TAEKWONDO
Last semester Mr. Hong, a University Church member, invited us to his taekwondo 장 to learn some moves while experiencing a part of Korean culture. We started out going every Friday, but around Christmas he asked if we would like to start coming 3 times a week during the next year...OF COURSE!
We were the tallest students in the class, yet started, like everyone does, at the bottom of the totem pole, with white belts:
안녕하세요
Since then, we have moved up to green with a blue stripe and have a test in two weeks, where we will hopefully upgrade to blue with a brown stripe. The colors go white, yellow, green, blue, brown, red, and...BLACK!
For each test we usually have to do a form, a few kicks, some fitness activities, and break a board. There are 8 태극 forms which are sort of like choreographed fighting dances and remind me just how bad I am at remembering dances...Maybe it's okay because I really enjoy the kicking!
기합
Nicknames continue at taekwondo: glasses master, laughing master, uni, bear & lemur [quite a dynamic duo], lil mama, lil nugget, Harry Potter, and lady master.
Participating in taekwondo has led to a few enjoyable things outside of class too:
We went
to a an exhibition at Kyung Hee University [the #1 taekwondo school in Korea] where watched an
awesome performance by the students, ate lunch, wandered around the
campus, and then learned a few new tricks.
I have been able to bond [though Konglish and laughter] with one of the teachers from my center when she occasionally takes me from work to class.
We started eating and Englishing [that probably removes all confidence you once had in my English teaching abilities...] with Mr. Hong's wife and son.
twinzies with lady master!
Thomas went on a bike ride with fellow taekwondoers!
[pictures arriving soon]
I have also created a list of things not to eat before taekwondo: anchovies, kim, dinner with Reverend 최...
Those foods aside, it has been an excellent experience to make new friends, spend time with a few youth group members, and practice 태권도. I am so thankful that Mr. Hong invited us!
No comments:
Post a Comment