Lots of Seoul: DMZ experience

North Korea- gray!

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A short video that I took with my camera from the bus when we were leaving the DMZ- I wasn't supposed to- but you can get an idea of what I saw. Oh yeah- the South Korean soldiers are only half way visible to the North Koreans when they stand guard so they can "take cover" if they have to.

On the tracks that some day hope to be used to travel through North Korea- symbolizing coming together- I had to be NORTH, Katie got to be SOUTH Korea- no fair!

It's been waaaay too long, I know. Lots to talk about. First, my trip to the DMZ ( De-militarized Zone) JSA (Joint Security Area). WOW, WOW, WOW! It is eyeopening, tense, exciting, weird, and educational all wrapped into one.
Here is the best way I can describe the "situation" between North and South Korea--- The North Korean Government (which is Communist) is like an abusive parent while it's people are its children. South Korea is like a concerned neighbor that North Korea hates. The neighbors try to provide for the children by giving them food and jobs while the abusive parent looks on and says you can help my kids but it will not change my feelings towards you.
Not many people are aware of all the pokes and jabs (attacks) North Korea still make on South Korea. The "war" in a sense is still lingering in the air. The U.S. military is still present here, but the South Korean military run their show and we are here for extra force "if needed." South Korea is so resilient and positive. For example, STUPID North Korea still bullies the South (just recently on June 6, 2010 they sank the Cheonan PCC killing 46 South Korean Navy sailors) The war did not end in 1953- it is still going on and so many things have occured since then, but South Korea STILL aids the North- South Korean business men employ around 60,000 North Korean people- they send rice up to the North because people are starving- they even have built an ENTIRE SUBWAY STATION that just sits- in hopes to one day run up to and through North Korea. Many South Korean people have relatives in the North- that's why they do this. They want to make peace but the North is simply AWFUL and unwilling. The subway station is a symbol of hope, that one day South Korea can travel outside of their country easier. They are trapped in a sense- they can't travel any way to the North. The only option is to fly. It's such a frustrating situation- I probably cried and teared up 10 times on my trip. I saw sites of massacres during the war- bridges that POW's were released and walked across. Just looking over the river at North Korea was so weird. The mountain tops on the South's side have trees and are green- in the North they are ugly brown and bald.
At the actual DMZ site- I was so nervous. I was looking at North Korea and they WERE taking my picture for a fact. I had no way of knowing how many people were watching us. The person I could see was one North Korean soldier who was looking at us through binoculars- then at one point hid behind a big cement pillar- WEIRD- PSYCHOLOGICAL North Korean GAMES!!!! ugh!
In one of the buildings where there were 2 South Korean guards in "ready" Tae-Kwon-Do stance- 1 was on the North Korean side in the building and we could not step cross a line. We were told not to get too close- if we touched them- they WOULD touch us back. WELL, being the "unintentional" instigator that I am (at times) I accidently brushed knuckles with one of the guards and I thought my heart stopped. I held my breath and just looked at him and THANK GOD he did not do anything and figured it was an accident and I didn;t mean any harm. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! We were told where to look, where to move, where not to move, not to point, etc. We had to walk in 2 single file lines. We had to sign a declaration before entering and here is the first sentence in it " The visit to the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom will entail into a hostile area and possibility of injury or death as a direct result of enemy action.... The United Nations Command, The U.S.A and the Republic of Korea cannot guarantee the safety of visitors and may not be held accountable in the event of a hostile enemy act." GEESE LOUISE! They are sending tours into hostile area which lessens the severity of the situation- but when you really think about it- WHO in their right mind goes, better yet takes a tour into a hostile zone???? AMERICA! We stopped at 4 different places. We got to walk through a tunnel built by the North Korean's for a surprise attack to South Korea. It was little I had to duck and bend over almost the whole way. Everyone had to wear hard hats. It was soooooo far underground. It was very freaky and at the end you looked through this hole and it looked like it was into an underground tunnel intersection and torture room. I couldnt look long becuase I kept envisioning a North Korean would appear. My mind plays tricks on me sometimes so I wasnt going to give it the opportunity at this point so far underground. There are many tunnels STILL being discovered from North to South. It's just weird thinking of the big picture. After this trip- it made me a little paranoid- but now I'm back to normal. I just hope that this new KIM in North Korea that just took over doesn't try to make "his mark" by doing something horrible to the South anytime soon.
Our tour guide was a cutie-pa-tootie man named "Mr. Pak." He was older and very little. He said he eats kimchi and rice with every meal and that's why he's so small. I got to talking to him and asked him if he had any family in North Korea. He said no. All is family was from the South- BUT his father and all 3 of his brothers were murdered by the North Korean government. His dad was a police officer- not sure about his uncles. This happend when he was just 9 years old. It made my cry.
It's so sad- they are the same nationality of people- but divided by governments. There is a statue of a significant figure (cannot remember his name) who was murdered by North Korea for being a Christian and preached his dreams of peace and visions of ONE united Korea-- he was murdered by North Korea. The statue is of him holding ONE finger up.
There was another place we visited where people from the South can go when they miss their family (if they have them in the North) or if they miss THIER home (they could have fled the North) to sit and reminisce. There is a wall of bright colored ribbons that people write their prayers, hopes and wishes for peace and unification of the two countries. I read some, and yes, I teared up. It's the closest point they can get to the north. People, mankind, and human nature can be so disheartening- but it can also be encouraging too, I know always two sides of the sprectum- just seems like there is more bigotry than anything else.
I shouldn't have waited to write so long about this- because I don't remember everything that I wanted to write about. I am so glad I did this though. It makes you thankful for the world/country I am from. It puts things into perspective- what I consider "problems" is laughable compared to what other people have had to endure. I hope someday there is peace between the North and the South Koreas.

On a different note:
My students taught me about Korean names. People have 3 names- for example take the name "Lee Sun Shin." LEE is his family name. If he has a daughter- LEE will be at the front- and her name will never change even if she gets married. SUN SHIN are the two names that his parents give him. So his daughter's name could be Lee Min Jeong- his son's name could be Lee Pak Su and their names will never change. That's why you hear so many of the same names- the first name said is their "family name" followed by two names given to them by their parents choice. They don't say first, middle or last name though.

Last Saturday I went to a festival's ending fireworks show. It was the most amazing fireworks show I have ever seen!!!!! There were 3 shows back to back with short intervals in between. There were fireworks from China, Canada, and South Korea. There were people just EVERYWHERE!!!!! It was along the Hun River and it was so picturesque- fireworks above the big city lights- and the fireworks were the biggest I have ever seen!!! The Chinese invented fireworks so rightly so I guess. We had a nice group of about 13 people and we made a great night out of it.
I got my FIRST paycheck finally after being here after 5 1/2 weeks! So nice!
The weather is so so so nice! It's not frigid cold yet.
I met my landlord finally and also finally SAW and met another person who lives on my floor in my apartment building. I hear people but never SEE them- it's weird.
I caught my first cold over here and was perscribed some weird medicine that looked like rabbit pellets- but they smelled good. I took them- I guess they worked.....