I Don't Believe It!
Last Sunday I had my Gomdo test, for my blue belt. This time it was a really big event, set next to Eunpa lake, with the the number 1 sword dancer in South Korea attending (apparently very famous). Two Gomdo groups were there, Naun-dong and Miryong-dong, and many people had been practicing to put on a show. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera, so I may use my Gomdo Masters photos at a later date.
All ready feeling nervous, a friend of mine added to it by driving away with my sword and outfit in his car (even though I told him that they were in there and not to drive away). It took him 40 minutes to turn up with my necessary belongings, just in time for me to dive into the public toilets, throw on my outfit, grab my sword, and run to my place.
When it was my turn to take the test, I joined 5 others and waited for the instructions, blocking out the over 100 pairs of eyes watching me and the TV camera pointing at me in anticipation. Earlier that week my Gomdo master, with the aid of a list pointed out that I was to do number 2 followed by number 4 for my test. As I stood there my heart thundered in my chest as the I ran through the sequence in my mind.
Suddenly "Sa-bon!" (number 4) pierced the air. I was convinced this meant "number 4" but I remembered what my master had told me. Assuming that because I am not a native-speaker therefore must have mis-heard, I started with the first 3 movements of number 2. Immediately I realised that everyone else was doing number 4; I felt embarrassed and humiliated, the only foreigner amongst Koreans, with the number 1 sword dancer amongst them. I had to stop and wait for everyone to finish.
When they were done, my Gomdo master ran over to the main examiners (ONLY the best Gomdo masters in the province) and requested that I get a second chance. Permission granted, I prepared to take the test again, ALONE. Compressing my anger as much as was humanly possible, I took up the 'chariot' stance ready to begin again. Once more I had to focus on myself and become oblivious to everyone and everything around me.
"Sa-bon"! penetrated my ears. Remove sword, one step forward, run with left foot forward and left block, and so-do-sae with right leg forward and straight over-head cut. Pull back into pyonce with left side block, and lunge forward into repeat of same so-do-sae, swing round 180 into pyonce and overhead right-block, then step forward into kenja. Brief pause then pull pack into pyonce and left side block, and then lung forward again into so-do-sae and upwards right diagonal cut. Twist sword 180 and swing back down into left diagonal cut as I make the pyonce position. Turn round 90 to the right, left (?) over-head block, lunge into so-do-se with left foot forward and diagonal downwards cut. Twist body 180 and (pial-to?) with left leg outstetched straight behind me and right leg bent and forward, to give power to the upward right diagonal cut. Jump up briefly with left overhead block, and then still blocking turn 360, into left so-do-sae. Next turn 270, this time starting with sword and left arm crossed across my chest and slowly out stretch both, pointing with left index and middle finger. Turn 90, thrust sword forward into heart of imaginary opponant, and spin sword forward through fingers and swing back to (imaginary) case, wipe, and put back inside case.
Knowing that due to my rising anger I messed up spinning the sword, I quickly bowed "Hae-dong" to both the examiner and the crowd, and walked off to a smattering of applause. I was so frustrated by the situation, after thanking Bobby and Mark for coming to watch, I chose to make a sharp exit. However since I have regretted this and I wished I had stayed; I missed the best shows including the one from the sword dancer.
Today I went to Gomdo and donned my green belt, expecting to have failed the test. When it was my turn to train Wang Sa Bo walked me to the office and pulled out a blue belt. "you passed!" he said with a big smile. " man-0-chon Won ieyo" (That's W15, 000 please).
All ready feeling nervous, a friend of mine added to it by driving away with my sword and outfit in his car (even though I told him that they were in there and not to drive away). It took him 40 minutes to turn up with my necessary belongings, just in time for me to dive into the public toilets, throw on my outfit, grab my sword, and run to my place.
When it was my turn to take the test, I joined 5 others and waited for the instructions, blocking out the over 100 pairs of eyes watching me and the TV camera pointing at me in anticipation. Earlier that week my Gomdo master, with the aid of a list pointed out that I was to do number 2 followed by number 4 for my test. As I stood there my heart thundered in my chest as the I ran through the sequence in my mind.
Suddenly "Sa-bon!" (number 4) pierced the air. I was convinced this meant "number 4" but I remembered what my master had told me. Assuming that because I am not a native-speaker therefore must have mis-heard, I started with the first 3 movements of number 2. Immediately I realised that everyone else was doing number 4; I felt embarrassed and humiliated, the only foreigner amongst Koreans, with the number 1 sword dancer amongst them. I had to stop and wait for everyone to finish.
When they were done, my Gomdo master ran over to the main examiners (ONLY the best Gomdo masters in the province) and requested that I get a second chance. Permission granted, I prepared to take the test again, ALONE. Compressing my anger as much as was humanly possible, I took up the 'chariot' stance ready to begin again. Once more I had to focus on myself and become oblivious to everyone and everything around me.
"Sa-bon"! penetrated my ears. Remove sword, one step forward, run with left foot forward and left block, and so-do-sae with right leg forward and straight over-head cut. Pull back into pyonce with left side block, and lunge forward into repeat of same so-do-sae, swing round 180 into pyonce and overhead right-block, then step forward into kenja. Brief pause then pull pack into pyonce and left side block, and then lung forward again into so-do-sae and upwards right diagonal cut. Twist sword 180 and swing back down into left diagonal cut as I make the pyonce position. Turn round 90 to the right, left (?) over-head block, lunge into so-do-se with left foot forward and diagonal downwards cut. Twist body 180 and (pial-to?) with left leg outstetched straight behind me and right leg bent and forward, to give power to the upward right diagonal cut. Jump up briefly with left overhead block, and then still blocking turn 360, into left so-do-sae. Next turn 270, this time starting with sword and left arm crossed across my chest and slowly out stretch both, pointing with left index and middle finger. Turn 90, thrust sword forward into heart of imaginary opponant, and spin sword forward through fingers and swing back to (imaginary) case, wipe, and put back inside case.
Knowing that due to my rising anger I messed up spinning the sword, I quickly bowed "Hae-dong" to both the examiner and the crowd, and walked off to a smattering of applause. I was so frustrated by the situation, after thanking Bobby and Mark for coming to watch, I chose to make a sharp exit. However since I have regretted this and I wished I had stayed; I missed the best shows including the one from the sword dancer.
Today I went to Gomdo and donned my green belt, expecting to have failed the test. When it was my turn to train Wang Sa Bo walked me to the office and pulled out a blue belt. "you passed!" he said with a big smile. " man-0-chon Won ieyo" (That's W15, 000 please).
posted by Louise | 11:37 pm
2 Comments:
Congrats....good for you!
Hey, congratulations, doing it on yur lonesome must have been so intimidating.
But then, shyness isn't one of your weaknesses.
Well done you.
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