although the oboist-adoptee got most of the attention, S said he was probably the news crews’ favorite person to interview. First of all, he looks western. (3 of the 5 are Asian.) Second, he is pretty comfortable in front of a camera - probably more so than any of the others. So he was capable of answering in more than short sentences, and made jokes, and smiled. The group was even interviewed on stage at one of the concerts, and some lady came up to him afterwards and said he was funny.</p>
<p>He said he bought us all presents (I believe I got a Starbucks mug, chopsticks, and placemats), and took 200 pictures. He taught the clarinetist how to swim in the hotel pool. Mostly, he was looking forward to the BBQ planned tonight at the Music Academy!</p>
<p>I’m glad he’s back in a place where he knows the language and can double-check his own arrangements! And I’m thankful that none of my dire concerns happened!</p>
<p>And boy, will he have a story to bore his grandchildren with!</p>
<p>Thanks, binx, for the trip description.</p>
<p>It gave an intriguing insight into cultural differences – not available to the average tourist!</p>
<p>It must have been fun for his Juilliard friends to meet on their home turf.</p>
<p>I’m glad your son is back. It is sdo upsetting that the mother was so manipulative. I wonder what she got out of this deal? She certainly didn’t have the students’ interests at heart.</p>
<p>Your S got to experience the life of a celebrity, with camera crews around to the point of not being able to do normal activities, like shopping or sightseeing.</p>
<p>Sounds like a Korean version of the Magical Mystery Tour!</p>
<p>I’m glad to hear he’s back and well.</p>