Week IV and V: Dinner with the Kwan Jang Nim

The last couple weeks I have just been continuing my routine and finishing up my language course. After a month of studying Korean I am still very helpless when it comes to communicating what I need and it has proved trying at times. I will be very relieved when I return just to be able to go places and communicate simple things. On Friday the Kwan Jang Nim arived in Seoul and taught the evening adult class. The class was awesome and he told his cookie story (for those of you who have heard it) which made a different impression on me the second time. Afterwards we went to dinner and I got to talk to the Kwan Jang Nim on a more personal level. He asked me all about Crested Butte (he remembered going there 10 years ago) and Tyzzer Sa Bom Nim and the studio. He also wanted to know about me personally. It was a really cool experience. Then on Sunday was the Dan test in Degu (4 hr. south of Seoul). To tell the truth I was dissappointed in the skill level of the candidates and what was required of them which was much less than in the US. However Korea is a different culture and they have a lot less support and organization than we do. After the test there was a demonstrations and me and some other foreigners did a team form using Ki Cho Hyung Sam Bu. Then today I traveled to Gyeongju which was the capital during the Shilla dynasty. There are so many mountains to climb, temples, museums, palaces, and other sights to see. It is good to get out of the big city too. I don't have my computer with me and I forgot the plug for my camera so I will not be able to post pictures untill I return to Seoul. I will try to keep the blog updated with new entries now that I am traveling around the country.