Sunday, January 20, 2008

a fright night out.

friday night i went clubbing. on a bicycle. that's right, i went clubbing on a bicycle. this is how i would describe my first every korean spinning class. for those of you who aren't familiar with spinning, go here for a good explanation. basically it's a class that provides stationary bycicles (they are specially made just for this sort of class) with really loud music and usually dimmed lights and an instructor in front yelling you through the workout. sometimes you peddle as fast you as you possibly can and sometimes you turn your resistance way up and stand and peddle really slowly to the beat of the music (the music changes throughout so there's always a different beat to peddle to), like you're going up a hill. anyway, so i went to some spinning classes when i lived in australia and it was intense and all, but NOTHING compares to my experience friday night. it was completely dark, there was a disco ball, strobe lights, and the music was so loud that i literally could not even hear how hard the struggle of my lungs to try to get in more air and how loudly my heart was pounding. the instructor in front was doing a form of bicycle-dancing that i had never seen before, and yelling out all sorts of korean words that, although i didn't understand them, the sheer enthusiasm and energy behind her voice was enough to give me the most intense work-out i've ever had on a bicycle. i LOVED it! i found myself smiling uncontrollably for nearly the entire workout.

in other exercise news, amelia is going to start giving me private yoga classes for FREE! she's going to teach me all the steps to ashtunga (spelling?) yoga so that i can do it on my own. i'm beyond excited! in return, i'm giving her free english lessons. she needs some serious help with grammar and tenses. i think it's a fair and wonderful trade-off. she teaches me her language, i teach her mine! fantastic!

acupuncture was...an experience. i was stuffed in a room with about 12 other koreans where we all sat on the floor against the wall in the shape of a square and this korean dude who looked all healer-esque came around to each one, sitting across from them, asking them questions about their pain, and sticking needles in their hands and feet, and occasionally their arms and legs. bus mostly hands and feets. thank goodness amelia was with me to translate! the entire room listened in on the entire translated conversation with curiousity and humor as the only white girl in the room faced her fear and got stuck with needles. i am planning to go back next week, so hopefully we will see some results. i did feel quite relaxed when i got home last night. and today. hmmmm....from acupuncture? it's hard to say...

I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK TOMORROW!!!

1 comment:

Melanie said...

I want to come to your spinning class!