Visitors

This month has been more eventful than most. Three friends visited me from Vancouver. Their visit made me realize just how great my friends are. It was like having a piece of home with me for a few weeks. They also got a glimpse of my life, which may have been a tad disorienting to say the least. Life in Seoul is very different from life in Vancouver: it's fast-paced, it's non-stop, and it's chaotic. I tried my best to help with the language barrier, but of course I'm no expert. Let's just say it was entertaining. I was proud that they were able to handle themselves on their own, since I worked for most of the time. Despite my work schedule, we were able to have some memorable adventures.

The DMZ

The DMZ is a trip that none of us will soon forget. We went on May 22nd, after South Korea officially blamed North Korea for the sinking of the Cheonan, which killed 46 South Korean soldiers. We were expecting to receive an email that canceled the trip, but surprisingly we received no such message. Upon arriving at Camp Bonifas at the Joint Security Area, we were debriefed and were getting ready to go to the blue buildings where the North Korean soldiers are, when we were abruptly instructed to get back on the bus after we had stopped to visit the gift shop on the way. Soldiers came up to our bus and barked orders, which thoroughly freaked us all out. We continued with the tour and visited the third infiltration cave dug by North Korean soldiers, not knowing what was going on.

Things continued to get weird when we saw that the outdoor lookout area at Dora Observatory was blocked of for "construction" and there were guards blocking the doors to that area. We entered the building to look down at North Korean territory through a large glass window, and were surprised to see a long line of trucks leaving the Kaesong Industrial Region. Our tour guide looked puzzled and said that something was definitely going on. We later found out it was due to the announcement by Korean president Lee Myung Bak ordering all trade between North and South Korea be suspended.

Our final stop was Dorasan Station, which serves as a symbol of future reunification. It lay deserted, except for us eager tourists snapping shots. The station is meant to be a beacon of hope, but leaves one strangely sad. Private South Korean citizens built this station with the thought "If you build it, they will come," but no one has come. The political situation - as was very evident on that day - is only getting worse.

When we returned to Seoul, we decided to visit the Korean War Memorial Museum. The clouds were gray, and it had started raining. The Korean War room was moving with it's displays showing the ravaged condition of Korea during and following the war. We then entered a room dedicated to UN countries who fought or participated in some way during the war. The Canadian contribution display really got to me. It made me very proud and grateful that I'm Canadian. All three of us realized that we were incredibly lucky to live in a country where we don't have to constantly be in a state of fear or instability. Being at the DMZ and not knowing or being able to control what was happening was scary. It was a mild reminder of what Koreans must always be ready for.