B&B at Sweetish Hill Bakery.
Ancient image from the archives.
My son has been away at college for the last three years. He comes home for the Summers, and for the end of year break, and I can generally convince him, during his stays at home, to lend a hand in the business as a video editor and on set director. This Spring semester was quite different. Ben applied to and was accepted at Yonsei University in Seoul, S. Korea for a semester abroad.
He has taken several years of Korean language and has a deep interest in the culture, politics and history of Korea. He headed out in early February and has been dividing his time between (hopefully) diligent studies and much site seeing. He's eaten interesting foods and lived to write home about it. He's traveled almost weekly across Korea and made many good friends.
I am happy we were able to provide this experience for him but I am even happier at the prospect that he'll be back near the end of next week.
If you've been holding off on hiring me to do some glorious and ample-budgeted video project because you missed Ben's skill in the editing bay you'll want to reserve your company's place in line to make sure we can work your project in sometime this Summer. It's a limited engagement; he's back to school in Saratoga Springs, NY in the Fall. One more academic year and then ..... ?
I smell graduate school lurking in the wings...
(camera note: What camera did he take? I opened up the equipment cabinets in the studio and invited him to take whatever he wanted. If he didn't see something there I would gladly have bought him whatever he required. He demurred and chose to go only with his iPhone 5s. He's sent back dozens of photos. They're all pretty good. PHONE, the camera choice of the millennials.
Between the ouster and trial of Soth Korea's preident on corruption charges (including mobs in the streets), the ouster of Samsung's CEO on bribery charges while the company's smart phones were bursting into flames all over the world (accompanied by the sound of exploding top-loading washing machines), plus that lunatic to the north firing missiles in all directions -- this must have been a nerve-wracking semester for the parents. It's good to know the ace video editor will be home soon.
ReplyDeleteLove that photo!
ReplyDeleteM.M. With the exception of possible nuclear war his parents took everything else in stride. Ben's take was that the people of S. Korea are used to the zany news and just ignore most of it. He largely did the same. We followed his lead. Still, it will be nice to have him home.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that he had much the same reaction to your offer of a camera when he first left for college. I almost remember what you wrote: He shook his head, pulled his phone from his pocket and held it up. Not word for word, but is that the gist of it? (I didn't look it up)
ReplyDeleteGood on Ben for being enthusiastic about broadening his experience, and kudos to you and your wife for encouraging him to do so...
Regards,
Joel
Third year already? Seems I just remember your writing about him leaving for the northeast. I'v been reading your blog longer than I'd imagined. And, might I add, enjoying it.
ReplyDeletejb
I enjoy these posts. It is nice to learn that there are normal parental feelings behind the "Kirk". I hope he joins you back soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a Lucky Family - You have Ben and he has You. Excellent photo. Ron
ReplyDelete