The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

Yesterday some of the teachers headed up north to the DMZ (the 4 km-wide demilitarized zone which stretches along the entire Korean peninsula at the 38th parallel, dividing North and South Korea.) I was hesitant to go, feeling strange about going to the border of a country where the people are starving to death, and the soldiers will shoot you for pointing or smiling at them. Perhaps even stranger was going on a tour which was hosted by an American army group and the American army itself. I found myself wondering whose propaganda I should believe.

We all met at 5:15am, got a cab to the subway station, then rode the subway for an hour to get to the USO in Seoul. As we walked into the building, I couldn't help but recoil from the sight in front of me; it was America, bottled and splashed all over the room. From the flag covered walls to the pictures of large-breasted women in American flag-inspired outfits, it was all topped off by more overweight, buzz-cut American tourists than I could handle. I thought for a minute that I had wandered into the Mid-West, and it took all of my will-power to keep moving forward. With deep, yogic breathing I managed to get to the counter to show my passport and board the bus. When the Korean tour guide asked who wasn't American, I threw my arm into the air with such vigour that I almost broke my hand on the ceiling.

The bus took us an hour north to an army base at the border of the DMZ, where we were "briefed" by a very straight-shooting American soldier. He explained about how the DMZ came to be and the many rules we must follow while on the tour, including absolutely no pointing or attempting to communicate, verbally or non-verbally, with the North Korean soldiers. We also signed a waiver that said South Korea (and indeed all of the countries of the United Nations), were still at war with North Korea, and no one could take responsibility if we got caught in the crossfire. Very comforting.

After the briefing we boarded an army bus with a pretty down-to-earth soldier/tour guide who actually had a sense of humour. Our first stop was the JSA (Joint Security Area) where the UN patrols the South side and North Koreans patrol the North.

The grey building below is the N. Korean headquarters. The little blue buildings are where the UN and N. Korea have their diplomatic talks. The blue buildings are actually on the border, so that when you go half way through the room you're suddenly in N. Korea. The man in green is a ROK (Republic of (south) Korea) soldier.
Close-up of a N.Korean soldier watching us from his side with binoculars.Two ROK soldiers guarding the S. Korea side with our tour guide in front.This ROK soldier looks like he's staring at the wall, but in fact he is positioned there for hours, only showing half of his face so that if the N.Koreans open fire he can get cover more easily.
In one of the little blue UN buildings. I am standing in N.Korea with a ROK soldier guarding the door to N.Korea. I sort of felt like if I opened that door I would step into Narnia... well if I could get past this guy first...
In the blue UN building; our feet in North Korea!This is the door to North Korea. It is unlocked during the day, but at night ROK soldiers lock it. Our guide told us that one time when a soldier was locking it a N. Korean opened the door and pulled him into N. Korea. From that point on one ROK soldier would stand with his left hand on the wall and his right on the pistol of the soldier locking the door in front of him. This, the guide said, was why the wall was white; from the soldiers placing their hands there each night. I'm not sure if he was making this up or not... sorta feel like he was... cause why do the S. Koreans get to lock the doors? A ROK soldier protecting the UN flag in the UN building. (Taken from the North side)
At the end of the Korean War the POW's from both sides were released and told that they could all choose whether to stay in the country they were in, or go across this bridge to the other side. Once they chose though, they could never go back. Hence, this bridge is called the "Bridge of No Return".This is a N. Korean village bordering the DMZ, referred to as "Propaganda Village" because no one lives in the village except soldiers, and until 2004 propaganda was blared from the loudspeakers 12 hrs/day. Look at the 3 and 4 story buildings below and then look up at the flag. The flag is mammoth, and the "pole" was built to trump the pole in the South Korean village across from it. Which it does, standing 160 meters high.
At noon we went to a rather crappy Korean restaurant for lunch, then headed to the Infiltration tunnels. The tunnels were made by the North in the 1970's, just about the time they started their peace talks with the South.

We walked through the 3rd tunnel all the way to the N.Korean border, which was quite the trek. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures, but the tunnel was quite the site to behold, bored through bedrock, about 5.5 ft high and wide enough for 30,000 troops and field artillery to reach S.Korea in one hour. There are four tunnels in total, the last having been discovered in 1994, which caused wide-spread panic, as it enters S.Korea at a point only 44 km from Seoul.

The third tunnel, which we walked through. It was very damp, as it is under a river.
The positions of the four tunnels:After all of this excitement we boarded our original bus back to Seoul. The entire way back they showed a Hollywood version of the Korean War, but luckily I was so tired that I had no problem falling asleep :)

It's Christmas!

I woke up on Christmas morning in a terrible mood because I had to work. The highlight of the day was the Secret Santa gift I received: a set of acrylic paints, a pad of paper and drawing pencils! It was wicked.

After school things started looking up because we had a huge Christmas feast planned. I put on my eating dress (it balloons out at the stomach, hiding a multitude of sins), and headed over to Shanda's, who was hosting the event. Somehow, she managed to fit four stuffed chickens in her toaster oven, and had also made six pies. By 7:30pm every surface in Shanda's apartment was covered. There were mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, deviled eggs, six types of bread, Christmas pudding, pumpkin pie, apple pie, AND if all that weren't enough, a huge tray of deli meat, cheese, and dill pickles brought from one of the many American army bases (you can't get those things anywhere else in Korea). Oh yes, and a lot of liquor.

I ate too much, which is very unusual for me :D

Four chickens in an oven just a touch bigger than a toaster oven:
Hmmm deli meat and cheeeeeese... I haven't had it in three months! There was even Feta and smoked Gouda!
Part of the group devouring the feast (There were 16 of us total)

Hwaseong at night - December 15

On December 15th I met up with Ericka Wicks from Truro and one of her Korean friends. She is leaving in two weeks and Hwaseong Fortress was one of the few touristy things she hadn't seen yet. So, having only been to Hwaseong once, and wanting to see her before she left, we met up.

By the time we actually got to Hwaseong it was night-time, but it was beautiful:

Ericka and I:Ericka's friend Sean and I at a cute cafe near the fortress:

Weekend in Gyeongju

This past weekend, seven of the teachers from Happy Suwon English Village set out on a journey to Gyeongju, a city in Gyeongsangbuk province (Suwon is in Gyeonggi province).

A map of our travel route
We travelled to Gyeongju by bus, which took exactly 4 hrs. I brought enough snacks to feed a small army, so Rupali, Mike, Nick and I spent almost the entire ride eating. Poor Collin, Hannah and Pip were at the front of the bus; too far away to partake in the snacking.

We arrived late Friday night, so we found a cheap motel ($25/night each, 2/room), had some food and went to bed. Early Saturday morning we went to Bulgulksa, a Buddhist Temple that was a 20 minute bus ride from our hotel.

The entrance to the main hall, which has 33 stairs, representing the 33 stages of enlightenment.
A turtle with a large Drum on his back
View from the mountains above Bulguksa (at the entrance to the Seokguram Grotto) In the distance you can see the Sea of Japan!
The Seokguram Grotto. Sakyamuni Buddha sits in a rotunda in the mountain behind the building, surrounded by over three dozen guardians and lesser dieties. Both the room he is in and himself are carved out of solid granite. Unfortunately he was behind a pane of glass, and we weren't allowed to take pictures
A roof tile that we bought to commemorate our visit. When the caretakers replace the tiles on the roofs it will go up!
During the Shilla Dynasty (4th Century), important people were cremated, and their urns were placed in burial mounds (such as these shown below), along with miniature versions of the objects the used in life (like the pyramids). This picture was taken from on top of one of the mounds (yes I know, I'm defacing Korean history... but there weren't any signs saying not to go up!)The group (minus Collin) in front of one of the mounds
On our second day we decided to hike up Samneung, which is part of Central Namsan Mountain. All along the mountain there were Buddhas carved out of the rock face, and little altars set up in front of them. As well, all of the plants and trees were labeled so that you knew what everything was.

Pine trees at the beginning of the hike up SamneungA Buddhist monk's chant, emanating from these speakers, was a great inspiration to keep going at the half-way mark. Too bad it wasn't a real monk!When we got to the temple where the speakers were, almost everyone decided to stop, but Nick, Mike and I pressed on and went all the way to the top. Halfway up there was a huge Buddha carved from granite on the side of a cliff. The ground below was polished granite, and a woman sat praying there on the edge of the cliff.

Buddha carved out of granite, near the top of Samneung A Korean woman praying to the granite Buddha

To get to the very top of the mountain we had to pull ourselves up with ropes, but it was well worth the extra effort. The view was incredible!!

Can you see me? That's Mike, Nick and I on top of the boulder! This was taken by Rupali down below at the temple where the speakers were! Nick perched on a boulder at the very top
View from the very top
After our hike we hurried back to our hotel, picked up our bags, and headed to the bus terminal. We caught the 4:20pm bus to Seoul, and got back to the apartment at 10:30pm. It was a wonderful trip.

Sunset on the bus ride back to Suwon

FREE ROBERT LATIMER

Hi all!

This is a slightly different post then my usual, and it really has nothing to do with my adventures in Korea, but it is very important. Please read!

Robert Latimer, a farmer working a spread in Saskatchewan northwest of Saskatoon, killed his 12-year-old daughter Tracy on October 24, 1993. There has never been any doubt about this.

Latimer told police he did it. He said he loved his daughter and could not bear to watch her suffer from a severe form of cerebral palsy. So he placed her in the cab of his Chevy pickup, ran a hose from the exhaust to the cab, climbed into the box of the truck, sat on a tire and watched her die.

Tracy was a 40-pound quadriplegic, a 12-year-old who functioned at the level of a three-month-old. She had been repeatedly operated on and at the time of her murder was due for more surgery, this time to remove a thigh bone. She could not walk, talk or feed herself, though she responded to affection and occasionally smiled. Tracy was in constant, excruciating pain yet, for reasons not entirely clear, could not be treated with a pain-killer stronger than Tylenol.

On November 4, 1993, Latimer was charged with first-degree murder. A year later, he was convicted of second-degree murder.

For more info:
-Excerpt from an article from CBC News. To read the full article go here http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/latimer/
Robert Latimer's Official Site - http://www.robertlatimer.net

Please go and sign the petitions to free Robert Latimer:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/freerobertlatimer/
http://www.freerobertlatimer.ca/#

Thank you friends and family!

An Exhilarating Change in Perspective

During my first few weeks here I complained bitterly that I couldn't find the food I was used to cooking, and that everything I cooked at home was either too expensive or simply not available here. At the time, the older teachers told me to just go to the supermarket with a couple of ideas of what I might like to cook, and pick out ingredients that were less expensive and substitute them for what I would usually use. I strongly resisted this idea, grumbling that I should be able to make whatever I wanted whenever I wanted...

...then it hit me.

What a close-minded way to think...

...and I decided to give their suggestion a shot.

What I have discovered in the past month is that going to the supermarket and buying what is available is, for several reasons, a far better way to go about shopping and preparing food. First, what is available in Korea is what is in season. Unlike in a North American grocery store, you can't find strawberries in the winter, or even apples in the summer. What's more, what isn't grown in Korea either isn't here at all, or is astronomically expensive. I can't buy the expensive stuff because I'm on a budget, so I am forced to look for the more economical things, which are the things that are in season and are grown locally. This of course means that it's a good way to shop for the environment, everything tastes wonderfully fresh, and, obviously, it's easy on the pocket book. BUT, the very best thing is that I am experimenting for the first time ever! Instead of thinking, "Oh, I want chicken tonight," then finding a recipe, then getting the ingredients, then following the recipe, I am just going to the store, picking out the fruit and veggies that are the cheapest, throwing them together with a bit of this and that, and finding that everything always tastes great! I have become a good cook, not just a good imitator.

So, before I leave you, I'll tell you about what I made tonight. In the grocery store near my house there are ladies throughout the store who cook samples on little red electric skillets. One thing that I have tried several times and always enjoy is stir fried tofu dipped in egg. I tried it tonight and it was delish! A great way to make tofu! And so easy! For veggies, I stir-fried spinach with baby tomatoes, onion, garlic, and zucchini.
Simple, cheap, dericious. Yes, I said dericious.

Leeum Samsung Museum of Art - December 1st

On Saturday, I met up with Seung Yeon in Seoul and we went to the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art. It was definitely a gallery worth checking out, as the architecture of the building was stunning, and for $10 you could get an English speaking docent to take you around on a 2 hr tour of the museum. The docent was great, because there were only four of us on the tour and she was able to explain all of the history and thought-processes behind the work, as well as answer my (many, *sheepish laugh*) questions.

Museum 1 was all traditional Korean art, beginning on the fourth floor with Celadon, then Painting and Calligraphy, then Buddhist art. Museum 2 was both Modern and Contemporary Korean and Foreign Art, including 3 large Rothkos!!

Seung Yeon in front of a French artist (whose name I've forgotten) giant spider sculptures, which represent female strength and frailty
One of the Museum's buildings
Sitting on an eye
Seung Yeon and I in front of the Museum entrance
After finishing at the museum, Seung Yeon and I went for a traditional Korean supper called Samgyetang, which is soup that has an entire Game Hen in it, stuffed with rice and Ginseng and Dates. You tear off the chicken with your chopsticks and dip it in a bowl of salt. When the chicken is all gone you eat the broth. It is BIG meal, but very good.

Samgeytang

Jeannie's Bday – November 30th

This past Friday, the 30th, was our boss Jeannie's birthday, so Hannah, Rupali, Pip and I made her a super-fabulous card the night before, and then her boss, Mr. Han, bought pizza and cake for the office mid-afternoon, and then we all took her out for Chicken Galbi after work!

Shanda, Jeannie and Vicky
Ricky, Pip and RupaliRupali, Mike and I
Collin and Vicky

Korean Sauna & Spa – November 25th

On Nov. 25th, the day after Jamie's wedding, I finally took the plunge and went to the Spa. Korean spas are very popular, and my Lonley Planet Guide says you really can't say you've been to Korea if you haven't gone. So, after being told by Ericka and another friend that they're great and that they themselves go all the time, I got up the nerve and went.

A friend recommended that I go to the Spa near Yongsan Electronics Market, called Dragon Hill Spa. It was quite the ritzy affair, with fountains and marble and such, and admission was only $10. I was given a key, a pair of shorts and a tshirt and 2 towels. The key opened a shoe-sized locker where I put my shoes, and then I headed to the Women's floor. At first I really had no idea what to do, and so I put on the shorts and tshirt and headed down the steps to the baths. I stood there watching as throngs of naked Korean women passed by, many glancing at this strange foreigner who obviously had no clue what she was doing.

Finally, I summoned the courage to ask ayoung woman who looked like she might know English what I should be doing. "Well," she said, "You have to take off your clothes to come in here, and no shower shoes either." (I had brought a pair in fear of Athletes foot and other such foot-related maladies). So, after a few minute's kind explanation, she wished me luck and was off. So, I went back up to the lockers, took a deep breath and stripped down. With one towel strategically placed in front and the other behind, I waddled back down to the baths. Everything was in the open, and everyone was naked, and despite my apprehension I began to relax. (Mostly because trying to cover myself was making me more conspicuous than not.) So, I went with the flow. From the showers I tried all of the baths, from 17–45ºC. I tried the outdoor baths, the Ginseng bath, the steam room and got a full-body scrub, which left me surrounded in large eraser shavings of grey skin, but made my skins smoother than it has ever been.

After I had had my fill of the baths, (although honestly I could have stayed all day), I put on the shorts and t-shirt and ventured to the co-ed floor for some sauna time. The co-ed floor had a cafe, restaurant and a huge common area where whole families stretched out watching TV, playing video games and sleeping. Surrounding this area were about 10 different saunas. The first 3 were normal saunas with three different temperatures. To get in, you walked through a door that was about 2 ft. hight, and sat down in a circle in the dome-shaped room. The 4th sauna was a Pine sauna, which looked the same as the others but had a wonderful pine smell and felt amazing. The 5th sauna was a salt sauna, where the entire room was made of salt and you were given cotton socks so that as you lay in the sauna, the toxins supposedly came out of your feet.

My final sauna was actually a freezer, complete with snowman, to close the pores. After all of my sauna-ing I sat down in front of the big screen TV with some brown boiled eggs (a sauna specialty), and a strawberry smoothie. When I went to explore the rest of the building I found massage chairs, a large gym, a sleeping room, an Indian BBQ (whatever that means) and a terrace overlooking the whole city.

When I went back to the women's floor to shower and change I realized that I was the most relaxed I had been in a long time. It was utterly amazing. I will definitely be going again!

Jamie's Wedding – November 24

Friday the 23rd was the 3rd installment of "Indian food in a hotel basement," followed by Rupali, Pip, Collin, Lee and I watching Ratatouille and all falling asleep by 11pm. Teaching 10–13 year olds Airplane class is surprisingly exhausting.

The 24th was Jamie, one of the Korean teacher's, wedding. We were all invited, and Jamie asked us to sing a song (it's tradition for the bride's friends to sing at the ceremony). We chose "My Girl," and though it's pretty bad, (especially since we had to cut out some of our wicked dance moves due to spacing constraints), Jamie seemed to enjoy it, and that's all that matters!

The wedding itself was like nothing I have ever experienced before. The building itself was reminiscent of a factory; as we walked in the door two ladies wearing headsets directed us to an escalator which brought us to a floor that we could hardly step on to, as there were so many people. There were no less than four couples waiting to get married and so each had an exact time at which they were to go to the little wedding rooms with their guests. Our bride's time was 1:50pm. Before the ceremony, the bride and her party went to one of the two photo booths across from the wedding rooms, where endless pictures and videos were taken.

The Wedding Factory

Group picture in the photo booth

When the ceremony began, strobe lights lit the room, and a spotlight fell on each person (parents, then groom, then bride), as they walked up the aisle. When the couple reached the altar, smoke began pouring from a smoke machine located in the steps below the altar. I think our mouths were all on the floor at this point. After a fifteen minute speech from the marrier(?) Jamie was officially married, and it was time for us to perform our song

(VIDEO TO BE POSTED ASAP)

What happened next can only be described as a well-orchestrated series of photo ops. First, the couple walked from the altar and went to bow to each of their parents. But before this happened, a very sour woman dressed all in black with way too much makeup ran out, fussed and fidgeted with sashes, veils, gloves and makeup, then the photographer directed the shot to perfection, snapped no less than six photos, and they were on to the next "moment". "Walk to the cake, pick up the knife, pose, straighten outfits, fix makeup, snap, snap, snap! Next!" From cake to champagne to group pictures. And that was it, the ceremony was finished.

Jamie and her father

A very long trainNotice the smoke coming the altar and the woman arranging Jamie's dress
A beautiful moment, bowing to Jesse's parents
Bowing to Jamie's parents
Cutting the cake

Slightly dazed and confused, we pushed through the hordes of people to the next escalator, which brought us to the first reception area. This floor was not ours, so we continued to the next escalator, up to the 4th floor. The reception area had about 20 long tables of 12, surrounding a long buffet. All of the guests from all of the weddings that were going on during that hour sat together in this room, and everyone had to have a ticket given to them by the couple in order to enter. We English Villagers (9 foreigners and 6 Koreans) sat down to eat, and as we ate we noticed that most of the other guests were gone. Koreans don't usually linger when they've finished eating, but surely they would wait for the bride and groom to come up to eat with them? Nope. By the time Jamie and her husband came up, there were only 4 or so tables remaining, and the caterers had cleared almost everything.

Jamie was glowing throughout the entire event though, and I hope to hear that she's had a fabulous honeymoon in the Philippines this past week!

The reception room

Ricky and IThe Bride, Groom and I, in traditional Korean costumes