A few months ago, I saw a post for a British based Korean not for profit organisation Korean British culture Exchange (kbce) looking for volunteers to help with making social media posts on specific subjects. I put my name forward or Kdramas ‘cos you know I love a bit of drama if it’s Korean! ☺️
Ever the overachiever, I sent in my CV and not only did they ask if I would help with posting about a kdrama every other week they also asked if I could put some of my other skills to the test and give up some of my time to support KBCE in other ways! I gladly said yes and that’s what I’ve been doing for a few months and it’s been an amazing experience.
I’m currently helping with general administration as well as supporting event planning and I’m helping to run the social media accounts, it’s all been a wonderful learning curve for me putting my transferable skills into new activities and today was the first in one of the events I’ve been helping with!
I took the family along to the KBCE East and South East Asia mid-autumn festival at Kingston, supported by Kingston Council, Kingston Beats and Kingston Chinese Association, amongst others and it was a brilliant day!
The whole day was a wonderful first experience for me! It was so wonderful getting to see a positive and beautiful display of celebrating East and South East Asia, especially as I volunteer for the KBCE and I was a small part of bringing it together.
I have to say the most loveliest part was meeting all the other wonderful people I’ve been getting to know through team chats and zoom calls – but in person. But also seeing all the amazing volunteers giving up time to make the day extra special! Everyone was friendly and the whole day was just wonderful!
We experienced badgemaking with the wonderful team for Stanley Picker gallery and Dorich House museum, and I really want to come back to visit when they have the “under construction” exhibit by Takeshi Hayatsu up and running and I really want to see some more of the Elizabeth Keith project! I’ll share more about that another day for now if you’re interested check out their website.
We also had some yummy Korean food, louen ate two portions of dumplings and wouldn’t share, Nick and Luna had gimbap and we all shared some teriyaki chicken and I had some beautiful Buchujeon (chive pancake) which I also didn’t want to share.🙈😂
I don’t have any photos because as I’ve said before I’d make a terrible food blogger as I’m always so excited to eat it I never remember to stop and take pictures first 🤦🏼♀️ (this might be one of the only times I ever got the food pic and it was yummy lockdown korean food)
Next up both kids tried on traditional Korean and Chinese clothing kindly donated for the day by the KBCE and the KCA and it was amazing and sweet! Louen looked handsome in a purple hanbok but Luna still takes the prize for the cutest award because everyone wanted to help her get dressed and wanted a photo! She was beautiful in her hanbok.
Finally, we thoroughly enjoyed the acts on stage. The musical kids were adorable and very brave to stand up onstage and sing for everyone, the kpop cover acts were incredible and inspiring. (We could with a little less for Luna though as she already dance 5 days a week, now she wants to take learning kpop covers seriously, let me know if you find an extra day of the week for her to fit this in please). Dream maker was awesome, they looked amazing and I really enjoyed it. Sadly I am not coordinated enough to join and it’s a little far to come but thanks for the kind man for thinking I looked even remotely fit enough to give it a go 🙈😂
Me and Luna were especially excited to see Team Hye and they did not disappoint such amazingly talented young people! Truly brilliant!
The Chinese traditional acts were beautiful, the dancing and singing was simply stunning and the martial art display was breath taking. Luna yelped a couple of times.
I had never heard of Frank Chickens but in planning the event I had to do some research and honestly I think I would have loved them back in the 80’s had I been old enough, I think they would definitely been something I would have been interested in 😂 and they also did not disappoint. In fact they were a highlight! So entertaining and full of energy and I couldn’t help but smile and dance around as we watched.
The whole day was wonderfully run and we felt very honoured to be invited and to have had a small part in helping the success of the day. On to the next one and I cannot wait!
