d-Wizz Hankuk Travel Diary [2005]
Day 27 (2005-08-22) / Day 28 (2005-08-23) / Day 29 (2005-08-24) 
Back to Contents
Day 28: 2005-08-23 (Tuesday)
I was still moody when I woke up in the morning. I felt left out, neglected and ignored and I wasn’t happy with the way I was feeling, or what had happened the previous night. Jamie called me down to have breakfast, which was mainly rice, seaweed and eggs. After breakfast, I had a shower, and then Jamie and I went in his car to his university (호서 대 핟됴: Hoseo-dae), as he had a class beginning at 1000. When we arrived there, he showed me to a study room and asked me to wait there for about 40 minutes while he went to his class. I wrote some drum notation exercises for Daniel, hoping to also show Jamie later on. As I worked, I listened to more CDs, but I was still feeling down.
When Jamie returned, he brought two of his friends with him, who introduced themselves as John (천훈희: Cheon Hun-Hee) and Jade (정석동: Jung Suk Dong). We went to a cafeteria area and Jamie bought me an ice-cream. John said he played guitar and had heard about my music from Jamie. I wanted to explore that connection further, but I felt bad about feeling so moody, and there was nothing I could do about it, so I didn’t say much at all.
After finishing our desserts, we all walked to the university chapel, where we stayed for about 10 minutes. John and Jade then had to do something else together, but they said they would meet again later for lunch, so Jamie and I went back to his car. Jamie had noticed by now that I was acting strangely, and he wanted to know what was wrong, but I found it difficult to talk with him about the way I was feeling. After a long period of silence, I tried to explain, but it was not really effective.
Jamie drove a short distance from the university to a restaurant, where we were again met by John and Jade as we shared a rather large meal together for lunch called je youk (제육볶음); based on chicken, and very tasty and spicy. Following this, Jamie had to attend another class, so he showed me to a PC bar, and I had a couple of MSN chats, while listening to more music.
Jamie returned after a couple of hours, and we again met John & Jade, who suggested we have a game of pool. I had previously let on that I was the pool champion at primary school in 1986, so they probably thought (incorrectly) that I was a very good player. It was decided that John & Jade would form one team, with Jamie and I on the other. We won the first game by default, after John sank the ‘8’ ball. John & Jade then won the next three games, before Jamie and I rallied in the fifth, but it was too late: John & Jade won 3-2.
We went across the road to have dinner together, which was based on pork. Outside the restaurant, I took some photos of Jamie, John and Jade. Then John & Jade left, and Jamie and I went back to his car to drive back to Asan.
I was still feeling strange, and Jamie was probably puzzled about it as he drove. He decided to take me to his. When we arrived there, it was dark and very quiet. There was nobody else around, which suited me just fine, as I liked to be alone with my friend.
Jamie is not my best Korean friend without reason. He may not have understood why I was feeling the way I was, but he knew how to make me happy. We went inside the church, and as he pointed to the drum kit at the front, he invited me to play for him.
I moved over slowly to the drum kit and picked up the drumsticks. As I sat down, I gingerly put my feet on the pedals and began to play. Jamie smiled as I played very simple 8-beat patterns, not feeling like doing anything more advanced. After a few minutes, I stopped playing, and gave the drumsticks to Jamie. He sat down and started to play, a bit shakily at first, because he had not played the drums for a long time. Very soon though, he was playing well. As I listened to his playing, I began to feel a bit better about things. He played for about ten minutes, then I had another turn.
My mental state was improving, and I began to play some tasty loops and fills on the drum kit, which Jamie enjoyed a lot. I was starting to have fun for the first time that day, and I was very happy to play the drum kit for my best friend. I was also thankful that Jamie knew how to cure my mental condition, as I probably wouldn’t have been able to do so myself.
After I had been playing for about fifteen minutes, I got up from the drum kit and asked Jamie to sit next to me in one of the pews. I hugged him and told him how happy I was that he had stayed with me while I was being difficult, and also for knowing about the things that I enjoy doing.
After the scatological discussion, we prayed for each other in the church, and then we each played the drum kit again; Jamie more than I. I enjoyed listening to the sound of Jamie playing the drum kit, as he began to develop his own unique drumming flavour. The session in the church had completely healed my depressed mental state and I was feeling very good, especially after being able to explain about scatology in worship.
We had been at the church for nearly 2 hours. It was only a short distance to Jamie’s house, and we arrived there very soon.
I showed Jamie some of the CDs I had brought with me. He didn’t have a DVD drive, so the DVDs I brought were no good to him. After using the computer for about an hour, we both went to bed.
Day 27 (2005-08-22) / Day 28 (2005-08-23) / Day 29 (2005-08-24)
Back to Contents