My former colleague and Rajagiri Alumnus, and
currently a Professor at TISS, Dr. Shajahan took the initiative to bring a few
of us in the field of Social Work to prepare a symposium on Social Work
Practice - emerging trends in India, for the global audience. This is the
biennial event jointly organised by ICSW (International Council on Social
Welfare of which I am the India chapter joint secretary), IASSW (International
Association of Schools of Social Work, of which I am a member) and IFSW
(International Federation of Social Work). People from all over the world -
academicians, practitioners, agency reps, funding agencies, publishers, welfare
ministry reps etc. were the participants. .
The normal fees is 840 USD, for members of the
bodies concerned, it is reduced to 720 or so.
However, for those from developing countries it is just about half – 420
USD. And for students, still less, 200 dollars.
However, these cover only registration, kit
which includes badge which also contains perfectly planned entry pass for
specific lunch/dinner sessions, field trip (if already booked and paid),
conference dinner (an additional 100 USD – it is kind of fund raiser) etc. I
was given a part scholarship of registration waiver.
The waiver is thanks to the efforts by the
local organizer who tries to generate funds for the same. It was reported that
there were a good number of people, especially from India and Africa, who had
enjoyed part of full waiver.
Then, as the abstract was approved,
participation almost ensured, there arrived a Korean group at the college,
inviting to a mega programme in Korea – World Education Leaders’ Forum - an
assembly of education leaders from the world over! They would take care of the
hospitality, and the programme was to be a grand one! They also requested to
make a brief presentation on ‘character education’. It appeared good, and there was only a gap of
2 days. They promised accommodation for
the days between the two as well. Once
permissions obtained from the monastery and a nod from DD, the organizers were
after me to get the talk written and submitted.
Finally, on the first night of the trip, at
Chennai, sitting late into the night at 2 am, I had the draft speech ready,
which had four pages!!
The Korean visa was creating much trouble –
they wanted invites, then the authentication certificates of the inviting
organizations – with their register numbers etc. All these were obtained over email, and
finally, just two days before the actual proposed departure, the VISA arrived,
the night before that, I came to know that it was stamped.
As this was a secular function, I had to have
some dress! And after almost one and a
half decades, I treated myself to some luxuries with 3 trousers stitched! In
just 24 hours, the tailor had them stitched, and I found almost an hour at
night to select and purchase or obtain 3
pant-pieces. Some good friends are
there, in spite of being in very different and secluded situations – who insist
on helping, and going out of the way doing that! This part of the preparation
was thanks to a friend like that! Helpful to the point of being aggressive!
Two things – we all ought to remember while
travelling abroad in this era – 1) an international plug which could help us
connect to power our Indian devices any where. 2) a mobile charger. I had both these – but forgot to carry them.
However, thanks to my ‘protocol’ (officer) – read, volunteer, I managed to get a connector free-of-cost! A third item, especially, while going on such
missions – visiting cards. I did get
them printed in one day, thanks to the efficiency of our press (SH School of
Printing). However, didn’t carry many,
they got exhausted, and I managed to get them printed on plain paper with the
help of my protocol, and got them cut into card size paper slips. A fourth
desirable would be some handy mementos, which would give you access to many, at
least by way of presenting a memento! I
noted that basically, none of the Asians presented such things, but the Europeans
and the Africans did. A last among this
wish list would be some empty space in your bag, or a bag big enough to store
things you get (and for most of the people, things you purchase)!
The venue COEX
- is COnvention Centres and EXhibition Halls is a centrally located
fabulous event centre in the Southern region of Seoul. It is in the heart of
the (new) Seoul, the southern part of the city which is more planned. The Northern part, beyond the Han river, is
the old city with early settlements and the state institutions.
Where COEX is situated, is the Gangnam
(Ghannam) area, which is famous after the song ‘Ghannam Style’! On the East side of COEX is a very large
installation of two crossed hands in golden colour, on which it is carved ‘Gangnam
Style’. The music is played there all
through.
The venue appeared like a spacious mall – it
has a HUGE mall in the basement (which I could never visit), but once you
entered, you are struck by its vastness!
It took 4 minutes of brisk walk from some of the conference halls
(usually on the 3rd Floor) to reach the gate on the ground floor –
using either escalator or elevator!! Big halls could seat 1500 people, with a
huge stage. There were at least 20 small
halls, each of them which could accommodate 50 to 100 people.
BEXCO where the second conference was held in
Busan, too was really big. We had to go
across the road to reach there, and there were our protocol officers like
guardian angels accompanying us gently, but firmly insisting on traffic rules.
Throughout the two big programmes that I
attended there was only once, some foul sound in the entire sound management
system. Otherwise, the acoustics seemed
to be in perfect order in all the halls, including those sessions and halls
having translations in multiple languages like French, English and Spanish.
Food
Breakfast, normally, you are supposed to have
it on your own – usually provided at the hotels. (However, staying as I was,
with a young Keralite, who was not even cooking for himself, though still
willing to provide me with cornflakes etc., I gladly skipped that, as that is
not something I am unused to). But you
wait for the coffee break, with intelligent planning, you can very well manage,
break-fast or brunch with the various juice choices, snacks etc. Coffee breaks
are repeated – coffee break at 10.00; next 12.00. Lunch usually at 1 pm. Next session 2 to 4;
and 4 to 6.
A working lunch box is served during the
conference days, on producing your lunch slip which comes with the registration
with the specific pass and name on it. In between there is coffee (and tea,
including green tea). They tried to influence all of us the Korean way,
black strong coffee with no sugar, no milk. But due to some ‘social work
intervention’, now sugar and milk have begun to be provided. I tried to
get trained the other way. Then there were the stalls by Korean government
– tourism, health, welfare etc. who keep ready some coffee and snacks for any
visitor. There would also be some informal sessions with publishers like SAGE
or ROUTLEDGE when they have some chat regarding publications over a cup of
wine/coffee and snacks. Interesting. I was thrilled to see the Routledge Book
on Social Justice, with an article of mine!
Dinner is not usually part of the package – on
the opening day, there is some grub offered – choice varieties – Korean and
western, vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
Though not a full meal, sumptuous enough. All were waiting from noon
through various formalities of registration and some sessions going side by
side, ravenously hungry – it was amusing to observe the big and great delegates
from all over, waiting eagerly to hear that the conference is open, and then
wait for the welfare minister to say the toast.
It was declared open by three presidents – all women – of ICSW, IFSW and
IASSW.
Korean Welfare.
The second day, there was a grand dinner,
including a smattering of wine, hosted by the Mayor. It was really stupendous. Wine could be
further bought for $10.00 per glass. So
too beer. I bought one glass of red
wine, and shared it among the 10 of us sitting around, from all parts of the
world, and they all accepted the same with grace. There was some professional performance and
ending with
The third day, there was grand dinner, which
had to be paid – only a small amount of USD 100.00. As we considered ourselves too rich to afford
it, I gladly skipped it. Not only that,
this had to be done in advance. That was
the only free time, I got during the conference. We 3 Rajagiri (old students) Malayalees
stepped out; had some simple Korean food costing some 30000 Korean Won
(equivalent to USD 30) in all.
But food at World Education Leaders Forum was
a different scene all together.
We were picked up from a centre of Gospel
Mission Church on 3rd afternoon, by very good buses. Were brought to the railway station and we
boarded without delay. The rail travel which was supposed to have taken four
hours, took almost six hours. (A similar
trip was done to Seoul on another day for a University visit. It was said to be almost 500 kms one
way. And it took 5 and half hours in
either direction. I thought it was fantastic even at that
rate. However, when I finally browsed
the net and found out, it was just 330 kms.
So I wondered, in spite of the apparent good speed, most of the stretch
with permitted speed of 100-110, why such delay?). As soon as we entered we were given packed
lunch of vegetables (fresh), salads, sandwiches etc. Then we were served snacks and beverages,
then coffee and snacks, and when we thought it was all over, there comes a typical
Korean ice-cream or ice-fruit – with grated ice and a lot of ingredients in
that. Oh boy! We were full to the neck.
Then in heavy rain we arrived at Busan, we
were solemnly escorted by a bunch of ‘volunteers’ with badge ‘PROTOCOL’ – boys
and girls – college going or completed, all primly and smartly dressed in a
uniform manner. The escort was all
through – whenever we turn around at our beck and hall, all ready to help, and
also not letting us go around on our own. (Each of us was given a paper carry
bag – which I opened only when I was packing for the return trip, in the last
night of the stay only did I find that there was a picture of the ‘volunteer’
with some other valuable details, besides an attractive IYF T-shirt, in that!!
The volunteer was pretty Zoey, with an English name Ann! - Many of the Korean
youth, while introducing themselves, said that my name is A, but my American
name is B). Perhaps, Korea is highly
Americanized that they think it safer to have an American name for their future
benefit.
The protocol seemed quite fitting – these
volunteers, very smart boys and girls, who have undergone some good training
& international exposure by IYF – ensured that the participants followed
the protocol of the programme to the letter!
They were very helpful, quickly and promptly responding to any of our
needs, at the same time ensuring that we are kept in constant track lest we
miss on any sessions, unless we called ourselves sick!
Back to food – once we arrived at the seashore
hotel of Glory Conda, we were escorted to the 18th floor for a grand
dinner! There were ample choices for both vegans and others, though the former,
especially some from North India, were very doubtful as to whether there was
something they could ‘safely’ eat! I indulged rather merrily, to the extend my
abdomen could stretch – though I have become very minimally dexterous in such
matters, over these years!
The hotel where we were put up, Bexco Centum
Hotel, opposite to the huge BEXCO convention centre in Busan, served excellent
breakfast with all sorts of food to fill you! (But your protocol officer will
not let you relish your breakfast in peace, as you always had busy schedule
from 8.30 am itself!). Usually, for
every meal – lunch and dinner, we were taken out to some very special joints –
to a Chinese, to a Korean, to the best buffet in Busan, to a bakery to snatch a
pack of your choice 3 items for dinner, to a typical food court, where you
could pick up your choice item from the 50 odd choices on the display! But, to
be frank, there was hardly ever, time to relish such fabulous treats! In two such centres, there was unlimited wine
and beer also as part of the deal; but the organization appeared a strict ‘no,
no’ – very unKorean like - regarding even such innocent inebriants like that of
wine and beer (which were promoted by our avid UDF ‘ban’ners of alcohol!). So I kept my rebel and explorer within me
under check!
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