Traditional Korean Drum/Dance Ceremony

Bought a new pillow. I'm clearly a functional adult

So this weekend, I finally went out in Hongdae for the first time. It was fun, but not really anything different than American clubbing- crowded bars/clubs, no space, long lines for the bathroom, etc. Still a good time, though! I'm glad I live close to Hongdae so I can go out if I want to.

Anyway, on Sunday, I went to a ceremony/performance that my co teather, Young Ah, invited me to. She is part of a group that learns how to play traditional Korean drums, and they were having a performance/ceremony thing and I was really excited that she asked me to go.

The basic gist of the ceremony was a cleansing of bad energy and spirits and asking to be blessed with a brighter future.

intro giant drum

prepping and inviting the god to come

drum piece

welcoming and cleansing us

drum dance

Traditional Korean singing

the MC

 Then there was a giant drum dance with lots of different drums. They burned the wishes (the yellow papers that were on stage) and prayed that the wishes will come true. And there was a LOT of drumming and dancing.

Young Ah is in the center with
black shoes

twirly hats!

young ah being awesome

she's so cute but she has braces
so she hides them when she smiles haha

she really wanted me to try on the hats

So happy she invited me!!

and then someone handed me socks?

Don't worry, they fed me!

red bean rice cake and kimchi pancakes
despite my dislike of plain kimchi, the
pancakes were actually really good!

Here's a video with some clips from the ceremony and pics at the beginning and a couple at the end.








So, the ceremony took about 3 hours (dinner was included, see above) which made for a really long day, since it took almost an hour to get there and an hour to get home.
No korean meal or ceremony is complete without alcohol, so we also had Korean rice wine (makkoli) that some nice old men shared with me. People were really friendly even though I probably looked like I wandered in off the street and was just curious (which is mostly true, but my co teacher DID invite me!), and they even encouraged me to dance or tried to explain things to me when my co teacher was performing.


I'm just really touched that she asked me to come see it, because it means a lot that she would invite me to something cultural and personal. I'm glad I was able to go and support her and also to see some really amazing traditional Korean arts! I'm hoping it goes a long way in maintaining a good working relationship, because it was a blast to hang out with her and see the ceremony!

Back to the grind tomorrow, but it's going to be a fun and busy week! Halloween festivities start next weekend!!

2 months in the Land of the Morning Calm

It's been another full week of school and my 2 month anniversary has come and gone. It really doesn't feel real that I've been here for 2 months already! I guess all the craziness of adjusting, sightseeing and working has made the time fly by!


This week was an interesting mix of weather situations, since Monday it was 80 degrees, but Tuesday dropped to legit fall temperatures and it was actually REALLY cold for like 2 days. Now it's back to moderately cool mornings and warmer afternoons, but the chill is definitely in the air (and in the school, which is really drafty). I'm trying to mentally prep myself for the harsh winter that I know is coming, but it's hard when it's still quite nice out. I also have to mentally prep myself because we don't have ANY holidays until CHRISTMAS. Here's to hoping for field trips and sports days!!!


I started taking a Korean class at a culture center in Sinchon, which is another student hang out/shopping area right next to Hongdae. It's not really a typical classroom setting or set up either, so it stressed me out a little bit. Especially because this is the first non roman alphabet language I've learned, so it's slow going and I got a bit overwhelmed and frustrated with myself. I was an excellent student in college, and so struggling with learning something just makes me really angry at myself.

I have to learn to start being kinder to myself, since I'm working and school isn't my only focus anymore. Plus adjusting to a completely different place that has so many new and exciting things causes quite a distraction. Plus, teaching is EXHAUSTING. I sympathize so much more with every single teacher I've ever had. Awkward silences, underestimated time, lessons that just don't go well, everything. All of it takes it's toll on you and generally the last thing I want to do when I get home is study Korean, but I want to be more dedicated to it since I want to start understanding what people are saying (especially my co workers and students), so I'm glad I signed up for the class. And Sarah is taking it with me, so I have someone to practice with!


I don't have jetsetting plans this weekend (unlike study abroad, where I was going somewhere almost every weekend), but I do have tentative plans to club in Hongdae with some EPIKers and maybe see my co teacher perform in a traditional drum concert thing? I can't remember what it is, but the fact that she invited me means she likes me so I feel obligated to go and show her that I am actually really interested in going (she kind of hesitantly suggested it cause she wasn't sure I would care). I LOVE seeing traditional Korean things, so I'm really excited to go! For some reason, a lot of my co workers don't think Westerners are interested in some of the cultural stuff. I don't know if that's residual thoughts from the old Native English Teachers or what, but I love when my co teachers invite me to stuff. I think it means they like me!!!


As per usual, here are some random pictures from my week. Yes. I did go to a cat cafe again. I had time to kill before class, and really, there was nothing that could have been a better use of my time. Obviously.

cute. This is on the way to work.
brightens my day!

mild and original chocolate milk  haha

a gift from one of my co teachers!

We got popular once we had food

also I can't remember if I ate these
at home but I am addicted here.
TRY IT IT'S DELICIOUS

Hanguel day and a relaxing weekend

 So last Wednesday I had off for Hanguel Day, which is the day celebrating the creation of the Korean alphabet by King Sejong of the Josen Dynasty. I shopped around a bit and then went and hung out by the Han River, which included seeing the Banpo Bridge rainbow fountain show

Pics aren't great but it was really cool to see! They play music and the bridge shoots out water and changes colors.

Other pics from the week

sometimes rice cake packages appear
on my desk

My co teacher texting me about our love
for Lee Min Ho and our excitement
about his new drama

Found my get rich quick scheme

Bathroom selfie to show off my ADORABLE
new dress

My bro being the coolest bro ever
on skype

Friday night my friends and I went to a rooftop wine and jazz event that was really, really fun! It was also with a lot of Koreans and not very touristy, which felt pretty cool. We had a great time!

This weekend was reserved for relaxing and chilling out, simply because I'm still not feeling 100% and I think it's because I'm not resting enough. Definitely gotta take care of myself, since winter will be here eventually and I need my immune system to be up to snuff! 

Hope all is well at home, I'm glad Ted helped me fix my wifi so I could talk to a bunch of my family. It was great to be able to skype everyone! LOVE YOU ALL

Totally addicted

TO KPOP


Ok, things you have to embrace when you start liking kpop:

Tight pants

guyliner

CRAZY hair


will the video make sense? Probably not

Crazy clothes

fringe

Mid sentence costume changes

Weird pants

THE BEST CHOREOGRAPHY EVER

Random English. Will it make sense? PROBABLY NOT


SO here is your semi-regular Kpop update. Basically, other songs that I really like that you should know






Ok so Big Bang is my favorite Kpop group, which is why they are featured here most time. This song is actually a bit older, but my students still know it. If I happen to say "Wow!" in class, one of them almost invariably says (or shouts) "Fantastic Baby!!"

I'm DYING to go to one of their concerts. 







because how can you pass up a song called Ring Ding Dong? Most of the aforementioned list is featured in this video. They also rhyme "Fantastic" with "Elastic" here. Why? I'm not sure. But it's awesome




Oh, another G Dragon song?? SORRY NOT SORRY



Ok but this song is totally awesome. G Dragon is like the T Swift of Kpop in that a lot of his songs (like Crooked) are about breakups. This video is also really awesome cause I think it's about how exhausting being a party boy actually is, both mentally and physically. Or it's just GD being cray cray. There's that too.





So Crayon Pop isn't my favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm putting this video on here because A.) Their name is Crayon Pop. Watch 1 of their videos and you'll be thoroughly entertained if not horrified, and B.) Because this song is probably one of the most ubiquitously played songs in Korea right now and it's impossible to avoid it. I hear it every time I am out shopping and even my 3rd graders know it.

I'm sorry, it's just hilarious.


Isn't kpop fun guys????

Kpop education!

SO MUCH STUFF HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND. Yes, this is all the same weekend as the Lantern Festival and Fireworks. I cannot believe I am seeing all of this stuff- READ THIS POST FIRST

So now we have made it to Sunday.

Ok, so there was a festival this weekend (maybe longer, actually, but this Sunday was a special day) in Seoul called the Gangnam Hanryu Festival, which involved a free Kpop concert with popular bands. I posted all of my pictures, even though we were far away and the pics kind of suck, but it was still awesome.

Originally, Sarah and I gave up because there were WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE, but then another friend texted us and said she found spots on the side of the street, so we headed over there and got an ok view. I'm still too short to see over people, even asians, sooooo most of the time I was watching via the screens or through other people's cameras. 

The guests were as follows (with an accompanying KPOP video, for your info).

First up, EXO

After hearing this song everywhere, I actually really started to like them. My 6th graders are going to be so jealous that I saw EXO. LOL

Girl's Day

They actually did one of my favorite kdrama OST songs, Cupid or Shiny Boy from City Hunter

Infinite 

I actually don't know much about them, but they were really good. Gotta start listening!

I like this song, though I don't know why so many videos involve cowboy clothes?? 

Or fringe. 

Or THOSE WEIRD PANTS

Ok and I was probably most excited about SHINee!!

I already posted my favorite SHINee song a while back, but I also really like this video (especially the dancing haha It's a bit ridiculous but also ridiculously AWESOME)