April 17-19,1999: Visit to Masan, Korea
An E-mail had arrived at Mr. Matsumura's site from Masan of Korea, that reads, "I would like to quote your 'A Personal Record of Hiroshima A-bomb Survival (The Terao Memoir)' onto my English textbook to be published in the coming semester. I would be happy if you give me a written consent on it."
Soon after Mr. Matsumura got the E-mail, he visited Mrs. Terao to get her agreement. The project started. Some E-mails were exchanged between Mr. Sung Hee Lee, a prominent professor of Chang-shin College, and my husband Ken before our actual visit to Masan.
I have been expecting the materialization of the project. What was delighted, I got three hot copies of the textbook from the professor in March this year.
The textbook (left) and the original book of 'A Personal Record of Hiroshima A-bomb Survival' (right.)
The textbook was consisted of three sections; in the top of the second part - The reading materials- was the The Terao Memoir. I was moved so deeply that I immediatly visited Mr. Terao smiling in the altar.
After just 40 minutes fleight from Fukuoka, we flew in Kimhae International airport near Pusan, Korea. >
Professor Lee kindly welcomed us.
"Congratulations for your publishing of the textbook."
"Welcome to Korea."
We exchanged greetings in English.
On the way to Masan, professor Lee kindly took us around historical sites and a museum.
We arrived Masan in the evening. It was a good time to take supper. He took us into a small restaurant that featuers traditional Korean dishes like Purkogi. The taste of the dish was great.
We visited Chang-shin college: The college was very close from the hotel we stayed. Masan city is a port town surrounded low hills on the back, similar to Kobe city of Japan. The campus was located in the foot of a hill, featuring its famed highschool with the long history more than 90 years. The junior college itself is relatively young, having nine years history with a total of enrollment of 5,000 students.
We soon invited to a church in the campus and introduced to the minister, the president, and Mrs. Mun Jong Ae, the mother-in-law of professor Lee, who will kindly translate our Japanese into Korean at our presentation in the church.
We joined a missa held in Korean language. Although we couldn't understand even a phrase of the speech by the minister, we were moved by the passion of the sermon.
We three were invited to the front. after the introduction by Professor Lee, Mr. Matsumura made a speech in behalf of us. Mrs. Mun Jong Ae carefully translates his Japanese words one by one into Korean.
Mr. Matsumura introdused us and talked about the Terao Memoir, personal computer communication, and the publishing of the Memoir on the web.
All of the audience was eagerly listen to us with nodding. It was a great delight to get a storm of applause. At the exit of the church, the audience shook our hand saying "Kam sam hashim nika", or "Thank you very much" in Korean. It was a great pleasure to konw that the last will of Mr. Terao was again encraved to the hearts of the people in a foreign country in the form like this.
Then we were invited to a lunch by the president of the college at a wonderful restaurant with a grand vista of whole Masan city.
In the evening, we were invited to professor Lee's home. We enjoyed a wonderful Korean home dinner prepared by professor Lee's wife and his mother-in-law.
Our stay in Masan was very short, but we were blessed so many new friends thanks to the late Mr. Terao. I finally reported this time trip to the late Mr. Terao.
Report & HTML by Mie
In detail, please refer to Mie home page's link site.
Mie Home Page b A Personal Record of Hiroshima A-bomb Survival
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