A Few Notes From Vancouver

Ok, it's not Vancouver, I'm in Coquitlam...but who the heck knows where Coquitlam is?? Actually, many people I talk to don't know where Korea or Seoul is, let alone Yeouido (but I know you do, because you're an avid reader).

Nothing too spectacular to report (but I will have an interesting event to update you on tomorrow and for the next week or so). How about my boys checking out the fridge for grub to give you your vicarious parenting fill?


Spencer and Winston explore the fridge for goodies.


Winston says, "Hi!"


Winston really gets into his work.

Whew...that must have really blown your mind. An old colleague of mine from RBC Dominion Securities, Tony Osachoff (ha! I wrote that without referring to his card!) took me out for lunch the other day. He moved to Charles Schwab Canada a few years ago (where, apparently, they took a great marketing plan and decimated a company over a few short months) then over to BMO Nesbitt Burns (part of Bank of Montreal, Canada's oldest banks and one of the largest) after the mess was sold to ScotiaBank. I had thought it was the forceful overlay of American business practices on Canadian laid-back culture that had doomed it, but I guess not. These things have happened in the past. Prudential-Bache (now Prudential Financial, they also just completed the acquisition of Hyundai Investment Trust in Korea) came into Canada and left and Merrill Lynch did it not once but twice in the last 15 years: both times they sold their operations to CIBC and last time it cost them about a billion bucks in losses (Merrill also dropped a billion in a failed venture in Japan, too...when will they learn?).

Back to my story, though. It seems Tony O. (as most people call him) has a few Korean clients and he even hired a Korean assistant (Charles Kim, the third Charles Kim I know in Vancouver...what is it with that name? At least he isn't Stanley Park, though).

He had hoped his new guy would give him the ins and outs of Korean culture, but he hadn't even taught him how to give his business card to Koreans! (Let alone any of the language.) I recommended he (i) get a Korean girlfriend or (ii) since he's married, get a Korean gal working with him. I've found that Korean men are usually pretty secretive with their cultural stuff for some reason (unless you're related to them) but the gals are great at passing along important information. Funny thing was, when Charles gave me his business card, and later more of Tony's, he did so with his left hand! Hey, I don't expect a Korean born here to know the rules and follow them, but he even had his military training in Korea and he knows I was there for 2 years, and I'm older than him. Should I take it as an insult? Probably not. Should I wonder just how into politeness this guy is and wonder if I should introduce him to other Koreans? Ya, maybe.


Poster for Tony O. in the foyer or Bank of Montreal.

Upon leaving the bank I saw an interesting mix of Korean and Canadian 'culture'. Here you can see there is parking on the sidewalk! Just like in Yeouido! The difference is in Canada it's by design and there are even meters there. Kinda weird, they made it so you park on the sidewalk...hmmmmmmmm.


Even in Canada parking on the sidewalk is allowed (but there's a meter to feed, though).

Had some more driving to do and found this...um...establishment. I have no idea what goes on inside a 'recreation club and cafe' but I have a feeling they are up to no good. There's even a bell to ring to get in (in case of a raid???). Interesting.


Truis Recreational Club & Cafe? Is this a Canadian room salon?

And here is a look at one of the malls in Koreatown (Lougheed and North Road at the crossroads of Burnaby and Coquitlam). 50%+ of all businesses here are Korean within a 3 block radius. Sooo many Koreans here! Even 3 newspapers (maybe more): The Vancouver Chosun (where my wife used to work, where I had a column and the oldest one); The Korea Times and The Joong Ang Daily (the newest one).


Some Korean signs in Koreatown...who would've guessed!

More tomorrow...