Blackbelt: RECIEVED!

This is an oldie-but-a goodie: A post I began back around December 12th, 2006...11:34 AM: It reads...

"I'm thrilled beyond words.

Last Sunday my Dojang (Taekwondo school), along with JuYeong and I, went over to the Daegu indoor stadium for our Blackbelt test. The stadium rocked like a crazy nest of bees--kids swarming in their uniforms, excited and anticipating the moment when they get to show off their stuff.

The event wasn't like I had expected, but it was rather interesting to say the least. In Korea, we sort of learn to 'hurry up and wait'---as a teacher, you learn to hurry up to meetings, only you have to wait for things to get started; when paying bills at the bank, you hurry up for a quick payment, only to stand in line with other like-minded Korean folks; and at the grocery story, it's always the ajumma with a ton of groceries, that firmly stands in front of you while you wait to pay for an ice-cream or a snack. The hurry up and wait syndrome hit me hard at the Blackbelt test: we basically had to hurry to the event, whilst finding out that we had to wait 3 hours to take our test!

Of course, the most exciting part of the day was hanging out with JuYeoung, ... and the new boyfriend (who I invited) along with the ex-boyfriend (who suddenly decided to come, since he had been taking Taekwondo with our dojang). Woh, double deal: That was a crazy mixture! But in the end, we all had fun, and by the time JuYeong and I took our test, we had enough excitement and endurance in us, that everything felt like a piece of cake! We did the 7th and 8th formations (called poomseh's) and luckily, both JuYeong and I were paired up (among 8 other blackbelt testers) to 'fight' against one another... now that was concindental! Pure coincidence..

I told JuYeong, "Fight like you wanna KILL me!'~ mouthing out the words, which I playfully meant, of course~ but I tell you, she took it literally! That girl came at me like a bad woman, kicking me left and right.. and like a movie, I lifted up one leg and dolchuggi (side kick), gave her a love tap on her belly. POINT! Boo-yeah! hehe.. she only laughed and returned another kick.

That day, JuYeoung and I found out we had recieved our blackbelts. Right on! That's another check off my list of must-do's while I'm in Korea. "

Bittersweet memories! As of this month, I've decided to take 2 months off of Taekwondo: the first reason being as it is winter vacation now, and the only class available for JuYeong and I to take at our dojang has a ton of kids in it, so we don't get quite the attention and work out that our private a.m. class normally provides us; and the second being, well, next month is February, and that means I'll be taking my month-long vacation! There's another right on: check out the next post for vacation updates and stories of January's English camp fun at Yeungjin... loads of fun, for sure!

Until then, yes, I will settle with yet another cold I've acquired. That makes 6 last year for 2006, and number 1 for 2007. I'm intending on keeping the number down this year.. fingers crossed.

Big shout-outs to my Momma for making a safe trip to and fro Alabama to visit my bro and his wife, Amy. They're expecting their first child in May/June! Kisses to you...

~ Chelsea