Exploring Seoul

This past weekend the Fulbright Program sponsored a trip to Seoul for all of the new ETAs. We left for Seoul at 3:15 AM on Friday morning. When we arrived in Seoul we briefly stopped at our hotel but then quickly departed for the DMZ because we had a 9AM tour. Being able to visit the Demilitarized Zone was an unbelievable opportunity. Our tour began by visiting the Joint Security Area, which is a part of the DMZ that is jointly inhabited by North Korean, South Korean and US soldiers as well as Swiss and Swedish delegates who help with negotiations between the North and South. While here we had to follow a very strict dress code, walk in two straight lines and we couldn't make any gestures or show too much expression. The American soldiers were very serious about this. We were able to take pictures of the visible North Korean soldiers (who also took photos of us to potentially use as propaganda). We also entered the building where talks occur between the two parties and within that building we were able to cross into North Korea. It was unbelievable but I'm happy I can now say I've been to North Korea.

South Korean soldiers facing a North Korean building

North Korea

A train that used to run between North and South Korea. This is the current last stop since you can't travel into North Korea.

The other particuarly memorable part of the DMZ tour was visiting the third tunnel. The third tunnel is a tunnel that North Koreans dug to try to attack South Korea. This tunnel is the third of five found but North Korean defectors say there are over 20 tunnels which is frankly very alarming. It was neat to walk down into the tunnel especially since you could see black smears on the walls because North Korea claimed the tunnel was for mining coal even though there is no coal in the area- they painted the black smears!

Besides the DMZ the highlight of my Seoul trip was definitely the food. It was so satisfying to eat Western food for the first time in months! My friends and I even found a taco placed own by an ex- New Yorker. He used to live in Downtown Brooklyn and worked on Wall Street. It was really nice to talk to someone who knew Breezy Point, Poly Prep and all my favorite places to eat in Downtown Brooklyn.

American breakfast in the foreigner district- even the bathroom sign was in English!

A temple in Seoul

Rice growing on a street in Seoul to raise citizens' environmental consciousness

Amber, Rachel and I outside a temple

A man- made river in downtown Seoul

Another highlight was graduating from my Korean language course although it was very hard to say goodbye to my teachers. They have been unbelievably loving, supportive and encouraging. I'm pretty nervous about my Korean acquisition without them by my side. Speaking of which, I am now in Hwacheon and have just finished my second day of teaching! It has been quite a whirlwind adventure full of love, support and many, many miscommunications. I will write more about my school, my co-teacher and my family very, very soon!