APPU Congress in Seoul

Korea is hosting this year’s A.P.P.U (Asian Pacific Postal Union) Congress in Seoul from May 30th to June 4th. Honorably I am taking part in the Congress as one of the organizing staff. So before the actual congress, I had to get some training.

The training was for three days and started on this past Monday. There were 13 people for training. I had already met them before when we had pre meeting at the head quarters. The training centre is located the middle part of South Korea. It is called training centre but we think of it as a resort place cuz while we stay there, we can have a lot of fun. no left over work, no seniors, and no lack of sleep. We were supposed to learn so many things for three days. That means we didn’t learn so many things.. hehe.. we learned “International Manners, Convention English, Process of Communicating in International Convention, Public Speech, and Negotiation”.

Yesterday, when we, the 13 organizing members, heard what we should tell the guests from foreign countries about the congress registration, I thought it would be nice if everything is written on paper. Later at night I wrote something with a lot of asking to sikander… I was thinking I would make a small casual note for guests. He urged me leave the note and to go to bed as it was very late at night saying he will be online in the morning as well. I took a deep deep sleep and woke up to find this wonderful, beautiful looking guide on my monitor. It looked very neat and official looking. My co-workers were shocked that I made that very careful and so useful writing. But the funny part was that they praised me for the official look of the document… but I didn’t tell that sikander did it… hehe he wouldn’t take a credit for it cuz he can’t.. he is all the way in Canada.

My first responsibility was to meet and greet the delegate from Kiribati which is a collection of 33 islands somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. At first I was very nervous to meet this Mr. Williams from Kiribati. No matter how small country he is coming from, I am meeting him as a representative of korea. I took care of my hair and clothes when I saw the “Arrived” sign on the flights arrival board. Then I waited, waited, and kept waiting… and waiting.. I thought I missed him and worried about him so much. But finally a bit dark middle aged old man in casual clothes (a bit disappointing looking, I expected someone either very decent looking in a luxurious suit or in traditional pacific ocean looking clothes) gave a look to the picket my partner was holding. thanks god… we finally found him.. no room for nervousness anymore.. just happy to find the representative from kiribati. so so nice to meet you, mr. kiribati.

I had learned “Ko na mauri” which means “Hello” in Kiribati language. I also had the small guide for him about what he should do after he reaches his hotel. After the meeting at the airport we went in the limosuine bus to the Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel for check-in. Tomorrow, while some of the other staff are at the airport meeting other delegates, I have to know about all the facilities and their locations in the hotel and figure out how to run the VIP room. Oh, did I tell you that I am responsible for the “VIP Room” ? I don’t know how many VIPs i can meet once the Congress starts on Monday but I hope I can take pictures of every VIP who visits here.