Andong, Hahoe, and Thinking

Last Sunday, Min Gi and I went out to Andong for the Mask Festival. I went last year with Samantha and had a great time, especially at the traditional village, Hahoe. Since I enjoyed Hahoe so much last year, that's where we headed almost as soon as we got to the festival.

I had been in a picture taking funk since returning to Korea, but the festivities seem to have awakened the wannabe photographer in me again.

Min Gi with scarecrows. This intense light green color (I think it is growing rice) is the main color of the countryside this time of year. It is beautiful.

A dance company from Buryatia, a former USSR country near Lake Baikal.

The traditional mask dance of Hahoe. The masks are so impressively expressive when combined with the dance movements. It's kind of unbelievable.

As one of the representative white people in the audience, I was pulled on stage to participate this time. Min Gi stole my camera and captured my humiliation.

Traditional Village Upgrade: SkyLife television.

I took lots of great pictures, especially of the dancers. You should look at the whole album:

Andong Mask Festival 2008

After the dance performances, Min Gi and I drank 동동주 (dongdongju), a traditional Korean rice wine that I was first introduced to by Sa Beom Nim, but has grown on me quite a bit since then. I have been in a funk. A really bad one. On the Friday night before this trip I started crying uncontrollably when I got home from taekwondo and didn't stop for over an hour. I didn't know what was wrong. Kelly, Leah, and Min Gi all talked me through it and then I headed out with Kelly to meet people for Rick's goodbye party, and I felt better, but had been in a HUGE funk the whole weekend because of this breakdown and other issues.

So we talked about it. What's on our minds lately. Min Gi asked when I was going to leave Korea.

I said I didn't know (I honestly don't). When I took this job, I had a feeling I would really like it--enough to do it more than the one-year contract I signed for. And I think that feeling has been more than confirmed in the past few weeks. The kids, the co-workers, and the atmosphere really suit me. I also like my new studio and neighborhood a lot.

But I told him about what my plans had been after that--teaching in other countries and things like that. And he asked me if I'd think about staying. Or take him with me to those other countries.

So now I'm thinking. I have a lot of time to think, fortunately. And in the meantime, I intend to have a blast.