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My First Trip to Europe

I joined Samsung Semiconductors in early Dec. of 1968 and returned to Korea alone at first while Jane stayed in Silicon Valley for a while. I got a job as a "Director of Quality" responsible for Quality Assurance or just QA. There were two quality organizations in Kiheung Plant. One was Quality Control or QC which was responsible for production line quality control and QA responsible for final products ready to ship making sure they would not cause any quality problem at customer sites, assuring our product quality to customers and supporting customers technically if there was any quality problem. QA also had a function to qualify newly designed products internally to make judgements whether we would allow them to start production or not, after intensive reliability test.

On a Saturday afternoon about 10 days after I joined Samsung, while I didn't know who is who yet, I was suddenly asked to go to Italy and carry them sample products, as it was urgrnt and I was planned to leave on Sunday to visit IBM at Poughkeepsie, New York with Plant Manager with round trip air ticket for New York on hand already. Since it was a Saturday afternoon, travel agent office was closed. Though I had travelled here and there so much, it was my first trip to Europe and had no idea which airline was flying to Milan, where Samsung's one of major customer Itatel was and I was going to visit. Well. I had already travelled so much. What would it be differnt for Europe? Let's find the way in U.S.A. I just left for New York next day.

We came to Silicon Valley first on the way to New York to visit SSI, Samsung Semiconductors Inc. in Sunnyvale, a subsidaiary of Samsung Semiconductors, where we spent the week end. At San Francisco airport, I visited several airline counters such as Pan Am, American, United, Alitalia etc. and collected aireline schedules. Looking at this schedules, I found Pan Am had a flight from New York to Milan via Paris which flight I reserved over the phone, called the General Manager of Samsung Europe in Frankfurt whom I have never met, informed my arrival schedule to Milan and asked him to meet me at Milan airport.

Now, I was ready to travel to Milan. We went to New York , visited IBM and I went to Kennedy International Airport alone. When I went to check-in counter of Pan Am, I found latest issue of Pan Am schedule and found there was non-stop flight from New York to Milan to arrive about 3 hours earlier at 9:00 AM, while the original flight would arrive at 12:00 noon.

If this flight would be available, why should I go through Paris? I changed flight to this direct flight and return flight also to Korean Airline from Paris to Seoul. I called Samsung Frankfurt office immediately to inform this flight change as soon as possible, but the office was closed because it was already a night there. Well, I figured, since I will be there earlier at Milan Airport, I may just wait there for 3 hours until Mr. Choi, the General Manager of the Samsung Europe, to arrive. And I took the plane directly to Milan at Kennedy Airport.

I arrived Milan, the first city of Europe I had ever visited, on time. It was little after 9:00 AM when I passed through customs and immigration. I sat in a chair, took a nap for a while to adjust time difference and it was almost 12:00 noon when I woke up.

However, it was strange that I could not see any flight from Paris on arrival bulletin board, not the Pan Am flight I had reserved and cancelled too. What happened? If flight was delayed, they should show as delayed. What was wrong? Why? Why? While I was thinking it was strange again and again, it had well passed noon.

Finally, I came to an idea that "Would there be another airport in Milan?" I asked to an officer passing by whether there would be another airport in Milan. And answer was : This is the northern part of Milan for flights from other continents and there is another airport called Linate Airport at the southern part of Milan which takes about an hour by taxi and handles all European flights. Oh, My God!! This was the start of my troubles of the first Europe trip.

If so, the poor Mr. Choi must be in Linate Airport now looking for strange face whom he had never seen. I changed money to Italian Lila, took a taxi and went to Linate Airport in hurry. It was well passed 1:00 PM already when I arrived there. Pan Am flight from Paris had arrived more than an hour ago and all passengers seemed to have passed immigration already. I looked around the airport from coner to cornet but could not see any oriental face.

Well, he might have given up and gone somewhere by now. I took a late lunch with a simple sandwitch and went to public phone. Fortunately, the Kiheung Plant Manager gave me copies of business cards of several people in Italtel. I dialed the number of Purchasing Director of Italtel and a lady answered the call.

"Hello"

"#%&@*&%@"

"Is there anyone who can speak English?"

"#%&@*&%@"

"Anyone speaking English?"

"#%&@*&%@"

She was speaking Italian all the way which I had no way to understand even a word. While I was looking for any one who can speak English, the phone was cut off. The phone line in Italy was really terrible at the time. Especially, for long distance call, it was strange if the call is not cut off while talking.

I called again.

"Hello"

"#%&@*&%@"

"Is there anyone who can speak English?"

"#%&@*&%@"

Again, phone was cut off.

When I called the third time, it seemed a lady speaking English was standing by. She answered "Hello" in English.

I was so glad and said "I am Mr. Cho from Samsung Korea. I came from Korea to visit your company with Mr. Choi. Did you have any phone call from Mr. Choi by any chance?"

"Mr. Choi just called and said he couldn't find you at the airport."

"I searched around the whole airport but couldn't see him either. How far is your company from the airport?"

"It will take about 2 hours by taxi."

It was almost 4:00PM already. I asked whether she knew which hotel had been reserved for me to stay and she said she made the reservation for me at XXXX hotel. I was too tired after the long trip already and told her "It seems it is too late for the meeting today and I am too tired due to the long trip. Why don't we reschedule the meeting to tomorrow? I would like to go to hotel and take some rest."

But she said Mr. choi told her he would come to the company though it was very late. While we are talking whether I should go to to hotel or company, the line was cut off again.

Well, I was dead tired due to not only the time difference but also spending so many hours at two airports after long flight. Since I told her I would go to the hotel any way, I just took a taxi and asked to go to the hotel I was told. Because it was about two hours of freeway driving, the taxi meter was ticking so fast and I was anxious as Italian Lila in my pocket was limited and fares of two long distance taxi ridings were not cheap. Fortunately though, we arrived to the hotel before my Lila ran out.

When I arrived to the hotel and went to the counter, there was another trouble waiting for me. The girl at counter said she took my reservation expecting a guest to check out on the day but he didn't. Therefore, the room was not available for me and she made reservation at another hotel nearby for me. I was mad but what could I do? It was Italy, not United States. I asked her to call a taxi and went to another hotel.

The first hotel was realatively new hotel and seemed very clean. But this hotel might have been build more than 100 years ago perhaps. It had only 20 rooms, the door was probably more than two tomes of my height, the key was worn out and could not be locked and there were three beds occupying whole room leaving very narrow passage only. However, when I opened the door to the bath room, WOW!. It seemed it was even larger than bed room!! Maybe I could have a dance party there!! In that large room, at the corner, there was a bath tub and a toilet only. I traveled a lot, stayed at so many hotels including very undeveloped countries but I had never seen a hotel like this.

Any way, time was already after 7:00 PM and I was hungry. To wash the hand, I turned water on and WOW again. The rusted dark brown water was coming out continuously. While I was in that hotel, not only bath, I didn't even wash my hands as it might make my hands even dirtier.

I went to the hotel restaurant without washing hands and found I was the only guest in large restaurant. Soon, formally dressed waiter with tuxedo gave me a menu sheet. It was a one page menu with about 30-40 lines of food all written in Italian only which, of course, I had no idea what they are, except just one word – spaghetti. I pointed the sphagetti and the waiter seemed to be understood what I wanted.

A while later, he brought a large spaghetti in a big dish with few other foods. It was so large, I could finish only the half of it and pushed dish aside. The waiter came immediately and seemed asking whether I had finished. I said "Yes" and he took the dish away.

I was waiting for bill but the waiter broght another dish with whole roasted chicken this time. I was surprised, took only a piece of checken meat and asked to bring bill with hand language. A few minutes later he brought the bill, I signed it and came out the restaurant.

I learned later that this hotel was operated by owner couple only without any employee. Waiter who served dinner was the owner of the hotel, while his wife was working at the front desk. And, the menu I saw was a set menu without any choice, not the various foods I can choose.

I also learned later Italians are big eaters eating "Pasta" first (which the spaghetti was) and then taking main dish of meat or fish. I had no way to eat all of them in Italy thereafter too which was quite an experience for me. Because I ate so little from their standard, I found later that they had charged only the half of the price and surprised again for their honesty. If you go Italy for the first time, it is better you know this kind of way of Italian meals and well prepared in advance.

After the dinner, I was really sleepy and fell in deep sleep immediately. I was not sure what time it was but I was awaked by telephone rings. I looked at the watch and it was almost to the midnight. I wondered who would be calling at this time and picked the phone up.

"#&@*?&^%!*&%#%(*"

"I don't understand Italian, Can you speak in Englsh?"

"#&@*?&^%!*&%#%(*"

I was too sleepy, hung up the phone and tried to go back to sleep. Soon, the phone started to ring again. I was mad but picked up the phone.

"I am J. S. Choi of Samsung Frankfurt Branch" the phone answered in Korean. It was already after midnight, but I dressed and went down to lobby where Mr. Choi was waiting for me.

His story was – He and one of Samsung salesman in Milan office waited me at Linate Airport but couldn't find me from the group arrived by Pan Am from Paris. They searched airport, just as I did, called Italtel and was told from the secretary of Purchasing Director (the lady I talked) that I was supposed to be on the way to the company now. (which was her word and I said I would go to hotel.)  

They went back to Italtel and waited and waited for me only to find I was not comping to the office. They went to the first hotel I went and asked whether Mr. Cho had been checked in. It was trouble after trouble. Unfortunately, the girl I talked was not there and a different girl was at the counter. She didn't know I was there and told Mr. Choi that Mr. Cho did not show up yet.

They told the girl that they would have a dinner at hotel restaurant and asked to call them if Mr. Cho would show up. However, Mr. Cho had never showed up and they came down to the counter again. At that time, the former girl was there and told them the story that Mr. Cho was sent to another hotel. That was how they came to my hotel and called me at midnight. In my recollection, I had never experienced something went wrong this much. In airport too, it seemed we could not see each other by just a few minutes.

Any way, my first day in Europe was one of the worst days in my life perhaps, but it didn't end there.

On the next day, we had a meeting with customer which went very well and the only event went well during the whole trip fortunately, as it was the most important part of the trip.

Since I changed return flight to Korea through Paris and Sang-Soo, my nephew, a son of my eldest sister, lived in Paris, I wanted to see him in Paris on the way back to Korea. Usually, American citizen didn't require visa to France, but to make every thing worst, there was a kidnapping incident of airplane by Islams in France and French government was requesting everyone to get the visa first to enter the France regardless the nationality.

Any way, I had to get visa somewhere. There was no time in New York as I went to airport directly from IBM. I went to French consulate next morning in Milan and applied transit visa which was the simplest and easiest visa to get. However, I was told I had to come back on next Sunday to pick up the visa. Are you kidding? Should I stay in Milan for several days just to see Sang-Soo for a few hours? No thanks. In my understanding, many countries were giving simple transit visa at the airport upon arrival and this optimistic guy decided to try it at Paris, as I could have enough time to see Sang-Soo at the airport at least before Korean Air Line flight to leave for Seoul at late evening, if I arrive early enough in the morning.

I took the first flight from Milan to Paris arriving at arount 10:00 AM and went to Air France counter just to ask where the immigration office is. Since it was a simple one sentence question, I didn't stand in the line and said "Excuse me" to a lady at counter. But the response of the lady was "Go aAnd stand on the line" even without a try to listen to my question. This was the bad habbit on French people with so strong nationalism and that is why I don't like French. If I said in French, not in English, she would be much kinder. If you want to be treated as a human, you better speak in French in France, not in English specially. I knew it but didn't know it would be this bad.

Any way, I could find immigration office somehow and asked to give a transit visa for just few hours to see my nephew within airport but could not convince the bureaucratic French government officer at all. As the result, I had to wait 8 hours at Charles De Gaulle Airport, which was the longest waiting at a airport in my whole life, though I met Sang-Soo anyway across the steel bar, one in the bonded area and another at the other side.

This is story of my first Europe trip, which was nothing but a series of troubles, one after another, from the start to the last minute, making it the worst trip in my life. And my work at Samsung had been started with this terrible trip to Europe, which was also unforgettable forever.  

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