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Taiwan: A safe haven for a tired traveler

8/3/2015

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The sight of the large Taiwanese flag painted on the side of Taoyuan International Airport gave me an overpowering sense of calm. I love everything about this country. I love the look of the currency, the sound of Mandarin, how polite people are on public transport, and even the smell of stinky tofu. This island nation was the best place for me to recharge before my journey across the Pacific.

 I was quickly on the metro heading to San Chong to stay with one of my best friends, Andrew. I can’t easily sum up how important Andrew and his family are to me, nor how special staying with them was. During the day Andrew and I would share food. He agreeably accompanied me to our favorite Indian restaurant four times.

Me: “Andrew, you know what is in Ximen and a close bus ride away?”

Andrew: “Let me guess Indian food.”

Me: “You got it!”

We watched a couple movies, played some board games, and had a nice trip to Jiufen with his awesome wife, Jenny, and their son, Ethan. Staying with them felt like home and I am eternally grateful for all they did.

I made two trips to my old school to visit my younger students. I was very touched by the fact that my boss had told the parents I was coming back and many of my students who had already graduated came back just to see me. My boss made a strong argument for my return to Taiwan and to be honest it sounds like a tempting offer. I saw many of my SAT and adult students. Two of the most significant of these students were, Tzuli and Jamie. Before arriving in Taipei, I contacted Tzuli’s fiancé and asked him to help me surprise the two sisters. He lied and told Tzuli to meet him for dinner at 6:30 outside exit two of the Sun Yat-sen metro stop. As I saw her approaching, I stepped out with my GoPro in hand and waited for her to recognize me. Her mouth opened, her jaw dropped, and she was almost in tears. For about 30 seconds she slapped her face in disbelief. We proceeded to her sister’s house and took her by surprise as well. Out of all my Taiwanese friends these two are the ones I connect with the most. They are funny, intelligent, open-minded, quirky, and extremely fun. They even invited me into their parents’ home to stay for a night. Thank you ladies for sharing your family with me. They like their daughters, are wonderful.

Since I have gone on about Taiwan so much in previous posts, I won’t bore you with a long list of why it is my favorite country. I will also abstain from listing the absurd amount of food I ate. All I will say is you haven’t lived until you have eaten in Taiwan.

Sadly, my time in Taiwan came to an end. I flew back to Japan to then fly to Australia where I joined a Royal Caribbean ship. Thanks for being patient with my short updates. I am almost caught up to the good stuff… my life at sea.

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Japan Round 2- Part 2

8/2/2015

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Kyoto and Tokyo for a second go, but this time during cherry blossom season! My time involved temples, temples, sushi, and more temples. I never for sure knew where I was going to stay since all the hostels were booked 100%. I guess the uncertainty kept me on my toes. By chance my visit to Himeji Castle fell on the same day that marked the peak of the cherry blossom season in Himeji. The whole town was crowded, but witnessing hundreds of cherry blossom trees in full bloom was a memorable experience.

I decided the expense and lack of accommodation in Japan was a good enough excuse to make an unplanned trip home... to Taiwan. Even though I still had two weeks left on my railpass, I opted to hunker down with good food and good friends. Stay tune for news from Taiwan.  
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Japan Round 2- Part 1

7/17/2015

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Look for an update Monday!
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Busan

7/17/2015

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My time in Busan was relaxing and nice mainly because of my wonderful host! Seo welcomed me into her family’s home and provided a tranquil environment in which to recover from the fridge temperatures of Seoul. I don’t have a lot to share about my time there. Busan is a beach resort and during warmer months many Koreans flock there to take in the sand and beautiful ocean views. I walked along the beach front for a bit and visited the city’s most famous temple. That pretty much comprises everything I did from a tourist perspective, but that was fine by me.

Haedong Yongkung Temple is a long bus ride out of the city, but it is beautiful. Take exit 7 from Haeundae Station and then take the 181 bus. The temple is perched over-looking the sea and if you are lucky you may be able to catch Buddhist monks meditating on the rocks absorbing the tranquility provided by the crystalline water.  This temple is considered by some to be the most beautiful and significant Buddhist temple in South Korea. I met a group of women from Taiwan and like all extremely open and friendly Taiwanese people they were more than happy to jump with me.

Once back in town Indian food was consumed, a dog with painted eyebrows was seen, and a visit to a golden retriever petting café was attempted. I finished the day with a walk on the beach.

The next day I spent most of my time updating the blog and going out for udon noodles. The restaurant owner was a bit confused by my note written in Korean requesting my food not to have onions or meat, so he asked his 28 year old son to come out and speak with me. He was very friendly and inquired where I was from and told me he is planning a trip to New York this year. At the end of the meal, he offered for me to stay at his father’s home for free if I needed a place. They were worried that I may be paying a lot of money to stay in a hostel or hotel. I was a bit taken back by the kind offer. On the bus to Haedong Yongkung Temple a woman offered to hold my backpack since I was standing and she had a seat. On the metro a man approached me and asked if he could shake my hand. All he said was, “I love Americans. Thank you for coming here.” Again, I have never experienced this in another country. I had so many strangers offer me help in Korea that I was really impressed by their culture’s strong sense of generosity.

Before flying out to Osaka for round two of Japan, I spent a nice morning with Seo. She gave me two postcards of Busan, a traditional mask to paint, and helped me try on her traditional wedding gown. Her soft-spoken persona and thoughtfulness sent me on my way with a strong lasting impression of how special of a place Korea truly is. For more on Seo checkout my Couchsurfing tab.

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Ciao for now Seoul

7/9/2015

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Dr. Lee’s secretary, Sherlyn, was a glorious surprise. She hosted me for 4 nights and greatly enriched my time in Seoul. She is originally from the Philippines, but has been living in Korea for years. Unfortunately, her husband died a year ago and now she is raising her boisterous and lovely 3 year old son on her own. Her son is not in need of love though. He has a team of woman doting on him. Sherlyn’s mother and mother’s friend act as baby sitters almost around the clock.  The mother’s friend hasn’t been back to the Philippines in 16 years. She has spent time working in Dubai and Korea, so that she can send money home to support her children. I can’t even imagine leaving your family behind for so many years in search of work. Even though they miss their homeland, they have created their own niche in Korea and welcomed me into it. It was fascinating listening to them go in and out of English, Korean, and Tagalog. It is obvious that their lives revolve around hard work and family. They don’t have much and yet they were willing to be incredibly generous to me. I just wish I could have spent more time with them and in some way repaid the favor.

On my last full day in Seoul I went to say goodbye to Dr. Lee. He was generous and gave me a ton of vegetarian snacks including seaweed and a jar of honey tea for my throat. He made a few last jokes about me being a pain in his ass and we said see you later. Next I went in search of a Taiwanese Buddhist restaurant!!! Ironically it ended up being ran by the same Buddhist denomination as the temple in Taiwan I stayed at. As soon as I walked in, I knew it was going to be phenomenal. I got there a couple minutes before official opening time and it seemed the woman setting up felt a bit confused by my presence. Her husband arrived and he spoke English, so I explained that I had lived in Taiwan and was greatly interested in Buddhism. Instantly the atmosphere changed. I was no longer an intruder but a welcomed friend. We discussed theology, relationships, and how best to pursue finding your inner self through meditation. He is Korean, but his wife is Taiwanese. He has spent time meditating with masters in Tibet and all over Asia. I could have spoken with him for 7 hours and been content. In addition to good conversation, the food was like a quick trip home. Red grained rice, steamed bok choy, tofu, an assortment of vegetables, green bean soup, Taiwanese oolong tea, etc. YUMMMMMM. Plus, there was pineapple cake and not just any pineapple cake, but the good stuff. As more and more time passes and I get farther away from my life in Taiwan, I continue to realize how rooted my heart is there. It truly feels more like home to me than any other place.

With a full belly, I climbed up Namsan Mountain to see Seoul Tower. The hike up was nice and from the path the city’s ancient wall was visible. What was more special than the view was the person I met. I was walking and listening to music when an older man came up behind me and said, “Excuse me, are you American?” I was startled to say the least, but nodded in confirmation. He looked pleased and dived right into conversation. He spends 6 months each year in Seoul and 6 months in Southern California. He was very adamant that the US is his favorite country. Normally, people do not randomly approach me to share their love of my nation. Actually, it is usually quite the opposite. So this man was a welcome shift from the norm. He was 8 years old when the Korean War began. As we climbed the hill together, he painted a mental picture of a small village overtaken by the North Korean Army. The people were put to work and many were taken and forced to fight. He recounted hiding in his school at one point, how hard it was for his family to find food, and the joyous moment when American soldiers retook the village. He even grabbed my hand and said, “I would like to say thank you to your grandparents for saving my country. Without them South Korea would not exist. My father and your grandfather were brothers in war and now because of them your people and my people are friends.” I was so moved by this man’s emotional display of gratitude to a complete stranger who had absolutely nothing to do with the war. It just goes to show the significance of the Korean War and how deeply it impacted the lives of the Korean people. Out of everything I experienced in Korea, this conversation and the brief moment this man held my hand left the deepest impression in my mind. I will always be critical to some degree of my country’s politics and historical past, but at the end of the day I am American and I too love my nation.

At the base of Seoul Tower there was a cultural fair with a variety of performers. There were traditional dancers, swordsmen, and musicians. I observed for a while, took into the 360 view of the city, and headed back down the mountain. I personally don’t think paying to go to the top of Seoul Tower is worth it, but that is coming from my budget backpacker perspective.

I then headed to Gwangjang Market. There was food, furs, clothing, jewelry, cheap electronics, bedding, dishes, furniture, etc. I got an awesome GoPro video of a man selling Korean honey string dessert. He was featured on one of the Travel Channel shows and was incredibly animated. He went on a 2 minute rant about how his candy is made and at the end he informed me that he was really high. Regardless, of his mental state, I bought some honey string dessert and went on my way. On the way home I hunted down the headquarters of the Seoul Marathon with hopes of buying a tee shirt for my brother. Apparently, merchandising is not a thing they do. The man I spoke with just looked at me like I was crazy. “You want what?” Sorry Tim no shirt for you.

The next morning I accompanied Sherlyn and her family to church before catching the bus to Busan. Everyone was very friendly and they even shared a healthy vegetarian lunch with me. I hold a lot of respect for those who are religious and enjoy experiencing their form of worship, but am not religious myself. That being said I didn’t feel uncomfortable until the end of the morning. Sherlyn had heard a conversation I had with Dr. Lee about me not feeling well, so she asked if her church could pray for me. I said yes and showed appreciation for the kind gesture. Little did I know that they weren’t just going to say a prayer, but have a whole congregational fervent prayer chant with me standing at the front and strangers placing their hands on me. One man even placed his hand on my breast. Now if you know me, you probably know that I am not easily embarrassed, but this moment took the cake. I had no idea where to look or what facial expression to hold. I just kept thinking, “When is this going to end? It has to end soon right? Finished? Not yet… Don’t laugh… Look somber… Look thankful… Look reverent? Ok, this is weird…” After my face returned to its natural color, I said goodbye to the whole family. Her mother joked that she was relieved I hadn’t turned out to be a serial killer. Sherlyn was holding back tears, which made me feel emotional as well. I had bonded with them for several days and had been touched by their acceptance and the amount of love her son had shown me. It was hard to leave.  

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Seoul Part II

7/6/2015

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It was another crisp clear day in Seoul and I set out to explore the traditional Korean architecture of Buckchon Village. On the way I stopped at a Buddhist temple known for its vegetarian food. I explained what I was after to a woman in the guest information booth and she quickly threw on her coat and motioned for me to follow her. She led me into a members’ only eating hall.  She pulled out a card and swiped it multiple times. I wasn’t going to be able to pay for the meal. As soon as I saw the food I was so incredibly excited. It was just like the temple stay I did in Taiwan. Minimalist Buddhist fare is delicious and so healthy. I wish I could have at least one meal like that every day. My hostess then gave me a tour of the temple and explained in elementary English several of Buddha’s teachings. One of the main reasons I travel is for experiences like this. Sharing a simple meal with someone from a vastly different culture can be enlightening and at the end of the day isn’t human connection what we are all after. I said farewell and she recommended that I do a temple stay next time I am in Korea. I most definitely will!

I recommend you stop by one of the tourist information booths and get a map of the Buckchon Village area before exploring. There are several very nice photo spots that are highlighted on the tourist map. If you feel inclined, there are several houses that have been converted into small businesses. You can learn how to make traditional Korean toys, buy traditional soap, or rent traditional clothing and do a photo shoot inside one of the historic homes. After meandering through the streets and asking a lot of mainland Chinese tourists to jump with me, I made it with one minute to spare to the English guided tour of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Doing a tour is the way to go with these types of sites. The tour lasted an hour and made sure I saw all the highlights. If I had done it by myself, I would have been there 3 hours easily. Warrant the strong wind chilling me to the bone definitely welcomed a shorter stay than what I normally would want.

What I found most interesting from the tour was the significance given to the mother of the emperor. She was given her own lavish quarters with a multitude of servants and attendants. As soon as the emperor died, she was shifted to another abode and replaced by her daughter-in-law. The extensive heating system was also fascinating. The Korean peninsula is slammed every year with a long and cold winter and thus they were forced to be inventive. Several of the most used buildings were elevated with large ovens underneath the main floor. I greatly enjoyed the modern version of these heated floors and think we should start using them at home (albeit with central heating it would be an unnecessary luxury… but still). If you are making a trip here, make sure to see the Blue House (the president’s official residence) which is directly behind the Palace.

The evening was spent in search of yet more Buddhist vegetarian food and this time it was beyond heavenly. Directly across from the temple there was a temple stay information center with a restaurant on the second floor. For 8 USD you could load up a tray of soup, rice, kimchi, sweet potato, seaweed, and an assortment of vegetables with tofu. The most important rule when eating in an establishment like this one is that you have to eat everything on your plate. Waste is unacceptable. Let’s just say it was painful getting everything in my stomach and I may or may not have hidden one of my sweet potatoes in Tim’s bowl. I was there so long that one of the employees gave me the evil eye. What? I like to eat and if a meal is 100% plant based I go overboard.

What I haven’t shared yet is the absurd Couchsurfing situation I found myself in. A month in advance I contacted a host who had a high rating and a lot of positive reviews. A few days before getting to his place I contacted him to confirm directions and he never responded. Tim said I could stay at his host’s house. On the way there Tim started telling me a few things about his host. All of a sudden it hit me that his host was the same one I was supposed to stay with. It was strange that after chatting with me for a month he just went MIA, but he was still accepting other surfers. Well things were still going to get weirder. An hour before our arrival, he contacted Tim to say he was stuck in Japan due to a snow storm. So he just gave us the code to his apartment and said we could stay there without him. Now that sounds generous, but in reality it is just bizarre. Who allows complete strangers access to their home? I trust people, but there is a line. We got there and the apartment was nice, but there was no heat.  I know beggars can’t be choosers, but my real complaint wasn’t the heat. It was the fact that the host had just pressed accept to all the Couchsurfing requests he received. He had stopped responding to my messages because there were too many surfers for him to communicate with. That night there was a Thai family with a young son and us all sharing two beds in a small room. Not only was it a freezing night, but the father snored like a bear with a collapsed nasal passage. I really felt for his wife. She felt uncomfortable in the situation and was obviously embarrassed that her husband made it impossible for everyone else to sleep.

The next night things got more festive with 13 people all cuddling together and sharing one toilet. Not ideal. In my opinion this isn’t being a good host. The fates were looking out for me though. At the chiropractor I was joking about my horrendous sleeping conditions and the secretary offered for me to stay with her family. More on Sherlyn and her family next post. 



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My Long Absence

4/25/2015

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I apologize for my excruciatingly long absence.  A lot has happened on the road and I have been fully consumed in my travels. After South Korea (which I will finish writing about), I headed back to Japan to experience cherry blossom season. I had some amazing experiences and met some very special people, but half way through my time there I felt I had had my fill of Japan and booked an unplanned trip back to Taiwan. As soon as the plane landed and I saw the massive Taiwanese flag of Taoyuan International Airport, I had an overwhelming sense of being home. I know my family is sick of hearing me gush about Taiwan, so I will try to limit the gushing. Taiwan stole my heart and forever will be a very dear place to me.  During my 12 days there, I received unconditional love that can’t even be described.  Friends flew to Taipei to see me, students went out of their ways to meet up, and my Taiwanese family showered me with affection.  It was just what I needed! After recharging in Taiwan I flew to Australia for only two days before boarding a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.  

My first plan of attack is to briefly catch up on the end of South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and my two days in Sydney. Then I will do my best to update you on life at sea in the South Pacific.

I hope all is going well for you wherever you are reading from.

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Looking at North Korea from the DMZ

3/15/2015

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The DMZ tour was one of the most unique things I have ever done. It was an incredibly rushed experience, but to be only feet away from North Korea felt surreal. The day started off with a stop at Freedom Park and then a tour of the third infiltration tunnel. So far they have discovered four, but assume there are more. The way the third tunnel was discovered (they are numbered in order of discovery) in 1978, was by a North Korean engineer who worked on the tunnel and then defected to South Korea. South Korean officials drilled very deep holes and then pumped water into them. One hole took an incredibly long time to fill and then the water came shooting up due to the difference in air pressure. They had discovered the 1,635 m long third infiltration tunnel just 52 km north of Seoul. The tunnel is 2m in width, 2m in height, and 73 m below ground. It is estimated that it would take only an hour for 30,000 North Korean soldiers to pass through it.

When the North Koreans realized that the South Koreans were discovering the infiltration tunnels, they wanted to make them look like coal mines. So the walls were smeared with coal dust and mining equipment was left behind. These were obviously not mines for many reasons one of the most important being that the walls are all granite. The lower we went the warmer and more humid it became. The ceiling continued to get lower and we were quite hunched over before turning back to ascend. It is believed that this tunnel took 3 years to dig. Defectors have claimed that the workers were forced to dig 14 hours a day. It is unknown for sure how many people were forced to toil away in these tunnels.

Next we headed to the Dora Observatory, the northernmost observatory in South Korea. From there we were able to see Propaganda Village. Apparently up until recently no one really lived there. It is just a bunch of buildings with loud speakers blaring communist rhetoric. It also has the world’s tallest flag pole standing at 160 m with a humungous North Korean flag. It stands in stark contrast to the South Korean flag just across the MDL (Military Demarcation Line). The North just couldn’t have their flag be lower.

I paid to use the binoculars and was able to see someone walking a dog and a large group of soldiers walking along the perimeters of their compound. I was also able to see farmland and the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. This complex was built by a South Korean company and employs North Koreans at a much lower rate than their South Korean counterparts. It is the only reason a South Korean is allowed to cross into North Korea. The South Korean government doesn’t want its own citizens crossing over, after an incident in 2008 where a South Korean tourist was shot by a North Korean soldier. Even before that incident no one could freely visit North Korea, except with a North Korean organized tour. Our tour guide pointed out that there were no trees on the North Korean side of the MDL. I then looked around and realized all the hills on the South Korean side were covered with trees. She said that the North Koreans living near the MDL had cut down all the trees for fire wood. She also said that they live in absolute poverty making around 100 USD a month with a taxation rate of 50%. I was then accosted by a group of Mainland Chinese tourists and stood for a plethora of group pictures.

Our last stop with our morning tour group was the Dorasan Station. It is the northernmost international station in South Korea. It is only 700 meters from the southern boundary of the DMZ, 56 km north of Seoul and 205 km south of Pyeongyang (North Korea’s capital). It was built with hopes that someday it will be able to connect with the North Korean railway line. This would allow travelers to make the roughly ten day trip to Western Europe. As of now the station is simply symbolic.

At this point we had lunch and joined another tour group for a chance to visit the JSA, Joint Security Area. We met a very nice couple from Burlingame, California. They happened to be on their way to Taipei the next day and they too were vegetarian. This led to me having word vomit, as my best friend would say. I was so excited to share a long list of vegetarian restaurants with them. For any of you who love to eat, go to Taiwan. Sorry I have to put in a plug for Taiwan whenever the opportunity arises.

The JSA is an area within the DMZ where both North Korean soldiers and South Korean soldiers reside. There are conference rooms where the two sides can come together to meet. It used to be that the soldiers comingled and could move freely through the area. Then on August 18th, 1978 two US officers were brutally hacked to death by North Korean soldiers. Within the JSA each side had several observation check points. The view between two of the UN/South Korean check points was obscured by a tree’s branches. The two US officers wanted to trim the tree. This agitated the North Korean soldiers and led to them picking up the axes and killing the US officers. This incident led to the creation of the MDL right through the middle of the JSA and DMZ. The line is marked by posts. Between the conference rooms in the JSA there is one long concrete strip to clearly show the line which neither side can cross.

Before entering the JSA, we had to visit Camp Bonifas (named after one of the US officers who were killed in 1976) to sign a waiver and to be briefed on how to act within the JSA. You are not allowed to make eye contact with North Korean soldiers, make any gestures at them, nor touch anything that belongs to North Korea inside the conference rooms. We were ushered onto a military bus and driven very slowly into the JSA. Everyone was very quiet realizing that we were entering a very tense location. The picture you probably have in your mind of the DMZ is of North and South Korean soldiers standing right across the MDL with two blue buildings flanking them. This is called Conference Row. The two buildings are the conference rooms where the two countries can come to communicate. What I found interesting was that the South Korean soldiers held a very strong posture with their legs far apart and their arms slightly flexed. Unfortunately, that day there was only one North Korean soldier up on the stairs of the large concrete building just across the MDL on the North Korean side. Normally the North Korean soldiers stand straight like a pole looking at each other. Supposedly this is to prevent them from defecting to the South. Once inside the conference room, I was excited to get what I have always considered THE JUMPSHOT.  Of course the South Korean guard had to hold his composure, but I jumped next to him and I was technically on the North Korean side of the MDL. We were only allowed to take photos facing the North and not the South. Perhaps that is so the North Koreans can’t have a closer look at the South’s side of the JSA. I don’t know.

On our way back to Camp Bonifas, we passed the famous Axe Murder site and the Bridge of No Return. This is where North Korea and South Korea swapped POW’s in 1953. The POW’s were given the choice to stay with their captors or to return to their own side. It was given its name because once across the soldier could not change his mind. The bus ride took us very close to Propaganda Village and I got a very clear view of the North Korean flag. It is bizarre to look at this place and realize how different life is for people living only a few hundred meters away. Once in the camp, I was lucky enough to meet two soldiers who were open to chatting and willing to do a jump shot with me.

In the end, I left feeling glad that the US played such a big role in the Korean War and that our two countries can have such close friendly relations. I know many South Koreans of our generation today don’t like that the US has such a strong military presence in their country, but the older generation has very warm and welcoming emotions towards Americans. Their greetings were unexpected and a pleasant surprise compared to what I have received in other parts of the world.  As a militaristic nation we have made many mistakes over the past few decades, but we should be proud of our involvement in the Korean War and aspire to assisit our allies in a non-self glorifying manner in the future.

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Meet the Dutchman: Tim Alexander Maxentius Feliks

3/11/2015

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I just wanted to take a moment and put together a collection of pictures for a very special lady. The Dutchman’s mother, Caroline, has been an avid follower of the blog and a huge supporter of this trip. Caroline, you did a fantastic job raising a very thoughtful and driven son. We may give him a hard time for loving orange and for using words like oepil, but he is a quality friend whom we value greatly. All the best.

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South Korea: Welcome to the Soul of Asia

3/11/2015

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I knew that the weather in Korea was going to be an adjustment from that of Vietnam. I actually looked forward to not profusely sweating around midday. What I didn’t process was that 1 degree Celsius is pretty dang cold.  So my first two days in Korea have been orderly and clean, but oh so cold.

Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount of time necessary to get into the city from the airport and wasn’t able to meet my Couchsurfing host until 12:20 am. He was very kind and picked me up at the metro, so I didn’t have to wander in the cold looking for his apartment. It is a very nice modern apartment with heated floors. As always, Couchsurfing has brought another wonderful local into my life. Yongho is a teacher of Korean Literature. He is a very busy man, but is an excellent host. Above my bed he has posted a list of tourist attractions and information about them for all his guests.

Updating you on my first two days will be easy because I basically did the same thing two days in a row. On Day one I realized a chiropractor trip was necessary. I hit my head twice while in Vietnam and had to sit on an uneven seat for a four hour bus ride, both of which caused my vertebrae to go out of place. Having hit my pain threshold, I went out in search of a Korean chiropractor. Luckily, the first doctor I visited was a perfect fit for me. Dr. James Lee studied in the US for ten years and is a hilariously sarcastic man, whom I plan to see five times during my stay in Seoul. It seems like a lot of visits, but he is going to run me through some basic physical therapy. When I first walked in the office, all I heard were loud grunts of pain. My initial reaction was one of embarrassment for the person being adjusted. It wasn’t until I was up that I realized it was the doctor himself grunting, sputtering, and exasperatedly swearing at himself. When I asked him to adjust my ankle he huffed, “You talk too much Lady! If you stayed in Korea, you would be the death of me!” He also told me that he lived in my “shitty country” in the 80s and that he would appreciate me introducing him to Oprah Winfrey. Besides being an entertaining fellow, he is an excellent chiropractor and I hope to learn as much from him as I can in the coming week.

After my appointment I gorged on bibimbap. I really enjoyed the traditional experience of sitting on a heated floor next to a low table. Bibimbap is served in a hot clay bowl that keeps the dish hot. It is a mix of rice, seaweed, kimchi, veggies, and one raw egg. Most people usually add spicy hot sauce to the mix.

With a full belly and my hat pulled low I walked to the War Memorial Museum of Korea. The first exhibit I visited was on the South Korean Army’s (ROK) role in the Vietnam War. It was humorous to hear that history told from the opposite perspective from the one I have read about for the past month. Unfortunately, the propaganda was just as strong. Apparently, the South Korean troops returned home victorious because the small region they were in charge of was contained and educated on the evils of communism. Just check out some of the signs above… It was odd.

I was feeling very disappointed in the museum before reaching the first of three exhibits on the Korean War. My opinion of the museum instantly flipped. The money and time put into this place is beyond impressive. So much so, I spent two days at the same museum! Not only is it excellent, it is free!

The museum clearly explains the events leading up to the war. In 1910 Japan took over the Korean Peninsula. This was a dark period for Korea. Japan did a lot of damage to Korean cultural sites and in many ways mistreated the Koreans. Understanding this conflict helps one to have a better understanding of current Asian politics. With the end of WWII in 1945, Japan’s imperialistic holdings were liberated. Korea was very poor at that time and not in a position to build a united government on its own. The US and the Soviet Union stepped in. They divided the country along the 38th parallel.  The United States oversaw the South and the Soviet Union oversaw the north. The UN suggested that a single united Korean government be established through a democratic vote in January 1948. The Soviet Union would not allow the UN Temporary Commission to go into North Korea. Thus the UN recognized and US backed Republic of Korea was formed through national elections on May 10th, 1948. The Soviet Union assisted in the creation of a communistic regime, the ironically titled Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on September 9th, 1948. The two parties were too ideologically different and their differences mirrored the growing global tension between east and west, communism and democracy.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Il-Sung, went to both Stalin and Mao Tse-tung with hopes that his communist comrades in the Soviet Union and China would aid him in an attack on South Korea. At first Stalin was hesitant and didn’t want to go into direct conflict with the US. Several things quickly changed though. The Soviet Union developed its own atomic bomb and China became a communist country. He told Kim Il-Sung to get Mao’s pledged to be involved before attacking the South. As time went on Stalin shared through several letters that he believed the US would not be interested in getting involved in another war so close to WWII. The Soviet Union gave North Korea a 40 million dollar loan and the most up to date weapons (T-34 tanks, Yak fighters, etc.) With Soviet weapons and a promise from Mao that the Chinese Army would step in if the US got involved, the North Korean People’s Army marched on South Korea on June 25th, 1950.

The South’s army was very weak at the time. The US General Douglas MacArthur, had just sent home an assessment of the South’s defense system and was extremely worried about such an imminent attack. He described the south as extremely unprepared, untrained, unequipped, and under manned. To make things worse, on June 24th the troops were allowed to take some R&R and were no longer on high alert. The NKPA rolled across the 38th parallel with ease and within three days took Seoul.

President Truman immediately requested a meeting of the United Nations. On June 26th the UN Security Council met and demanded that the North Korean troops retreat north of the 38th parallel. North Korea ignored this order and the UN labeled North Korea as an invading force. The UN then made the decision to send in troops in support of the South. General Douglas MacArthur, the commander of the U.S. Army’s Forces in the Far East, was appointed as the first UN Forces Commander. This was the first time a single country was put in charge of a militaristic UN force. The United States with a strong desire to stop the spread of communism was the first to respond. By the beginning of July US troops were on the ground. The first wave of US led UN forces were hard hit and struggled to reinforce the South’s line. After two months of heavy fighting, the ROK (Republic of Korea) forces and UN forces were pushed all the way to the southern city of Busan. With reinforcements and strong organization the UN forces were able to push the North Korean troops all the way to the 38th parallel and then to the Chinese border.

Hopes were high of reunification and an end of the war. Unfortunately, a hard winter hit and the UN forces found themselves in a barren frozen wasteland. To make things worse the Chinese Army arrived. The UN forces were eventually forced to retreat back to the 38th parallel. One of the most dramatic points of the war was the Heungnam evacuation. From December 14th to the 24th, 1950, 105,000 ROK and UN soldiers, 17,000 vehicles, large amounts of equipment, and over 100,000 North Korean refugees were evacuated to the South. The scene has been described by many there as horrific. Many families were divided and heard yelling to one another that they would meet back up at the end of the war. Little did they know that North and South would not be reunited and in most cases they would never see one another again.

The war continued until 3 years 1 month and 2 days after the original invasion with the signing of an armistice. The two countries agreed on forming a Demilitarized Zone, creating a barrier neither could cross. This strained sense of peace still stands and in essence they are still at war. They do not have open diplomatic ties and since the armistice was signed there have been many skirmishes between the two. South Koreans dream of the day when the two nations may be reunified and many families can reunite.

This war was an example of how nations can come together in the pursuit of peace and freedom. Around 60 nations either sent troops, weapons, medical supplies, and/or funding. I was surprised to see that the three countries who sent the most participants were the United States (1,789,000), UK (56,000), and Ethiopia (56,000). The United States forces suffered 33,642 causalities, 8,000 missing, and 92,134 wounded. It was a tough war which led to huge losses of human life both military and civilian. It left the Korean peninsula scared and an entire generation divided. I don’t know why this war isn’t discussed more. Not only is it still a daily part of Koreans’ lives, but it was the basis for the Vietnam War, Cold War, and many current tensions. I commend the Korean spirit and their ability to look towards the future with a positive vision of a reunified Korea.

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    Hi, I'm Kristin!

    I am an avid traveler who also loves photography, history, and food. Life is short and I am trying to gather as many special memories as I can.

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