Guitar'n in rural Korea

Ever since I started studying Music Therapy, my desire to play guitar has declined.  There was no need to practice scales, ii-v-I's, improvisation, arpeggios and other guitar skills because I needed to grow my repertoire that the clients preferred.  I never got the same kind of kick out of picking up a piece of sheet music, arranging a chord solo and playing it till I could play it in my sleep.  Since coming to Korea, I have not really taken the chance to practice as much as I can because there is no one to play with.  Or so I thought.

To catch my readers up on the situation, my Korean Grandpa has been introducing my friend and I to many people.  I guess he enjoys having company and he knows all of Samcheok.  Anyway, he heard that I play guitar and studied it in school.  This meant Grandpa had to introduce me to guitar players now.  He just so happens to know the owner of one of the music shops and introduced me to him a few weeks ago.  We were scheduled to meet last night and I showed up with my electric.  He clearly wanted to test me by throwing a piece of sheet music in front of me.  NO, don't do that!  It's been 3 years since I've really practiced sight reading!  Let's just say I was rusty.  A few more students came in to I guess have lessons and I was there playing along.  Guitar lessons in Korea aren't one on one they are like classes.  The kids were beginners of varying degrees.  The owner asked for me to play them a song to which I played "Fly me to the Moon" chord solo style and they enjoyed it.  The owner than started to play this fast melodic ditty over and over again and I followed with my ear.  He wouldn't slow down for some reason nor would he slow down to help teach the kids a new technique.  Anyway, I took his melodic motif and turned it into a blues I-IV-V that we both could jam over and he seemed to like it.  Clearly in Korea, it is a little weird to jam over a song or improvise and just to play straight off sheet music, but at least I have someone I can play with anytime I want.

His wife showed up around 8pm and he demanded I come with them to get food.  We went around the corner and got pig intestine, pig rib and pig stomach.... oh so good!  They were impressed that I could eat the food, like every other Korean, but I enjoyed talking with them and practicing my Korean.  Finally, I met someone I can practice Korean with and jam with!  This will motivate me to practice more guitar.