Templestay and World Youth Baduk Festival 2011

There were several events for kids (Chinese and Japanese kids came too) during 4 weeks in a Buddhist temple. Kids stayed in the temple and played many games with eachother, got to learn about Buddhist teaching, meditation, etcetc.. Moreover they got the opportunity to play simultaneous games with top pro players.

Blackie, me (Dia) and the BIBA students also went to the temple twice.
First time on the first weekend of August. Blackie gave simultaneous games on the 6th of August and the BIBA students stayed for 2 nights more. The meditation and some special excercise was a bit hard for some of them, but they played many games, and also got the chance to play with Choi Gyubyeong 9p, so after all I think they had quite good time.

Simultaneous games against Choi Gyubyeong 9p. (From the left: Vova, Seba, Maxime, Barkin)

A week later there was a tournament for closing these events. Originally it was a youth tournament, but the foreigners were allowed to play on it. We arrived too early and the students were never been in jimjilbang (sauna) and they were curious about it, so we found a nice one and stayed there for 2 hours. (Korean sauna is a good place for relaxing, taking hot bath and enjoy hot/cold room. It is also possible to stay there during night)

The tournament started in the afternoon. Seba, Maxime, Vova and Barkin played in the elementary school section, but still had quite a hard time, because most of the kids were tygem 8 or 9d. On 13th of August, the qualification games were played, and the final games were played on the 14th of August. Blackie was the tournament refree so we also stayed one night. On Saturday (13th) we went to catch some crabs with the tournament organizers. They had the strong flashlights and we had only weak ones, so it wasn't that easy to find the crabs in the sea anyway it was an interesting experience. Around 10 pm we decided to move on. Our original idea was going to the beach, because the students really wanted to go, a week ago they couldn't have time.

So we all took Blackie's car (6 people) and arrived to the beach around 11pm. Had some good food, spent some time in the fun park, then we tried to swim, but the water was extremely cold.

Nice dinner in the fun park. (From the left: Seba, Dia, Maxime, Blackie, Vova, Barkin)

We tried to find some accommodation, but all the Motels were full so finally around 3am we went back to the jimjilbang (sauna). Slept there few hours then had to go back to the temple. Students gave some interview and Blackie had to be there as the main refree.
Around 4pm, finally the tournament was finished ...

Group picture after price giving ceremony.

The chief priest on the left is tygem 9d. :) Blackie is on the right.

After that we went to the beach again and finally we had some fun in the water.

Group picture on the beach.

(From the left: Seba, Blackie, Vova, Dia, Maxime and Barkin)

Actually I was lucky, since it was my birthday and spent really good time at the beach than on the way back home we stopped in a nice restaurant and had a nice birthday dinner. We arrived back to Seoul after midnight, so the birthday cake was postponed for the next day. :)

Tasty choco cake from BIBA :) Thanks ^^