4. Mentally Handicapped Visit

Friday - Another busy day.

Some young people from a home for the mentally handicapped were coming to visit the peach orchard, so I helped Mr You finish off the shelter and prepare for their visit ,while Pun Seok boiled some chickens.

I went back to the school give a lecture to 14 year olds. I was better prepared than the previous day, but then when I walked in the room all the faces looked familiar, they were the 15 year olds again. They didn't seem too upset that they got virtually the same lecture again.

Back at the orchard I had lunch with the young people. They seemed to really enjoy their visit.

It was good to see that they were well cared for, despite the culture problems associated with mental illness in Asia (If you have a mentally ill relative you lose face so you try to hide the problem). I heard the story of a Nepalese woman who was locked in the mental hospital for 2 years. There was nothing wrong with her. She had been in an argument in a restaurant and the police had decided that because she couldn't communicate with them she was insane, when in fact she couldn't speak Korean !

We cleared up then Mr Peck the village elected headman invited us to a BBQ. We had Kalvi again , but this time pork, while the village men talked and drank soju. I learnt that normally only old people are farmers cos the young people go to the city, but in this village they have young farmers; one guy is only 35 !

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