Hysterical geese and herding cats
It is 6.30am (I can’t decide if this is jetlag or how normal people live) I’m watching a weird Bradley Cooper film (though I’ve become fond of BBC Ent that shows old Life on Mars and Sherlock) and drinking sweet 3 in 1 coffee which I’ve also become strangely fond of.
It is another beautiful day. It’s been perfect weather ever since I arrived which I think has added to the ‘other worldness’ of the whole visit. Today Julia Golding and Tom Bowler return to the UK (I will miss them, they’ve been amazing trip companions - fist bumps all round). I’m staying on for a further three weeks - next week in Gongju and then two weeks back in Seoul.
Yesterday it was Paju Booksori (literally Paju Book City). Paju is up by the North Korean border and was born in 1980 (like me) when a group of writers, concerned about the cultural climate, decided to create a hub of literature.
It’s the most peaceful place. Surrounded by mountains, filled with building designed by eminent architects, capped by warm blue sky. Our programme was a UK Literature Concert. There was myself, Tim, Julia, an *incredible* Korean folk singer called Harim and a Korean rising star Yujoo Han.
I was so nervous about performing the very first extract of the Tony Hogan Show but it went fairly well I think. I was holding a mike and probably went faster than I should for translation but the kids (again, it was a teen audience) seemed to enjoy it. Also, I feel quite brave to have done it. I could have just done a reading but I think it’s important to keep reinterpreting work, to look at ways to keep it new somehow.
So it was another wonderful day. Of course we had a feast of a meal before hand - my favourite dish jellyfish with a sweet fruity dressing. The picture below shows Martin Fryer, the Director of the British Council Seoul, leaving our wee booth. We were also joined by Mike, a teacher at the British Council, who was from…Dunblane. And who very kindly helped me brush up on my Korean and Scottish.
We all did TV interviews talking about feelings about visiting Korea and our purpose for being here. After our event - all adrenalined up - we did the walk and talk section where the very tiny lady Director herded us like cats around the festival complex by shouting ‘walking, walking.’ When a flock of geese started chasing us we became incapacitated by giggles and so much of our footage going on national Korean TV will just show us cracking up.
There was the usual signing of things after the talk - I’ve taken to drawing little cats (‘brave’ cats for the kids who asked questions) and the usual round of pictures - I’ve taken to doing ‘victory v’s’ like all the rest of Asia.
It was a wonderful day, full of laughter and more completely unique memories. Funnily enough one of my favourites was walking to the coffeeshop first thing in the morning, my hair still wet, listening to Cat Power’s ‘The Greatest’ and looking at the beautiful skyline of mountains and gleaming towerblocks. On the drive home we saw fireworks, bright, beautiful sparks in the inky black window. The perfect ending to a day of adventures.
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