Why yes, I was! Kaitie and I left Bucheon around 9 to take the subway to Sadang station where a WINK (When IN Korea) bus would be waiting to take us down to the Korea Burn event in Chungcheongnam-do. For those of you who do not know Korea burn, or the Burning Man event in Nevada, it is basically an festival that promotes equality, inclusiveness, and a sense of community. This event in Nevada involves over 60,000 people and insane structures built in middle of the desert. Korea has a much smaller event though promoting the same principles of its American counterpart.
All was going according to plan as we boarded the bus and began the trek down, making a few stops on the way to pick up more "burners". As we neared the beach, a slight drizzle began outside. While we prepared ourselves mentally (and what we thought was physically) for a bit of a thunderstorm that evening, there was nothing we could have done to save ourselves from what was to be the first Olympic-Tent-Swimming event. Pulling in to the Korea Burn campsite around 2:45, we grabbed our tent and walked into the camping ground to set up our home for the evening. As we passed through the gate we got to hit "the gong" to celebrate our first time at Korea Burn. I'm really not sure whether this was a legitimate practice, or some guy found an old gong in a store somewhere and decided to start the tradition, but either way it felt fitting.
Tents were sprinkled around the camping ground, some elaborate set ups with tarp awnings and tables, while others were the traditional blanket-over-a-rope kind of deal. Once we found a suitable spot we began the process of setting up the tent (is this step 3...or step 5?...). It didn't take us too long, albeit it caused some momentary confusion before we realized the poles came apart. After making a little nest we decided to explore the area to see what we could expect for the following day. I forgot to bring my headlamp (no I don't have a headlamp) so I began the evening by stepping into a small lake in the middle of the pathway. With a muddy Toms and jeans we were welcomed by a small man with a huge afro who was very...huggy...He seemed incredibly pleased that we had made it. Not sure if we had met before, but it made us feel special, until we saw him walk up to the group behind us and complete the same ritual. Maybe he just likes hugs.
Set up already was a DJ booth pumping out techno dance music, and some preparation for other booths that would provide breakfast and other artistic displays. At the time it was around 4am, aka time to rest up before the next day. Clambering into our tent, I soon realized this was not the plan for the rest of the burners. The party was in full swing, as heat lightning soon changed to real lightning which soon changed to a torrential downpour. Being in the tent felt like I was stuck inside an old TV as someone flipped through the channels. Between a rousing rendition of "A Pirate's Life for Me" and some mystery show about a lost friend, was the static of the rain hitting our poor little tent. It was around this time that Kaitie noticed a small pool of water forming inside. We used our 2,000 won ponchos purchased earlier that evening as well as the cases for the tent and sleeping bag to "waterproof" our feet as we curled up once more in an attempt to sleep. Not soon after did the pool spread to completely underneath Kaitie. I figured I was slightly uphill as I didn't feel much water around me but then the shouts began outside.
As I unzipped our tent I realized that we were an island...in the middle of a giant swamped area. Looking at each other we decided, without speaking, that action was required. Through a groggy haze we packed up haphazardly and carried our sopping went tent through the water to an area less effected by flooding. Setting up once more, without a layer of nice warm blankets below us was a bit less comfortable but at least we weren't tent-swimming. We drifted in and out of sleep. Kaitie had her umbrella opened over us as our itty-bitty tent just couldn't handle the rain, and water was leaking through ever possible hole. Wearing every long, warm layer I packed for the weekend I curled up on top of my suitcase to protect it as much as possible and tried to get some sleep. A bit too soon after, I was woken by voices nearby trying to help others stranded in the swamp to move to "center camp" that was located on higher ground. I felt like we were in some kind of war movie. I woke Kaitie and we discussed the next steps of this adventure. Everything in our tent was soaking wet. With no change of clothes I opted to keep the wet ones on as layers of some sort. We went looking into the pensions nearby to see if they had any availability. One had a double room for 130,000 won, not exactly pension price. As we asked around we found that local families had offered to house stranded burners until the rain stopped. Ultimately, Kaitie and I decided to cut our losses. Even if it did stop raining (which I just recently found out it did), we would have been soaked to the bone with no spare clothes and no sleep. While I do regret not staying, I was worried that I would get sick wearing cold wet things all day and right before my Japan trip next week!
Overall, the idea of Korea Burn is an incredible one. I think the promotion of connections with others and giving for the sake of giving should be traits of every society. I was really looking forward to meeting a whole new group of people on this trip, and I know at this moment they are all having fun and most likely swimming laps where all the tents used to be. For those of you who will be in Korea next year for Korea Burn (I will not be), please go and experience it for yourselves, and I will cross my fingers for you for better weather!
As for next week, we teach Monday and Tuesday. Monday the students come in wearing their traditional Korean hanboks which is always an adorable sight to see. Have a few dinners and birthday celebrations then its off to Japan on Wednesday! Can't wait to check out Tokyo and eat a whole lotta sushi! Until then xoxo
Korean of the post:
너의 신발은 멀리 떠 있에요...
(neowi shinbaleun meoli deo isayo)
You shoe is floating away...
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