For the past two days I have been enjoying the company of a lone visitor to Hongsan—my friend Janaki. She came to get away from her home base in the industrial city of Gumi for a while before picking her mom up in Incheon. It was really nice to see her and have some company in Hongsan—I get so few visitors here!—and I ended up learning a lot about my area, actually. Unfortunately, I had to teach the winter camp every afternoon, all afternoon, so I could not devote the time to entertaining that I wished, but I think we both still had fun.
I am attending a different TKD class right now because the winter break times are different, so I am learning with mostly new people. They are not used to me yet, making the situation a bit uncomfortable for me with all their stares and attention, but it’s going okay. Except that the kid who made my 5/6 grade chat class such a challenge is in there. I swear, I saw red when I walked in and saw him. He’s actually pretty cute outside the classroom—unsurprisingly, as most of the troublemaker are once you’re not responsible for them—and he is starting to grow on me. And it doesn’t hurt that he now tells me I’m beautiful and gives me a knowing wink. Man, I’m so easy! This does not mean I want to teach him again, however…in fact, one of my great fears is that I’ll walk into class on Tuesday (when I start the 5/6 winter break class) and he’ll be smiling mockingly back at me. Though I do like doing taekwondo earlier in the day so I have my nights to myself again, I do miss the kids in my old class—they are pretty great! Yesterday I finally mastered the third form and did it once all by myself for the first time. I was so stoked! It’s been plaguing me for weeks! And I’m just in time, too…we’re having a test tomorrow! If I understand correctly (always a lofty assumption), if I pass I will finally earn that elusive green belt I’ve been working toward since August. Yipee!!! Too bad I don’t completely remember the routines and had to look them up online to make sure I did know them. [If you’re interested in seeing them, go to http://www.natkd.com/tkd_forms.htm for the videos. Taegeuk Il Jang (Il means one) is the one I had to do to earn my yellow belt for real. I passed Taegeuk Ee Jang (2) a while back and now I’m on to Taegeuk Sam Jang (Sam means three).] There would be nothing more embarrassing than failing a test all of the seven-year-olds in the room have passed long ago. I’m excited about the possibility of moving on before I leave for two months and most likely forget everything I learned.
In the little free time I had outside teaching and TKD the past couple days, I did my best to show Janaki a good time. It was also pretty darn cold starting yesterday, so that hindered our plans a bit. The first night, the 26, we went out to dinner in Hongsan. It was only the fourth time I’d ever done that and the first time without teachers or family. I think Janaki was appalled at the monastic lifestyle I lead here, what with no going out and no outside entertainment and it was interesting at least to see it from another’s perspective. I guess I could get out more, but why? I am busy enough and immersed in Korean life as it is. I’ve wanted to lead a minimalistic life for a long time but never had resolve enough to really try. Who knew I would take the first real steps in materialistic Korea, of all places! After talking to Janaki, I am realizing more and more how unique and perfectly suited to me my situation is. Most families don’t live as simply as mine (granted, mine lives about the most simply of any family I’ve ever seen…I think the only thing we buy is food!), but I don’t think I would be nearly as happy with what seems to be the typical Korean family. I was looking for something simple and I was fortunate enough to find it. I thought I’d lucked out in the beginning and my good fortune seems only to have increased through my time here (not considering the hell of my third grade classroom, that is). I seriously could not ask for more for more wonderful circumstances for a perfect year in Korea and I know it. It’s almost enough to make me want to stay—something I am still thinking about—but today I am leaning toward not continuing another year. I just think about all the other places I want to not only visit, but stay for an extended time, and then the idea of two whole years here is not that appealing in comparison. What will be hard is saying goodbye and knowing that most likely I will never come back. It makes me sad to even think about it.
Today I took Janaki into Buyeo for a morning of sightseeing. We woke up to snow and perhaps the coldest day I’ve yet experienced in Korea, unfortunately, but defeat was never an option so we set off anyway. Janaki’s bag was heavy and the wind was bitter in Buyeo so we didn’t head up the “mountain” to the fortress as I’ve done a few times more. Instead, we whipped out the map and headed toward new territory. This was actually pretty exciting because I finally got a good feel for the city of Buyeo (which is surprisingly tiny—I think you could walk around it in an hour!) and saw some of the other Baekje history it has to offer. There are quite a few historical sights here I’d never bothered to see. Today we went to Pond, which features the first recorded construction of a manmade island in the middle. It must be really beautiful in any other season, but today it was bleak and cold and somewhat miserable. It’s flat, too, so the wind was strong there. We didn’t last a long time. Then, we went to Buyeo National Museum, which features old artifacts from prehistoric times up through the Baekje Kingdom period. Evidently, the whole province is a good place to study prehistoric man’s life on the Korean peninsula. It wasn’t that exciting, to be honest, but I did finally get to see this incense burner in person that is such a big deal around here. It’s a really beautiful and intricate bronze sculpture. I’m not quite sure why exactly it’s so special, except maybe because it’s pretty incredible artistry for the 500s.
Other than this visit, my time off is proving to be the perfect opportunity to catch up on emails, travel planning, knitting, and reading. I am currently immersed in On the Road, a Christmas present from Sam, and it is inspiring me to be a more adventurous traveler. Too bad I could never feel safe hitchhiking. Maybe once I have that black belt…