Yongsan Military Base

Today, Denise and I paid a visit to the US military base in Seoul, where our friend King is stationed. And by paid a visit, I mean he escorted us as visitors around the base.

It was surreal. The base has about 1300 people living on it. It has its own bus system. There are elementary, middle and high schools with American curriculum. All the prices are in US dollars. There is a hospital, a post office (where postage paid is American postage), libraries, chapels, food facilities and movie theaters. Whatever the US has, they have brought a little piece of it to S Korea and put it on the base. King is awesome though. Denise met him in September at the Rocky Mountain Tavern pub in the foreign area of Seoul. Over the last few months, we have all become really good friends. King is from Atlanta and joined the military one year ago. He has been stationed in Seoul since September and his job within the military is with human resources. I'd wanted to see the base for a while. So when Denise said that she wanted to call King this weekend, I thought maybe it would be a cool idea if we went to his house and work and world. I think that he was pretty happy that we wanted to come and hang out where he lives. I'm fairly certain that all of his friends are from the military, so who wouldn't want 2 Canadian girls hanging out for a while?

We arrived mid afternoon and had to register at one of the entrance gates and get guest passes. We walked through part of the base to where the bus station is. We got on a bus that just goes around the whole base because it was a sort of tour, for us, not others. We saw it all and it is a full on city within a city. There are huge garages that house all the Hummers and whatever other vehicles they use, housing for everyone from single GI's to entire families. There's a massive grocery store (that we were not allowed to enter as visitors), playing fields, gyms, a huge daycare, a beauty salon and stores. Some people have their own cars, depending on their rank. There is a taxi system within the base, all in US dollars. King showed us all the major buildings, his room, the building he works in and where he goes to school. We even spent an hour in the library reading english magazines. There are vending machines everywhere, with american products (Dad, they have NutRagious bars!). I found it so strange to be in Korea but in an area that has nothing Korean within it except food service employees. I was just fascinate with the whole thing. Denise and I were mostly freaked out by all the foreigners in one place, a reverse form of culture shock. The weirdest part of the whole visit was that Denise and I knew so much about the base and the systems because of the American Forces Network radio station. We listen to it in our own homes because there is some good music. The commercials are all public service announcements from the military about 'try not to get sexually assaulted' or 'make sure you get home before curfew'. As we drove around the base and saw all the signs for things, we already knew the rules that went along with everything.

We ate Taco Bell and pizza. I bought some booze and Red Bull at the 'Class Six' store. All the products are in English, where everything else that is in English in Korea has a sticker with Korean slapped over it. I didn't take any pictures, mostly because I wasn't allowed. We were there for about 6 hours. We are already planning the next trip to the base. Like I said, it was so surreal.

Movies vs. the book

I just watched The Kite Runner. I loved loved loved the book. The movie left out so many important part of the story that it did not have the same impact. So if you have seen the movie, read the book immediately because there is so much to the story.

Learning lessons the hard way

When I became my own roommate sometime last year, I thought it was pretty cool. I'd always lived with friends or roommates or life partners, so I was quite excited. Until I was walking down the hall one evening, caught my big toe in the cuff of my lulu pants, and nearly smashed my head into the corner of a wall. When I caught myself and quickly giggled to get over the fright, the image of the dog licking my face as I slowly died, alone, in my apartment, played over and over in my head. Not in the bad way, like I should get a roommate, but mostly that I should be me more careful. Other close calls have been slipping in the shower or starting a small fire in the kitchen. And on this cold February night, I can now say: Do not practice yoga handstands that require perfect balance while home alone. Especially if there is nothing below your face but a hardwood floor.

Books

I just finished a book called 'Eat Pray Love'. Its written by a woman who travelled around the world after divorce, heartbreak and depression, to find balance, spirituality and happiness. I was amazing by her story and how it spoke to me on so many levels. In the last 2 years I too have gone through depression, a sense of loss and separation from my own identity, a breakup, and a complete change in life that resulted in moving across the world to a new unknown career, country and continent.

This book put into words so many things that I could never express. Maybe that is why Elizabeth Gilbert is the New York Times Best selling writer and I am not. Everything from yoga and meditation, to God and religion and spirituality, to love, food and happiness, I could relate to. I've never been a religious person. And up until a few years ago, I didn't believe in God whatsoever. My belief in God only came to me in 2004, while driving back from my university graduation after smoking a joint and reading the first 20 pages of 'The Life of Pi'. Even then, I didn't know how to categorize my belief, or explain it, and thus continued the role of an atheist. Gilbert used the term 'cherry picker', one who chooses certain things from certain religions. That is what I am, I could just never find the right title. The author even addresses the issues of capitilizing the 'G' in God (which I do, now), or if God should be 'He', despite Gilbert being a feminist (I think of God as more of a She, but 'It' will do too).

Even the way her mind operates. She called it monkey thinking, or something. Thoughts going from branch to branch, never stopping and easily changing direction with the slightest thought of another topic. This is me! This is the source of my insomnia since I was a kid! This has always been a challenge for me when practicing yoga, or feeling guilty, or feeling sad, homesick, happy, whatever. My brain never stops.

On Monday night, I went to a friend's birthday dinner and met a girl from Mississauga. We are the same age and have some similarities in how we ended up in Korea. We both had the job, clothes, car, house, boyfriend. Yet at 25, questioned whether this was what the rest of our lives were supposed to be all about. Early in the night, we both got on the topic about the book. She had just finished it and I was still halfway through. We both had the same feelings towards the story and the message and the book totally impacted our lives. The book is like having a conversation with a friend. Laughter, lots of 'I know what you mean' and 'Me too'.

I feel incredibly inspired to work on 'me'. I mean, I always have had time to work on me, but I never knew what direction or path would take me to the answers that I have been looking for. In the six months since I have been away from home, I have learned a lot. I still have a lot to do, but at least I know what I can do tomorrow.

Shanghai Photos

They're up! I would also like to mention that Denise got sick at the end of our trip also. Who knows why I didn't get sick. Must be my iron stomach.

Namdaemun Gate

Some my have heard, but last Sunday night, an arsonist burned down the South Gate in Seoul. Its a wooden and stone structure that was part of the wall that surrounded the city long ago. It was built in the 1300s and has survived several wars. It was declared Korea's #1 National Treasure. And now its gone. I wanted to see it burned. I saw it once a few months ago. Its pretty cool actually. So yesterday I went to pay my respects. So did the rest of the city. It was actually really sad. So many people were there just looking at it. There was a shrine set up with flowers, an old black and white photo and a board where people could write messages. People had also left booze and food for it, in case it was hungry or needed to get drunk. There were lots of TV cameras and a few Buddhist monks who were playing drums and flutes. I was looking at people closely, wondering if anyone was crying, but I saw no tears. The whole site is surrounded by temporary walls and only a small area has plexiglas so people can see in. There are tons of workers removing debris and lots of police standing guard. Two enormous cranes soar over the site also.

Who knows what they'll do with it. There is one other gate very similar to it in another part of the city. Its not like they can just rebuild it. Well they could, but its not the same.

Here are some photos:

Shanghai - the summary

So, I am rested/have clean clothes/have groceries and I can get some of the good stories down.

Shanghai is an amazing city. As I said before, there is extreme poverty and wealth in the same place. All the big stores are there: Prada, Louis V, Coach, Farragamo, Chanel. Then the cars: Ferrari, Maserati, Prosche, Benz, BMW. In one area there was a luxury car dealership on every corner in an intersection. Then down the street, a woman with her child in her hands held out her cup for change. On the subway, some children crawled around on the floor from person to person asking for money. Many of the poor people didn't look Chinese though, they looked Mongolian, with rounder faces and bigger eyes. Their cheeks were red and scaly. European aristocracy dominated the city for a long time and the architecture is very French and English. Beautiful buildings are everywhere, with large windows and ornate entrances and doorways. The other half of the architecture is that of modern Asia: huge skyscrapers soaring 80 floors above the streets, constructed of glass and metal, and in various shapes.

Highlights? Number one for all of us was the Propaganda Poster Art Centre. This man has collected hundreds of posters created during the Mao era. He features groups of them in a museum, organized by important years. Explanations on the type of art and the influences of society are posted so that the visitor can understand the message of the poster. The museum is in an unassuming apartment building in the basement. He has so many posters because after Mao died, people simply threw away the posters in the garbage. I believe that there were orders to discard all of the posters from the new government. This man had gone around and collected the discarded posters over time and now has this amazing exhibit. He also has hundreds of posters for sale. All sizes are available. He had postcard-sized pictures, black and white photos of workers, Mao and several other propaganda photos. There were 2 magazines from North Korea that were propaganda driven, with anti-western messages and photos depicting a starving and struggling South Korea. The store also had old Red Books, which were page after page of Mao's messages, poetry and ideas. The only bad thing about this was that he didn't take credit cards. Nor did I have any cash. I would've loved to have a large sized poster. However, it not really the right time to buy one anyway. I have his email address and one day I plan on getting a poster for my house, whenever that is. Anyway, Denise, Leesa and I were so impressed with the whole thing.

We also shopped. There is an H&M there. Since non of us have really bought any clothes in Korea, because we can't (too small, ugly and only one piece of most things), we were in this store for 3 hours. It was 4 floors of retail heaven. My arm hurt from carrying so many things. I'm surprised how little I walked away with. I was very selective and ended up with some shirts and jewelry, for under $100. After shopping, we went to a spa. Denise and I got a Japanese massage, manicure and pedicure for under $50. We were there for a few hours. Definitely time well spent.

Other highlights were the Maglev train from the airport (max speed of 431 km/h), the old town (very poor part of town, small houses, no flushing toilets or plumbing systems. Imagine the smell, but that is how most of China lives.), the market (thousands of people in one place for the new year), acrobats (the really tiny flexible ones), walking around with no agenda and meeting amazing people at our hostel. We partied in the little pub in the hostel every night. We didn't meet many teachers, but mostly people were just traveling from Argentina, England, Brazil, Spain, France, Scotland, Australia, Canada.

Some of the most random things happened too. One night we all got in a few cabs to go to a club. Turns out the club didn't exist and we all ended up driving around for about an hour. We nearly got run over by a few cars while crossing streets. I guess its pretty normal in most parts of Asia, but we had a walk sign each time. There was the swiss guy at the hostel who LOVED poutine and asked every single person that walked by if they knew where he could get some. Then there is the beauty of staying a mixed dorm hostel, for $4 a night per person. We met some really cool people in our 6 bunk room over the 5 days. One guy that was in our room talked, cried, wailed and moaned in his sleep. He had something going on, and I really felt bad for him. But we were woken up by him yelling "Why!? Why?!". It went on for a few hours. A while later, I woke up and he was standing in the middle of the room. Every other morning, he would rip a huge fart while he was still sleeping. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I'm still in that potty stage of humour and farting makes me laugh, what can I say.

Its hard to sum up trips like this in a few paragraphs. I was looking through my pictures last night and so many things came back to me that I had forgotten already. That happens to me on every trip I go on. The trip happens, I feel a bit crazy and confused when I get home. But then I look at my photos and remember the fabulous moments that made the trip so awesome. Denise and Leesa are the greatest people to travel with. Through all the insults going back and forth, the really degrading nicknames and the tear-jerking laughter, I love them to death and would go anywhere in the world with them. We are all so different, and they both have qualities that I really admire.

Now I am back in Seoul. The people are better looking and have much nicer teeth, on the whole. The streets are a bit cleaner. I have a new appreciation for this city that I will call home for another 6 months.

Shanghai

I just got home from 5 days in Shanghai. I am dirty, cold and tired. Chinese New Year in China is crazy and I recommend it. Its a city with such extreme poverty and lavish elegance in the same place. Far more than anywhere else I have been. Leesa, Denise and I had a great time together. We laughed a lot and made fun of each other constantly, which is what we do. Poor Leesa was sick all last night and today with the flu and felt terrible the whole way home. We stocked her with barf bags and drugs, so hopefully she feels better tomorrow.

I am so glad to be back in Seoul, which I call home now I guess. We met so many people in Shanghai. Of course everyone asks where everyone is from when traveling. Our answer: "Canada. But I live in Korea." It felt so weird, but I decided that my favourite possession is my passport. I learned a lot about China and its history. Wikipedia, amongst several other websites are banned there. And Mao is still a hero to many.

That all for now, because I need to go scrub every inch of my body in the shower.

I have never wanted to get home into my apartment more than I just did right now. Its dark, windy and cold outside, and I didn't wear enough layers today. The feeling of being in my cozy little pad with its lego look and heated floor puts my mind.

We leave for Shanghai in 36 hours. I have been reading constantly about the city and things to do. There is no shortage of news coverage of the worst snowstorm in 50 years over there, with the hundreds of thousands of people trying to get home, this one chance during the year, to see families. However it seems that the worst hit parts of further south than where we will be.

Lunar New Year is the BIG holiday here. I went to the department store on Sunday and this is when the crazy shopping happens. Not Christmas, but now. I kind of liked watching it all go down. Especially since I didn't have to buy anything.