Ask anyone “How many ice
skating rinks are there in Pusan?” and you will most likely hear,
“Ice skating in Pusan? What are you talking about?”
I’d known about 3 rinks so
I was pleasantly surprised to find a new one in Om Goong, only 15
minutes from my house and assumed that it was the only one in the
area.
My private students (3
third-graders) were excited when I suggested that we go skating
together. Of course, taking students anywhere also involves taking
the mothers and siblings and any other tagalongs too. I left the
logistical planning to the mothers- all I had to do was show up at
11AM at the rink. Simple enough for even me.
I arrived
uncharacteristically 15 minutes early and waited. And waited. And
waited. 11 came and went. 11:15… 11:20… 11:30… no
students, no mothers, no siblings, no tagalongs.
Finally, I got a call on
my cell phone. One of the mothers asked, “Teacher, where are you?”
“I’m outside the rink. Where are you?” “We inside. You come
now?” “Yes. See you in 1 minute.” I went in and
searched for them. Still no students, no mothers, no siblings, no
tagalongs. I waited. Ten minutes later I got another
call. “Ah… Teacher…? Where are you?” “I’m
outside. Where are you? You are not inside.” “Yes,
we are. We’re inside Hak Jong Rink.” “Hak Jong?! Not Om Goong?”
“Om Goong?! No, Hak Jong.”
It took a huge effort to
comprehend that there must be 2 (two!) rinks within 10 minutes of
each other. Who would ever have guessed that? She told me to
wait and she’d pick me up.
I arrived an hour late but
it was a festive atmosphere. I greeted everyone- the students,
mothers, siblings, and the tagalongs- 12 people. The students,
siblings, tagalongs, and I, all put on our skates and made our way
to the ice. Everything was working out great after all. The
first boy stepped onto the ice and ‘skated’ away. A girl grasped the
handrail and slowly edged her way on.
The next boy, Thomas,
self-proclaimed ice-skating champion, took a running jump onto the
ice, caught his balance, turned to wave triumphantly, and slammed
into another skater. He was still smiling and ready for more when I
finally got him back on his feet a few minutes later, although his
smile had one less tooth than before. I calmed the
students, mothers, siblings and tagalongs down and convinced them
that skating is in fact, a safe activity.
We skated for a couple
hours and we all had a ball. I pulled the ‘poor skaters’ around,
laughed at/with the ones who fell, and raced the speed demons.
Thomas bulldozed his way through everyone. His parting words were,
“Teacher we skate again next time, ok?”
What could I say? He may
become the first Korean to play in the NHL. He certainly has hockey
in his blood.
Note: The author
is currently in his fourth year in Pusan as a bus
driver. He eats kim-chi for breakfast.
That is all. You may go
now.
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