KA-CHA!

There is something nerve wracking about taking a test in Korean, on martial arts coreography, and having to speak Korean in it...
But I have my Blue Belt in TaeKwonDo!
Pictures Mon. Possibly.
KACHA

High Fiveeeee

When my kids do something grand, but not grand enough to get a happy face I give them a high five. Or after I discipline them, I'll tell them I'm not mad at them, and give them a high five. ANd they love it. I have a few kids that if I give anybody else one they immediatly yell ME TOO and who can tell a 5 year old boy no? I don't.
I never really understood it.
But yesterday, at TaeKwonDo class I we were practicing jumping roundhouse kicks (it sounds cooler in Korean, but I cannot remember the words for it) and as I was going across the room doing these (not unlike Irish step dancing, when we had to go across the floor jumping) my Sa-Bum-Nim kept yelling good. And at the very end of my set, he looked floored that I could do it, yelled Perfect and put his hand up, to the point where I thought he was going to hit me (which is not unusual in Korea) but ended up giving me a high five.
And for whatever reason, I felt validated.
Whowoulddathunk?

Patience, Patience, patience and Faith,
ErinJ

End of the Semster!

MinHo, Me, Justin. My favorite kids :)
YO YO YO!
So in Seoul (or Anyang, as the case may be) it appears that somebody turned off the cold. No nice transition, I just woke up one day and it was 60 degrees. Whatever you say, Korea. Its a nice change, so spring MUST be just around the corner.
To celebrate, we get a 3 day weekend. Well, not to celebrate that, persay, but it is independce day so we do get March 1st off.
My kids graduated on Thursday! GUTTED. I get a new group of kids, but the preschoolers I've worked with since October move on to Kindergarten. I love those little guys, so I'm sad about it . They were the best :)
Saturday we had to go to this big TaeKwonDo production. So team Foreigner (Read: theres 70 korean kids and 5 over 20 foreigners) roll in haggard. Being in a room with bright lights and screaming kids? Lesson Learned. It was all in Korean, so as always I sat clueless. But I DID upgrade to a yellow belt, so thats cool. KA-CHA!
Off to make plans for today
Patience and Faith,
EP

STOP SKIPPING! Or: How Irish Step dancing and TaeKwonDo are not related at all

Hey Ho!
So I know posts have gotten fewer and further between, but honestly, with the cold, life is pretty routine and although may be interesting to you, is simply too dull to blog about. Something I am up to now (5 days a week mofos!) is Tae Kwon Do. I found a poster in our local bar that advertised "foreigner-friendly" lessons. Now, being in Korea for over 5 months has taught me that "foreigner friendly" anything is an opportunity to be siezed and spent no time roping in Susie and Angela.
Now, For those that know me know that I was an Irish step dancer (NOT a river dancer. An Irish. Step. Dancer!) There are some things that get drilled so hard into your head that its natural reaction years later.

TDK vs Feising!

Hands up in a blocking position? NO WAY. Hands down-hit away!
If you are kicking your toes had better be pointed down. Thanks ISD for making this a natural reaction!
if you are on your toes you better be able to be charged and not pushed over: Ummmm if one foot is in the air the other better be hopping, bouncing, jumping or just as high as it can get.
Feet straight? No sir, I only live in the fifth position!
Power down? You don't win competitions without the fire of feet!

There are heaps more so expect more, but these are what I've thought of. Overall, learning a martial art in its home country is a really cool experience, and its something I really enjoy doing. Its making me feel increasingly empowered-----KACHA!!!

Patience and Faith,
ErinJ