Five performers. Massive amounts of drumming, both on traditional Korean drums and on all manner of kitchen implements. Soup that was actually cooked on stage during the performance. Comedy. Dance. Juggling. And a large stuffed duck.
Went to an amazing performance last night called "Nanta," thanks to the kind folks over at the Fellowship Program team in the Foundation. It was a cross between Stomp, Jackie Chan, and Iron Chef, if you can possibly imagine what that might be. The set-up was simply that three chefs must prepare four dishes by 6 pm, and must also deal with the maitre'd's nephew, who has newly joined the cooking staff. But that doesn't really describe it.
The drumming was really cool. Various teams of actors/musicians perform, and each team had at least one woman performer. Why not more? Dunno.
V. tired, as got home late and then tried to do homework. Also am preparing to move tonight to my dad's place. !
Yes, am moving. Saturday, I saw Maiko's new place, and liked it well enough. But if I move there this month, I'm paying for a whole month's rent for just two weeks of residence, so I decided to move in with pops for the present.
I do recall saying to Brian this summer that living with one's relations -- well, that way leads to madness. I was pretty set against the idea, but here I am, doing it! We'll see how it goes.
One of the deciding factors in my moving was my talk with Ajuma on Monday night. I asked if the rent stayed the same even though I'd be gone for half the month (after all, I'm not eating or using electricity, right?), and she said yes. So I told her, well, the reason I'm asking is because my dad wanted me to move in with him if I'm only going to be in Korea for two weeks in December.
Now, was that a threat from me? I'm not even sure myself. I didn't really mean it as such, but I'd talked it over with my dad the night before, and he did say when I asked about December rent, I should mention that he wanted me to move in with him in order to save money. So I almost didn't say it after Ajuma told me that the rent would be the same, but I felt like, oh well, worth a try.
So I suppose it was a kind of threat -- I'll move if you don't lower the rent! And it probably came out that way.
In any case, Ajuma called the bluff.
"Okay, then, move in with your dad! He lives alone, right? So it would be comfortable for you, wouldn't it?"
I think my jaw dropped -- I didn't really expect her to urge me to leave. I said I'd think about it.
So I did.
And I realized I was kinda hurt by her reaction. ("What, you don't want me to live here? You don't like me?")
Then I realized I was a big hypocritical idiot, because I was the one who had been considering leaving in the first place, without breathing a word of it to her.
Then I woke up on Tuesday morning, tired, and unwilling to get up for breakfast, and decided, "Ah, what the hell. I'm gonna get outta here."
So tonight I'm moving out. I told Aya and Uchidashi last night, and they were very nice and said they were sorry to see me go. I hope they aren't preparing some kind of present for me, though you know, they are Japanese, so I'm going to stop by the store and grab a box of chocolates for the house as a farewell present.
I'm a bit worried that Ajuma is upset with me for leaving so abruptly. I probably would be. Then again, I talked with Maiko, who left really abruptly from her guest house (gave notice and left on the same day). She went back a day or two afterwards, to say hello and bring some cookies as a goodwill gesture. The ajuma there was very business-like and said, oh, don't worry about this kind of stuff, and Maiko's visit ended in 15 minutes.
Maiko said, "It's so strange. When I lived there, she treated me like a daughter. But now that I'm gone, it's like we just had a business arrangement that's over now."
That made me feel better.
I'll miss my housemates.
But I now have enough to pay for school and my ticket home.