I feel like I’ve blinked and
suddenly found myself three pay-checks and four rent payments into my time in
Seoul. How has that happened? Whilst time seems to be getting away from me,
upon reflection I have done so much.
From leaving off where my last
post left me, I have not given up on the salsa. In fact, I have thrown myself whole-heartedly
into it. Thanks to Yirak, I started taking lessons at Havana Bar in Hondae,
which soon had me taking steps in the right direction. I even bought some salsa
shoes (flat ones though- there is no way I trust my balance doing turns in
heels!) Despite being the only student in the class on Saturday evenings and
the huge language barrier between my teachers and I, we somehow made it work. They
made me feel so welcome in their bar and it wasn’t long before I was spending
most of my Saturday nights there dancing the night away. Yirak also took the
time to introduce me to all of her friends at the bar, so I even have people to
talk to when I go there now! I cannot thank this girl enough for all she has
done for me. Did I mention I am going to Jeju salsa festival too? Sadly after
two months, my Saturday classes had to come to an end as the beginner course
finished. With my work schedule finishing at 10pm, I cannot make the
intermediate classes during the week. Cue Didier, a lovely French guy and great
dancer who happened to mention he used to teach… A weekly lesson with him is
helping me to improve my steps and confidence! The salsa scene here is absolutely amazing.
There are so many bars and so many people dance. The standard is also really
high, not that it takes much to impress me! But it’s clear they are so
technical and have spent hours practising and perfecting their style- classic
Koreans! Now I just have to try and keep up!
On the topic of work, I still
very much like my job. Mondays are not a chore and I don’t dread walking
through the glass revolving doors into the academy daily. How lucky am I!? My
boss is chilled and my co-workers are friendly.
Whilst I have got used to teaching nearly all of the classes now, the
system is changing in less than a month so there won’t be a chance for me to
get bored! The only question I face now is whether I want to stay for another
year, considering I am already nearly half way through this one!
My apartment is still wonderful
and feels so homely now too. Although it is very small, it is absolutely
perfect for me. I only came with one suitcase and I wouldn’t have anything to
fill a bigger place! I bought a lovely mirror and table and took some spare
chairs and a side table from Ramsey’s apartment (we can call it long-term loan);
what more do you need!? I simply love living on my own!
My weekends have been filled with adventure and exploration. With this huge city on our doorstep it has been impossible not to seize our days off with both hands and make the most of them. We spent time appreciating the cherry blossom which quickly came and went but briefly painted the streets of Yeouido and the edges of Seokchon Lake a beautiful pink. We spent a night away from Seoul in Chuncheon, sampling the local speciality of Dak Galbi. We took a boat to Nami Island one weekend to appreciate the beautiful weather and spring plants and flowers, picnicing and napping in the shade of the trees. We watched our first ever baseball match in Jamsil stadium. We sunbathed on the beach in Sokcho and hiked to the peaks in Seoraksan National Park for spectacular views. Other weekends have been spent exploring other neighbourhoods and hiking in the beautiful mountains in and around Seoul. It has been non-stop fun that has hardly stopped since we arrived.
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