THE END OR PERHAPS ANOTHER BEGINNING....... .(TO BE CONTINUED WE HOPE)

And so we have returned. The weather is hot and sticky (although not as hot and humid as Hong Kong, so it is unpleasant but tolerable). The yard and garden is a bounty of weeds in between beans, kale, arugula and Thai basil. The neighborhood is fairly quiet, except for the ongoing construction and home fixing up that seems to happen every summer. And of course, the news is frighteningly close and is covered in vivid (too vivid) detail. Yes, we are home. 

I wanted to end with one more entry, mainly for photos that mark particularly beautiful or significant memories for me. With a few stories as well. 

My host and Translator with beautiful Bibimbop
I loved the people I worked with and was able to get to know a bit better. My host in Korea was a tiny but strong, compassionate and wise woman. She also seemed to be the mother bird to her dance/movement therapy students (frequently reminding them that they were all goddesses- sometimes as we all danced shaking our hips and breasts with joy. They loved being called goddesses) She was amazing at sharing her world with me,  including lunch at an restaurant where artists and potters hung out. In the picture to the left, you see my host and the translator for my class. The translator was a wonderful woman who also shared much about her experiences as an intelligent working woman trying to find a balance in her married life, given that South Korea has such strong patriarchial roots. From her I was reminded of the challenges for young women. The gender challenges are harder for women due to the strong influence of Confucianism, which is both an important resource for Korean society and which which has also privileged men for centuries.

Dancing on the last day
The picture to the right is my host and me dancing together after lunch on the last day of class. Well, actually we were all dancing. It was an outdoor restaurant (also filled with art works by local artists and art students). The restaurant owners brought out speakers and we danced...and danced...and danced. There was such a sense of joy and empowerment and community.  And it was perfect for the journey we had all taken together as a class where the participants had explored deeply emotional and personal parts of their own stories. They supported each other to explore aspects of their lives that are more traditionally private in Korean culture. And while there were lots of tears at the end of the last day, there was also a sense of accomplishment for what we had shared. They are a deeply sensitive, brave and intelligent group of people and I will miss them.





Hong Kong Hot Pot with Student and her new husband 

In Hong Kong, We were able to have a lovely dinner with a student who has since completed her training and is now a registered dance/ movement therapist. She is also newly married to a CBC (Canadian Born Chinese) who now lives in Hong Kong.They introduced us to Hong Kong Hot Pot, which unlike Mongolian Hot Pot, which is made with lamb or mutton, is made with chicken. And the specialty, at least of this restaurant is hot pot chicken with cheese. Quite intense. The consuming process is also different from the process for Mongolian Hot Pot. First the chicken is cooked at the table in large metal pots heated by a hot plate set into the table top. Then once we had finished most of the chicken, a soup broth was added to the pot along with extras that we had ordered (things like beef, veggies, frozen tofu, fish etc). These all got put in the soup. Once cooked the ingredients got consumed, but not the soup itself. Apparently the broth functioned as basically a favorful broth to be soaked up by the other ingredients we had ordered. It was fun, delicious and an opportunity to eat, talk, put delectable pieces in the broth for each other and enjoy each other's company.

All hail the sacred watermelon
More precious memories: The fun closure in Hong Kong, with all of us getting energy from the "sacred watermelon' a
Boat parade outside our hotel in Hong Kong
 a source of energy, coolness (important in the HK summer), which provided opportunities to share and was also delicious. The students' energy, curiousity and intelligence was a privilege to experience. I also worry about their future.  The 50-year transition, before HK gets folded back in to China is moving towards its end. There are 28 more years, but the Chinese government seems to be searching for ways to chip away at Hong Kong's autonomy even now. The scary part is that the youth (and many older folks as well) are opposed to this inevitable event. And as Hong Kong culture becomes even more globally aware, they are not afraid to voice their feelings. I worry for their safety even as I admire their passion.  The picture to the left is the view from our hotel window in Hong Kong. No matter what time of day, there was always something happening- ferries to the various inahbited islands around the larger island of Hong Kong, cargo ships (part of Hong Kong's economic power comes from it being an internatinal port city), and other support boats like tug boats and police boats. The line of boats you see in this picture occurred during Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Day- July 1- and  the day Hong Kong was handed by one colonizer (the British) to what they percieve as another colonizer (Mainland China). The boats paraded by our window (probably headed for the Central area where the ceremonial events were being held) for over a hour, with signs (which we could not read. As a result we could  not determine if it was in protest or support but no matter which is was alot of boats.

Hidden Garden- meditation/viewing/drinking pavilion
The next picture is of a place of beauty in Seoul, The Secret Garden of the Palace. this was a beautiful retreat, in the city, for the Rulers to be able to withdraw, study, drink, socialize and relax. The garden, in Asian/Chinese style is penetrated by paths that twist and turn, up and down hills, to allow different landscapes unfold as you walk.  This particular photo is of a pavilion for ruler to sit and contemplate; and also drink some strong wine as well as play stick games (which sounded alot like Pooh sticks to me) in the stream. A place of fun and solitude at the same time.

Finally, a picture of a large Buddha in the National Museum of Seoul. I liked it because it conveys a strong sense of peaceful calmness, something that is much needed in the world today. OK until the next time. Thanks for reading.






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