Amanda Takes Off...

Preparing to Spar

We had the tourament yesterday. It was huge (3500 people completing over two days) but no surprise, I was the only foreigner there. This tournament was province-wide and many people certainly didn't expect to see me. I caused grown men to do double takes, middle school kids to chirp "hi!" and I made younger kids run away when I greeted them in Korean.

Sparring I

Sparring II

Master was practicing forms with me when one kid just kept staring. I said annyeong and he just stared. Master told him to speak. He just stared. I said in Korean, "Wow! The foreigner can speak!" He just stared.

Waiting to start I heard "Amanda!" and was convinced it was Most Obnoxious Girl Ever calling me. I turned around and saw my 17 year old sparring partner from my black belt test. We greeted each other and each other's Masters. They looked at us, "Who is that?"

Because this tournament was larger than my last one, I wasn't lumped with all the black belt (age 16 or so and up). Instead I was lumped with the people who were over college student aged.

Master and I waited for the competition to start, and while watching the other groups line up, I said, "High schoolers are very tall."

"I know, they're 19."

"No, I mean 30 years ago, there wasn't much food. Now there's lots of food." He nodded and said that each generation is getting much taller than the last in Korea.

I had to bring my residency card to this tournament. I had it in my hand. Master talked to an official and came back, "Give me your card." I did and he put it in his pocket. "OK, he checked your card." He grinned and I laughed because this was obviously a Korean case of "I know you or your dad or we went to the same school, so sure, I'll trust you."

I said, "He didn't even look!"

"It's OK," Master said, "I told him you were Korean, not foreign."

"I don't believe you," I teased.

He nodded and put on his Innocent Master look, "Yeah, I tell him you like soju! You, very Korean!"

네! 아만다! 입나다!
Yes! I am! Amanda!

Despite What Master Says, I Am Obviously Not Korean

There were ten people competing in my group (about 20 people total, split into two groups). We were told to do Oh Jang (the random form) first, then Koryo. I am always worried about the random one. I'm afraid I won't hear the official. At my black belt test and the last tournament, the officials gave hand signals when they saw me. Usually they do that for everyone. This woman didn't.

Oh Jang

고려 I

고려 II

고려 III

I didn't place.

The good: I slowed down, I didn't let the pace of the majority rush me (a problem). I nailed nearly every landing (foot lands AND block at the same time, or foot lands AND punch at the same time).

Needs improvement: I need more power. I need to lengthen my long front stance and lower my back stance. (I can see that from the photos!)

After I left the mat, some man started waving to me. I looked around and didn't see anyone else. I put my hand to my chest. "Me?"

He came over and we started speaking in Korean. Somehow—I really don't know how—I managed to use the -sumnida form with him. He asked me if he could interview me. I said, "Yes, but I don't speak Korean well."

"It's OK," he switched to English, "I can speak English." I thought, Then why am I breaking out the -sumnida form?

Conversing With the Reporter

I was lead into a back room where I found Master's Father. I used the formal form to greet him, two hands to shake his, bowed and didn't look him in the eye. Yes! I finally greeted him the way I've been meaning to!

The man asked me how old I was, where I was from, my marital status, how long I'd been doing taekwondo, when I tested for black belt, how long I'd been and would be in Korea (I was tempted to say, "Well, that depends on my boyfriend"), where I worked and trained, and if anyone else in my family practiced taekwondo. Hey, I could've done that interview in Korean! Seriously! I almost wanted to say, "OK, let's do it again! Let's speak Korean!"

Then he made me give the goofiest look I think I've ever been asked to show in my adult life. I had to pump my right fist is a "fighting!" gesture while giving a thumb's up with my left hand.

When we finished I bowed out to Master's father and the interviewer. I went back to Master and said, "I was interviewed."

"I know."

I shrugged, "For what?"

"A taekwondo newspaper."

"Will you get a copy of it?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I will try."

I hope he does. It might be something in Korean that I could easily read!

I was getting sick, so after my event was done and I cheered on some of my studiomates and got some pictures, I headed home, where I discovered that I had a fever.

Crybaby Gold Medal Girl
(Who Got a Bronze This Time and Cried About It)

The tournament was fun, even if I didn't place. And it was good for me. Every time I go to one of these events, I get more used to it, more used to the Korean used, the process (which is slightly different each time). And even though I'm nervous each time, it helps my nerves. It helps me feel more prepared for my second dan test, which is rapidly approaching.

Picnicking

(More photos are on the next page.)

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