Thursday, June 21, 2012

Funny Signs

Frustrated but still going, that is how I would describe this week. At the moment I am feeling positive, I just cleaned my apartment but I have had a few days like this where the day started out great but by the end of it I wanted the day to be over.

This weeks adventures were calmer than most. On saturday I walked up the side of the mountain here, not all the way; I had a church activity at a certain time so I couldn't spend a lot of time hiking and I couldn't afford to kill myself hiking the monster mountain and still be able to move afterward. It was nice though being able to walk for about a half an hour and be completely surrounded by forest. So I could sketch and be in a peaceful surroundings. It was really calming.


I started going to Hopkido five days a week and I am already feeling better about myself for it. I still feel like I am last in the class and my coordination skills are still not manifesting themselves but if anything I am getting stronger. And I already had my freakout moment in hopkido so hopefully I will catch on better.

This week I went on a lunch outing with my french friend and she and I had an interesting conversation about culture shock and dealing with it. She is married to a Korean and she had some pretty good stories to share. We talked about the direct approach that is very common in french culture and how the french people are so frank and forward about everything and then we compared it to the Korean way where everything is done in a way that will not affend.  The Koreans will say yes when they mean want to say no just to be polite and they can't deal with confrontation. Always a round about way. For example in this culture, if you offer someone food the person should first say no to be polite that they don't want to eat all the food but there is an expectation that you ask them a second time and that is when they will tell you the truth on whether they really want more or not. Crazy, I just don't get why. If they want something they should just say it and we would be able to save time and energy. Annoyances with this culture of death....gr

On the upside, my classes are going great(I think), and summer is here.
And they have things called Pak Bing Su, which is like a glorified snow-cone. Oh was my joy fulfilled when I discovered these delicious concoctions! here is a pic and Everyone, have a great summer day :)
 

2 comments:

  1. First of all, what is the hopiiteico class that you go to? I'm assuming exercise, but I always thought that you were the kind of person that is always in shape but never has to exercise.

    And I miss glorified snow cones. They make American snow cones look like dirt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hopkido is a type of Korean Martial Arts. Therefore I am going to be a ninja, I don't need the exercise...right: I need the technique, not all of us are Asian and therefore a natural ninja ;)

    And I miss snowcones in general, the American ones might be dirt but I love them and miss them. Oh Rexburg, you have the greatest snowcones!

    ReplyDelete