Ballet in Korea

I FINALLY found a ballet studio in Seoul.

Ahem. I started this post about 4 months ago. As I said previously, my blogging has slightly fallen by the wayside. So I've been dancing again for the past 5 months twice a week. I found this tiny ballet studio in a university area. It's not exactly convenient to get to...seeing as it takes about 45 minutes to get there and 45 minutes to get back home after the hour and 15 minute class. At first I was a bit apprehensive taking a class where all of the instruction would be in Korean. After my first class however, I realized, no matter what country you're in, ballet remains the same. Dance is dance, no matter where you are. And even though my teacher is speaking in words that I cannot understand, she dances and I follow and I learn. I've even started wearing pointe shoes again. Yeah...I forgot how much that hurts.
My teacher is amazing. She majored in ballet at her university and danced for a couple of years professionally and is now teaching at several studios. She is stunningly beautiful, graceful, elegant, equipped with an exquisite technique...and is one of the most incredible dancers I have ever seen. Needless to say, she motivates me a great deal. Finding this dance studio has been one of the best things that has happened to me since being in Korea. It only took me one class to remember that dancing is one thing that makes me utterly happy...where during that entire block of time in class, I think of NOTHING else, besides: work hard, work your hardest, keep trying, push yourself, you can do it...and oh my GOD I love this.



P.S. Here is the variation we just learned from Don Quixote. (don't have video of myself, so please enjoy Paloma Herrera doing an incredible job.)

Christmas in Korea

Mrs. Claus (Heidi)

So in my 29 years of life, I've never spent Christmas apart from my family. It just hasn't happened. So being on the other side of the world, was a bit of a horse of a different color. And although I missed my friends and family more than anything, I actually quite enjoyed myself...just having an experience in a country 6000 miles away from my own. It didn't exactly feel like Christmas, but what can you do?
I've learned from talking with Koreans that Christmas is treated as more of a friends and couples holiday than it is a family holiday. It's interesting to me because this country has a fairly large Christian population (about 30%) and usually Jesus' birthday, or Christmas, is basically the most important day in the life of a Christian, next to Easter. Anyway...
So most Koreans go out for dinner and then out for drinks on Christmas Eve. A similar schedule of events is followed on Christmas day.
I did have school on Christmas Eve, so we had a Christmas party with our kindergarten students. Santa (aka my co-teacher Matt) even came to the school. He kind of reminded me of that scary Santa from 'A Christmas Story.' Yikes.
And like I've said previously, it seems that everything here is done slightly differently that what I'm used to....i.e....we started our Christmas party by making Christmas cakes--what happened to cookies?!

Lily, Dylan, and Emily making their Christmas cake...

Ryan & Emily

Helping with the frosting-breaking-the-cake situation

Post making 'Christmas cake,' students could play in the playroom or watch a movie while lunch was prepared. Lunch was a funny thing. You should've seen the spreads these kids had. Their classrooms were filled with homemade delicious Korean dishes that their mommies prepared, pizza, fried chicken, you know...traditional Christmas delicacies...

Lavender class with their kimbap, pizza, fried chicken, fruit, etc.

Rosemary class with their spread--homemade tokkpokki, fried chicken, rice balls, fruit, cookies...oh and check out their Rudolph noses

After eating, it was time for Santa. Why Santa...you look so jolly, I don't think you scared the kids at all...

Santa/Matt Teacher and Rosemary students

Matthew is so proud

Denny, have you done ANYTHING good this year???

My Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day celebration:

Harry and Mikyong for Korean BBQ on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve dinner

On Christmas Day, I threw a brunch get together at my mini apartment. I made banana chocolate chip pancakes from scratch...we had sangria, mimosas, Irish coffees; people brought chocolate cake, hashbrowns, champagne, more cake--everyone in Korea always brings a cake...I'm SO OVER CAKE....

My delicious pancakes

Josh Teacher cooking some sort of bacon meat...

Friends stayed over well into the evening. We listened to Christmas music, overindulged in food & drink, played scrabble, card games, etc. I would say that although different and lacking some very important people, Christmas in Korea was pretty ok!

And kids are still saying the most amazing things...

One of my most favorite times with my kids is when I get to actually sit with them on the floor, on a mat, and read. It's such a nice change from standing in front of the classroom and teaching. And it's SO nice to be close to them. We ALWAYS end up laughing. I think this is mostly because they can really see me up close, and therefore they notice how different I look from them. For instance, last Thursday while reading, Matthew says, "Jacki Teacher, your nose is like this," and makes a motion showing a long and curve-bridged nose. Laughter ensues. "You're right, my nose is like that. It looks different than yours huh?" I say. Then he goes on, "But Shannon Teacher's nose is like this," and makes a tiny nose gesture. It's hilarious to the other students and I that Matthew is comparing the teachers' noses. Then Anthony chimes in with, "No, Shannon Teacher's nose like this (makes a gesture with his hand)....Shannon Teacher nose like Sponge Bob." This comment is too much to handle, and we all crack up again. After we regain our composure, we continue to read. Thank you children for once again making my day!!