Jong Soon's Last Week (5/16-22/1983)

Monday, May 16, 1983

Another four-leaf clover.

After half successfully leading aerobics by myself with Marsha gone, I went to see Jong-Soon. It was rumored that she was fired and that she was leaving soon. Indeed, we were asked to find empty boxes for her. We had a long talk, and although she never said she was fired, she indicated she was leaving earlier than she planned (for June). It seemed to be a personality conflict with the head nurse in surgery. Jong-Soon said they complained that she wasn’t friendly because she didn’t gossip or talk about her personal life. Her plan was to go back too Korea next Sunday, where she would stay at least two months. She would spend time with a prospective fiancé whom she met through her pastor in New York. He was now visiting Korea. If she decided to marry him, she would then return with him to New York. If she didn’t marry him, and she got tired of Korea, then she apparently has a job back in Switzerland, in Aarberg. It was 21:30 when we realized the time, and I ran to take a shower before the 22:00 cut-off time. Jong-Soon made us Korean pancakes, a little flour and egg with strips of zucchini, onion and mushrooms, to be dipped in a sauce of soy sauce, sesame seed oil, sugar, and vinegar.

Tuesday, May 17, 1983

After work I tried to make brownies, but as tends to happen, the top got burned and the bottom barely got baked. But Jong-Soon and I took them anyway to the Chinese Burg Restaurant at 19:30. We went directly upstairs and into the kitchen, but everyone was busy. We started to go downstairs to eat, when the chef came out. He talked for quite a while before being interrupted by another cook. Jong-Soon and I went into the restaurant where she ordered won ton soup and ice cream because of her stomach problems. I had chicken Szechuan that was very spicy. Jong-Soon had some of my rice and greens. One by one, the other patrons left, and the chef and his brother came to sit and talk with us. When it was time to close up, we helped them to clean up. Then we sat to eat the brownies with the Vietnamese waiter and the French cook François. The younger brother asked what we should drink with the brownies, and I said milk. He really did go to get milk! Jong-Soon had white wine and the Vietnamese guy had red wine. We talked and joked long into the night. I showed them my name written in characters, and the read it as “tamiji” and translated it as “many beautiful children.” Close! We finally learned the names of our Chinese friends! The chef is Billy Land the younger brother is Carl.

Wednesday, May 18, 1983

After the Vietnamese guy and the French cook left, the two brothers locked up the restaurant. It was 1:15 when Jong-Soon and I walked up to the Personalhaus, and not all the streetlights were on.

At 11:50 I got a phone call from Jong-Soon asking if she could use my pot, and my room for a luncheon. I was able to run up to the Personalhaus to clean up my room while Jong-Soon cooked.  Fr Dr Jo D and the chief surgeon’s secretary Rosemarie Z arrived for lunch. We had rice and a spicy curry stew with potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and chicken cooked with ginseng. It was delicious, but I had to get back to work at 13:00, while the others had coffee.

Found another four-leaf clover.

Thursday, May 19, 1983

Picked up at 20:15 by Hans Rüdi S. We sat outside for the French lesson and went indoors for the English lesson.

Saturday, May 21, 1983

Rain, rain, rain. Did the laundry, cleaned off my desk, and helped Jong-Soon to pack.

Sunday, May 22, 1983

Rain, rain, rain. At 7:45 we carried Jong-Soon’s bags downstairs. Fr Dr Jo D’s car was there, but she was not. She eventually came from the hospital, and drove us down to the train station. There Jong-Soon and I hauled the bags off to catch the 8:23 train to Zürich. Jong-Soon had a huge suitcase on wheels, a smaller suitcase on wheels, plus two handbags and a long umbrella. While on the train, she squatted between the seats and repacked one of the handbags. We arrived at the airport at 10:17 and got one of those carts you can take on the escalator. We headed right to check in. The luggage limit was 20 kilos/44 pounds. The largest suitcase by itself was nearly 20 kilos. The smaller suitcase was 9 kilos/20 pounds. Jong-Soon tried substituting a handbag, but one was 9 kilos and the other 7 kilos/15 pounds. Apparently there is some leeway, because the two checked suitcases together came to 23 kilos/50 pounds, so she “only” had to pay for 3 kilos in excess weight. “Only” 137 CHF/$68! And Jong-Soon had to break a 1000 CHF note to pay the fee. The girl said hand baggage was limited to two items and 10 kilos. Jong-Soon had 16 kilos, but the girl didn’t say anything more.

Next we had to find a telephone so that Jong-Soon could call her family since they didn’t know she was coming home! But the PTT wasn’t open. Jong-Soon bought two crème horns and an orange juice at a patisserie. It was nearing boarding time, so we went to passport control. Jong-Soon gave me one of the crème horns and we said our goodbyes. She now had to carry her two handbags and the umbrella herself!

I caught the 11:37 train to Biel, arriving at 13:30. Walked home, passing the new McDonald’s that opened this week. It was really crowded! Back at the Personalhaus, I cleaned up after Jong-Soon in the kitchen. I also spring-cleaned my room and packed for Lager/camp.