ulsan musicians

A day off this week enabled me to hop into the city of Ulsan to recruit some musicians with whom to play chamber music. Before we found the music faculty, I noticed a student carrying a violin case and dashed over to try and talk with her. She was friendly and although she did not understand everything I said, she did accept my e-mail address.

The same day, there was a foreigner's festival and as we arrived we met three new young women from North America. We exchanged e-mail information and the David and I kept moving. Although I did not know campus well, there was a map in both Korean and English and before we found this, David from Denver, led me in the generally correct direction. I knew we were getting close because a voice major was singing, I never thought I'd find the sound of a singer so welcoming. A trombonist also sounded the fanfare that we were in the right corner of campus. A band rehearsal was about to begin and there was a lot of activity in the front hall. Another game of charades ensued, my Korean dictionary foolishly at home, and we found the practice floor where I had a second convsation with a violinist in Korea and again, gifted my e-mail.

David and I left feeling successful and found a small restaurant where we sat and ate a delicious dinner and basked in the success of finding musicians. The owner spoke with some of his other clients to help us figure out what we were interested in/able to eat while David and I sat and watched them talk. I was so happy to have found people that are passionate about what I have worked so hard to learn. The poster I pinned up was in English, logic being that the musicians that reply will speak some and I think it might be wise to post something in Korean as well. This could be a brilliant learning opportunity for me; the Korean language is taking a little while to sink in!

David and I shared feelings of teaching methods and discovered that we both felt like being in Korea was until recently a very surreal experience. My situation is becoming more real now, being here feels a little more permanent and real. It still doesn't feel like I was really in Italy, oddly enough; that month passed so quickly yet I have to accept I was there with hundreds of photos wonderful memories and incredible leather shoes.