Some things I did in November 2015

Of course I went to see some dance performances.

Definite highlight for November was finally seeing Miyavi perform live.

Met up with friends that I haven't seen in ages.

Korea has a traditional custom known as "Sa-eun-hoi" 사은회 that roughly translates as "Teacher's Appreciation Banquet". It is a special dinner hosted by students for their teachers to show their appreciation. Annually around this time of the year the students in my department invite the lecturers to attend "Sa-eun-hoi." They treat us to a lovely buffet meal, share messages of appreciation, and sometimes give us some gifts (or gift vouchers).

The dress code theme for this year's "Sa-eun-hoi" was black & white, hence my outfit. (I bought the silk scarf in China at a silk market during my trip there earlier this year.)

A teaching highlight this year was in my one poetry class. After reading the poem "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou, the students actually applauded. I got an applause for the reading of another poem earlier this semester as well -- "I Sing the Body Electric" by Walt Whitman. I also got one or two applauds after two lectures. It is a weird thing to be applauded for one's job, but it does make one feel that you are in the right occupation. 

In November I had to submit my PhD dissertation for examination. Getting it ready for submission take up much of my time and energy. I also had to pay a $500 examination fee that I didn't know about. That sucked. It wasn't in my budget. 

Still actively teaching martial arts. Have been working on getting my one student ready for his black belt promotion in the middle of January 2016.

A very sad part of this month was the news of the passing of my long time friend Chris van der Merwe. 

Some things I did in August 2015

In August I worked mostly on my PhD dissertation. There aren't really any related pictures for me to share.

Apart from my regular Taekwon-Do training I also joined the gym that month since I had some extra time during my break to do some resistance training. I was quite diligent, and went to the gym five days a week.

I continued my habit of more regular drawing...

And I wrote a poem. Sadly still something I've been neglecting for most of 2015.

I also tried to meet with some friends, and caught up with two of my old students, but unfortunately my dissertation took most of my time and attention.

Some things I did in April

Some things I did in April. Appreciated spring and all the beautiful blossoms that Korea has to offer this time of year. I went to an impov dance festival. I trained Taekwon-Do with a good friend, Master Vitale who visited our gym. I also wrote the comprehensive exams for my PhD. That was a bit stressful to prepare for, but I'm to say that I passed. I also went to the Joong Gun Memorial Museum, and met with some Taekwon-Do people that visited Korea from different countries, including finally formally meeting a long known acquaintance and now friend. And of course, I did my regular work and started teaching Shakespeare tragedies.

Some things I did in March 2015

After I came back from South Africa, I went to the Studio Ghibli exhibit that was in Seoul.

The end of February and start of March began with farewells to friends whose tenure in Korea came to an end. 

Of course, returning to Taekwon-Do training.

Going to a friend's birthday party...

and visiting the strange university with its own unique Korean religion.

On my own birthday I went to a Bobby McFerrin concert.

And got this cute little figurine as a gift from a close friend.

Since my birthday fell on an inconvenient day of the week for a celebration I decided to have a party on my lunar birthday instead, which conveniently fell on a Sunday. Some birthday party pics:

I had a nice time doing some Taekwon-Do research with two great Taekwon-Do academics.

More Taekwon-Do training.

And I went to the Ahn Joong-Geun museum and was party of a small group of people that rediscovered the dining room in which "Taekwon-Do" was founded in the Chosun Hotel in 1955.