Emotional Meeting Number 3

What an emotional third meeting today. I am most glad that today we were in the conference room instead of the business room as the privacy offered by this room was much appreciated by all.

The meeting started early when we met Mrs Lim in the corridors prior to the meeting. Through broken English, Korean and sign language, she told us that Yoo Rim had been aunwell since Saturday and was still suffering a little temperature. This makes her a tire easily and inclined to become upset more quickly than normal. It was nice to have this information prior to the meeting proper as we could prepare ourselves.

Yoo Rim started well but was quite clearly tired. However she did give both of us great big smiles seperately which thrilled us no end. After Mrs Lim left us alone, Yoo Rim coped very well playing happily for about 15 mins. Then she started to become restless which Liz settled for a while carrying Yoo Rim in her Podaeggi on her back. When Mrs Lim finally returned Yoo Rim was teary and struggled through a bottle and some water. Mrs Lim too struggled with emotion, wiping a tear or two from her eyes. This was only natural as she has done so well as foster mother providing Yoo Rim with such a fine start that it is only natural that she will feel a great loss too. It was difficult to console her and I could clearly see that this affected Liz as it did me. As the adoptive parents how could we offer the condolence she needed from a close friend. It has strengthened our resolve to write to her via Eastern and keep her informed of Yoo Rim's development. This girl is truly a child of three mothers.

After the meeting we went shopping and this time the brakes are off! Boy have we made up for lost time. In the morning prior to te meeting we walked around Sinchon, visiting Hyundai Dept Store. There we bought a few wall posters with Korean and English numbers etc. During the evening we went to Dandaemun Market. This time it was open, unfortunately for the bank balance. Perhaps the Hanbok are not quite as cheep as Namdaemun, but there seemed to be a greater range of colours, styles and qualities available. True though we are probably not as ruthless bargaining either as Yoo Rim's birth mother is listed as a seamstress. We picture her somewhere like a market struggling to earn a living and this may temper our bargaining a little. Generally we are happy dragging prices down 10-15%.

Suffice it to say that most of our Hanbok requisites are pretty satisfied for a decade or so and one shop owner was so happy with us purchasing three hanboks that she gave us hair pieces, purses (child) and handbag (adult) to match the hanboks as presents after the sale.

Perhaps we needed a little retail therapy to relieve the days meeting.