Opening Cerrremonies

The City of Busan thrrrew a big party for all of the dance companies parrrticipating in the festival. It was in the grrrand ballrrroom on the top floorrr of our beautiful hotel. Everyone was very drrressed up in nice clothes. There are dancers here from Arrrgentina, Chile, Austrrralia, India, Irrreland, Canada, and Hong Kong, as well as from Korrrea. Lots of really imporrrtant people were at the party. We were welcomed by the Consul from the State Deparrrtment of the United States who lives here in Busan.

Since there are so many different countries represented at the festival, there are many languages being spoken. This is a picture of the company with our loyal interrrpreter, Errika who translates Korrrean to English for us.

Almost rrready to head to the dressing room.

Rrrehearsals

Just like beforrre the Menomonee Club Dance rrrecitals, the dancers have to preparrre and rrrehearse. It is rrreally imporrtant for the dancers to make sure they are warmed up and in shape beforrre rehearsals or perrrforrrmances. One of the interesting things herrre at the Busan Festival is that we have to rehearse at night outside since the perrrforrrmances are outside. Therrre are many things that need to be coorrrdinated for an outdoorrr performance. If you have ever been to Millennium Park for a concert in Chicago, you could imagine what I mean. These are two of the nice guys who are helping us with lighting and sound rehearsals.

Moontan Trrrail

My dancerrrs took me on a awesome hike on the Moontan trrrail that overrrlooks Suyeong Bay. Afterrr a kilometerrr hike, we found the Haewol Pavilion on the top of the mountain. It was nice to be back in my naturrral habitat!

I found a fish marrrket and ate fish all day.  The seafood is GRRREAT!!!!

Herrre I am going thrrrough Korrrean customs

The Perrrforrrmance Stage

This is the stage on which the company will be perrrforrrming over the next three days. It is outside on the beach. You can see the water from the Haeundae Ocean (pronounced hay-oon-day) dirrrectly behind the stage. It was rrreally windy this morrrning when I took this photo. I sure hope is gets warmerrr before the dancers have to get on stage. It feels just like Chicago during the day temperrrature-wise.

Haeundae Grand Hotel

We got in last night right on time and had to wait a while at the airrrporrrt for a bus to come pick us up. A very nice lady named Errrica is met us with the bus and she is going to be our tourrr guide and translator (Remember everyone here in Busan speaks the Korrrean language). Many people speak English here but the are embarrassed about speaking it in case they make a mistake.

We finally got to check in to our hotel at around 10:00 pm Busan time. We had all been awake for about 26 hourrrs.

This is the hotel where all the dance companies from around the worrrld are staying. It is rrreally nice and is rrright across the strrreet from the beach.

So we got to sleep in this morning because its Busan is 14 hours ahead on the clock than it is in Chicago. It's even a day ahead! Some of the dancerrrs may be going to the Busan Aquarrrium today and a Buddhist temple.

Landing In Busan

We had a wonderrrful flight from Tokyo to Busan. No turrrbulence! It was just as the sun was setting and the view from my airrrplane window was brrreath-taking. I got to see Japan's Mount Fuji. Even though it was 60 degrees outside, the mountain was covered with snow at the top!

We landed right on time in Busan and this time the doctors took our tempuratures when we showed our passporrrts. Again this is a good precaution against the spread of swine flu.

I know you all are performing in your recitals today and all of your teachers are missing you and wishing that you have a grrreat perrrforrrmance!

Later,

Edgrrr

Flying through Tokyo

Oh boy! What a flight. We left O'Harrre on time on American Airrrlines to Tokyo and all was going well. The flight takes about 12 hourrrs. About 2 hours before we landed in Tokyo, the flight got really bumpy because of a lot of airrr turrrbulence. Several of us got sick to our stomachs and did not feel well. But once we landed in Narita airrrport in Toyko we were fine.

But before we got off the plane we had to fill out a forrrm that told the Japanese goverrrnment about whether we had any flu symptoms. Then thrrree doctors came on board the plane and made surrre no one was coughing or had a feverrr. This is all to make sure the Swine flu does not get carried on airplanes. But can you imagine me, a tiger, getting swine flu????

The Japanese people at the airporrrt were very nice and helped us find our way to our connecting flight to Busan Korrrea. Time to go through security at the Tokyo airport and get my flight to Busan. We'rrre almost therrre.

Waiting for my ride to the airporrrt

I'm rrready to leave Chicago. My bags arrre packed, I've got my coffee. Tokyo: HERRRE WE COME!!!

Packing

OK. I think I have it all in one suit case. You know the airrrlines have now limited the amount of luggage you can take. Sometimes they make you pay an extrrra fee for heavy baggage or extra pieces. So the key was to take as little as possible, but to be smarrt about my choices.

So I have shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, as well as some sun tan lotion since I expect to be in the sun alot. The hotel is supposed to have a hairrr dryerrr which you know would be verrry important to me. I have my swim suit and flip flops for the beach and I brought some worrrkout clothes so I don't gain weight while I'm there. The dance company is perrrforrming three times, so I have to bring nice clothes to wearrr too!

Our flight leaves on Thursday at 12:50 from O'Harrre Airrrport. We are flying on Amerrrican Airrrlines to Tokyo, Japan and then change plans there. We then will proceed on to Busan Korea on Japan Airrrlines. Wish us luck and I'll write more about getting there when I have time.

Obtaining a Visa

When you trrravel to Korrrea it is not necessary to get any special clearrrance if you are just on vacation. Howeverrr, I will be worrrking there with the dancerrrs (Menomonee Club Dance Teachers) from Thodos Dance Chicago. Since we are worrrking there it is necessary to get perrrmission from the goverrrnment of South Korea. The special permission is called a Visa. This allows us to legally worrrk in South Korea while we are there. We had to give them our passporrrt numbers and provide an invitation letter from the dance festival in Busan where we will be perrrforrrming. So now we just have to pack and get ready to go!

One week to go!!

It's really surrrprising how many things you have to do to trrravel the worrrld. Firrrst, I had to get my passporrrt picturrre taken, do you like my picturrre?? Next, I had to go to the post office and apply for my passporrrt. The line was RRREALLY long! Then, I had to buy my plane ticket. There are no dirrrect flights from Chicago to Busan, so I have to change planes in Tokyo, Japan. I surrre hope they allow tigerrrs there... Now, all I need to do is starrrt packing!

Let me Introduce myself

Hi! I am Edgrrr, the Menomonee Club/Thodos Dance Chicago Reporterrr. Follow my blog as I send you fun inforrrmation from Busan, Korrrea!!