It's been a while

It has been so long, that finals are now just around the corner. School has been quite easy. For that reason, my teacher approached and told me that if I was up for it, I could skip a level (3) and move onto 4 next term. This is exactly what I am going to do. I have learned most of the items from level 3 through my own curiousity, so this week I am going to spend some time filling in some of the gaps and once I return from Thailand, I should be in level 4. Ideally, by the end of my experience here, I would love to graduate Sogang's Korean program; we'll see how that goes. Well that's the school update.

Quite a bit has happened since I last wrote, so I'll hit some of the major things that have happened.

I went to the DMZ. The DMZ is the demilitarized zone, a 4 kilometer wide border from coast to coast which keeps North and South Korea divided. it is a truly remarkable place. One can truly feel an acute sense of tension when you are in the JSA, or Join Security Area; it is then also fascinating to discern that the DMZ is also one of the world's thriving ecological paradises in terms of myriad species of flora and fauna. I guess that's what happens when there is limited human contact for over 50 years.

We saw everything from the JSA, and the blue buildings where many important decisions regarding the destiny of the divided peninsula have taken places, a place where North Korean soldiers have come in to dance barefoot on the conference tables and left permanent marks that can't be washed out, makes you wonder what sort of dire conditions the North Koreans are enduring.
The are is guarded by South Korea's best, men who are constantly vigilant in a pose that prompts those around them that they are ready at any given moment to attack. Opposite of the South Korean red cross building is the building that severa years ago was nothing more than a hollow facade of a building. Similar to this previously counterfeit building, stands the one North Korean city that can be seen from the DMZ, propaganda city. A hollow shell of a city, that up until 1998 was off and on populated by North Koreans just for show. Nothing in th city is functional, and all the buildings are as real as a set of giant legos. Towering above this city that makes a ghost town seem inviting, is an imposing North Korean flag believed to be the largest in the world ( I believe), so much so that it needs to be taken down when it rains if not it is said that it will rip under its own weight. Right next to propaganda city, you can see the industrial complex that was constructed at the beginning of this century as a sign of partnership between the North and South, a place where South Koreans can purchase cheap labor. The North Koreans, or Kim Jong-Il perhaps, also benefits. South Korea provides a steady flow of electricity for the availability of the factory workers to do anything from assembling cameras to peeling potatoes.

We also visited the network of tunnels that were discovered by the South Koreans in the late 70s. These tunnels were dug by the North Koreans and came as close as 90 kilometers to Seoul. Above ground it would ahve been even a little more difficult, given that there are collapsable walls all over the DMZ , and even some in Seoul it self, to stop invaders, particularly those in tanks. When the tunnels were discovered the North Koreans hurried and painted the walls of the cave with coal, claiming that they weren't tunnels meant for infiltration, but for mining coal, yeah sure North Korea. Anyway, the U.S. military has set it up quite nicely where you can take a train ride remeniscent of a theme park into these once threatening tunnels.

It was truly a remarkable experience. Upon entry, we were told we would be entering the Twilight Zone, doo doo doo doo doo, and they were not joking. I am not really doing it justice hear, but hopefully you can get an idea of what this place is like. If I have the time and money later, mostly money (the tour runs a few hundred a day), I would love to go into North Korea, no worries, I have a Mexican passport, probably not going to happen though.

On the topic of North Korea, I went to an art gallery in Seoul's broadway if you will, Tehangno ( literally university street), of perhaps the most important Korean contemporary artist, Lee Bang. Most of his artwork revolves around the DMZ and the idea of "expansion". He is a very abstract artist who uses a lot of mixed media, and views the canvas itself as the piece, with very powerful pieces ranging from massive 5 square meter canvases plastered monochromatically with acrylic and systematically punctured through out, to relatively disturbing pieces of abstracted limbs in plaster on acrylic. The former simply called "winter in the DMZ", and the latter the "5 ways of accidental death". Some of his other pieces include humongous mixed media collages of current affairs in Korea, that probably say more than most sensational news we hear on the tube. I was truly moved, particulary after having visited the DMZ.

Last thought on the DMZ. I am planning to begin volunteering with a program that the church I have started to attend is flagshipping. It is sort of an adopt-a-North Korea program. You help them get adapted into the bustling and connected world that is Seoul; imagine having had absolutely no contact with the outside world, having virtually no freedom, and suddenly being thrust into the free world, overwhelming? yeah, quite. Anyway, I will be going to a North Korean church this weekend to start meeting some of them, and I am basically just looking forward to establishing a meaningful relationship with a North Korean relationship. I don't say this as the naive "I think it'll make a difference type" either. When I lived in Japan, some of the most influential people I have met in my life were refugees, from Chechnya, Iraq, Sudan and Cuba. These people have literally shaped who I am today and are people I keep in touch until this day, so I am hoping I can find that sort of friend through this program. There is also one more volunteering activity I am thinking of doing. This one has to do with all the orphns here in Korea. I have always been astounded at the number of adopted Koreans living in the US, but do we ever think of those who aren't getting adopted? I didn't think so, anyways.....

My documentary has been going splendidly. I have been quite busy because of it, doing a lot of interviews, and it gets a little tiring having a camera follow you all the time, but who I am I kidding...I love it. I'll be going in this Saturday, to the studio, to start recording my narration, in Korean of course. I believe it will hit cable television some time early next year, hopefully it can hit some festivals as well.

Speaking of festivals and what not. I am really finding my scene here in Seoul, the places I like, where things are happening etc. Before coming, I was a little afraid that Seoul wouldn't have to great of an art scene for example, but boy was I wrong, some new Chagall, Dali, and Van Gogh have just come in, something I found out at a little cafe in a Korean art journal, and I am continuously pleasantly surprised by the countless pockest of culture in this city. It keeps me busy and intelectually satisfied, and the great thing is, that Seoul is still pretty much overlooked globally, pity.

Besides the above, hopefully there will be another performance for Lucas and I before I head off to Thailand, and I also need to start cramming those few holes in my brain with some level 3 knowledge. Hopefully, I can write, before Thailand, but it'll probably be during or after. Thanks for reading, kind of long, I know. And I am still having trouble with pictures! I have them, but I just can't manage to post them. Till next time.