Visiting our Friends in the North

I'm sure everyone has those one or two dreams on their bucket lists that they would love to do but they know that those dreams will probably never come true. One of the things on my list (#31) is "Visit every country in the world." So far, I think I've done pretty good with 23 out of 194 countries and it is my hope to visit at least a few more while living over here in China. But if I force myself to really think things through (which pains me to do sometimes), there are a few countries that might be a bit difficult to be able to visit without fearing for my life.

One of those countries happened to be North Korea.

Now I admit, personally I don't know much about the country of North Korea (though I am obsessed with the pop culture of it's southern counterpart). All I really know goes back to my early years in high school, learning about the Korean War. I know that after World War II, Korea was split in half at the 38th Parallel--the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south by the US (both with VERY different governments at this time). In 1950, North Korean forces passed over the 38th Parallel and entered South Korea, starting the Korean War. Eventually there was a cease-fire and armistice talks that set the borders to how they had been prior to the war, set at the 38th Parallel. Thank you APUSH.

Aside from that and knowing that my grandfather on my father's side fought in the Korea War, I don't know too much about the country. I know that Lisa Ling (my hero) from National Geographic went there once. I know Dennis Rodman likes to visit. I know from reading Escape from Camp 14 that there are still labor/death camps in the countryside. And I know recently a music group of idols were executed and one of the members was Kim Jong Un's ex-girlfriend.

Most of us in the West are afraid of North Korea and from what we see in the media and hear through the grapevine, I think it is pretty fair to feel that way.

However, being in Dalian, a mere four hour bus ride away from the border between China and North Korea, clearly The Adams and I decided that it was time to pay North Korea a visit!!

For 100RMB, we hopped on a charter bus and rode for four hours to the city of Dandong.

Snuggled in nice and close to North Korea

There is a very big military culture up in Dandong. The Korean War (or as the Chinese call it, "The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea") has not been forgotten in this city and that is due to The Friendship Bridge.

The Friendship Bridge might be the #1 attraction in Dandong. It is actually made up of two bridges--one that still connects China to North Korea and another known as the Broken Bridge that was destroyed when the US bombed it in 1951 during the Korean War to stop troops from China entering into Korea. It is still broken today and for 27RMB (that's about $4) you can walk along the bridge out over the Yalu River.

The best part about visiting these bridges is just how close you get to North Korea. North Korea was one of those countries that I never imagined being able to see so when I arrived at the bridges and spotted the factory in the distance--the only real structure you could see--it was a sobering moment. I don't know anyone who has been anywhere near North Korea, and so, as we stood along the shore of the Yalu River, it was kind of hard to not feel like a total badass.

People are not allowed on the bridge that connects the two countries together. However, tourists flock to the Broken Bridge that goes a little more than halfway across the Yalu River. There are vendors selling Korean cigarettes and fake money. There are street performers, people selling balloons, and even places for ladies to dress up in a hanbok (the traditional Korean dress) for photoshoots. China knows that this is a tourist attraction and businesses, shops, and vendors have all set themselves up strategically along the shore of the river.

North Korea and China across the Yalu River

On the other side of the river, it is the complete opposite. It is empty, spooky, and desolate. There is a factory that towers over the trees along the North Korean shore of the river. Even spookier is the Ferris wheel that you can see in the distance just beyond the treeline. It never moves and no one is riding it but it is there, trying desperately to show the outside world an illusion of a happy country where families might spend an afternoon at an amusement park together. It is a facade that would freak anyone out. To accompany the spooky sight of the abandoned Ferris wheel, there is also a beach that you can see from the bridge and on that beach there are children playing in the water. You can't help but wonder what they are doing there. Are they happy? Are they forced to be there? Maybe they are being paid to put on a show for the tourists who are riding by on the high speed boats. Either way, it only further adds to the mystery that is North Korea.

Now people who know me might be aware of the fact that I might not be one of the most patriotic people on the planet. I do not hate my country--not by any means!--but if I had to list my relationship status with America on Facebook, it would have to say, "It's complicated." I think that we have some great things to offer... but I also believe that sometimes we think way too highly of ourselves and we have the tendency to always feel the need to play the hero. I hate politics with every fiber of my being so I don't want to start any kind of debate. Long story short: I'm not openly patriotic. 

That being said, I could not help but feel awesome walking along that bridge. The whole time along the bridge (and also at the nearby war museum focused on the "War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea") you are constantly bombarded with the story of the American aggressors and how they were so cruel to destroy this bridge that linked the two countries of Korea and China together. I did not notice it at first but Adam pointed out and asked me, "Did you notice all the dirty looks we've been getting?" I admit, I had been completely oblivious to them but as I looked around, I noticed (especially among the older people) we were getting a lot of nasty, dirty looks for being there. It's so interesting to witness a moment in history through the eyes of the opposite side.

We walked the length of the bridge which takes you out over the Yalu River. At the end is the jagged remains of the bridge that had been so cruelly destroyed by those nasty old Americans. As I stood at the end of the bridge, the sharp, twisted metal behind me and the country of North Korea before me, I could not help but feel ridiculously patriotic. Yes, America bombed this bridge. Yes, America broke that one highway between the two countries. Yes, America was cruel enough to use weapons against their enemy in a war. In that moment I was proud to be an American. With all those dirty looks being thrown my way, I was able to hold my head up high and look at that broken bridge with a bit of pride.

Now, did we actually go to North Korea? I am not entirely sure. I've read online several different things. I read that the moment you get onto the bridge, you are technically in North Korea. I also read that once you go beyond the halfway point across the river, you are technically in North Korean territory. And then I read that if you walk to the end of the bridge and stick your hand over the side, THAT is North Korea. I don't know which one is true (if any of them) so we made sure to do all of them--we got on the bridge, walked more than halfway, and went as far beyond the end of the bridge as we could. No matter what, I am going to count it because being able to say you visited North Korea is about as badass as you can get.

Taking that one last step!!

Overall, Dandong was a very interesting place to visit. It is always interesting to look at someone else's point of view especially when it comes to something like a war. And while I couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable whenever Americans were referred to as the aggressors in the Korean War and how one sided and skewed China's museum is on the war, I think it was a great experience. To be able to say that I not only saw North Korea (including that God-awful Ferris wheel), but also say that I might have technically stepped foot in the country is something that I never thought that I would do. It is one of those things that you always wonder about or ask yourself, "What if?" For 200RMB and eight hours on a bus, I am glad that I got to answer that question of "What if?" and got to see a country that has always fascinated and terrified me at the same time.

But our National Holiday Tour isn't over yet! Stay tuned for our time in Dalian and the oh-so exciting (aka terrifying) flight home to Hangzhou through a typhoon!

To be continued...

Until Next Time,
Amanda

Live As Though You Have 49 Days

ONE WEEK!! ONE WEEK!! ONE WEEK!!

It's hard to think after almost a year since I applied for the Fulbright scholarship (and didn't make it), eight months after I first set foot in China, and five months since I applied to teach at both Beijing Normal University and Hangzhou Normal University, I only have one week left in the good ol' US of A for a year (most likely two). I can't do much to prepare myself mentally for what might happen while I am over there but I can be darn sure to make the most of my last few weeks before my departure (and eat as much cheese as possible since Rachel's suffering from the lack thereof during her stay has nearly traumatized me).

It's been hard thinking that each time I say goodbye to someone, it might be the last time I see them for a long time (since I'm not expecting too many people to be dropping $1500 on a plane ticket to come visit me in China).

I admit that during the past few years, I've gone through a bit of a crisis, feeling as though I did not have friends to count on. I realized that I did not have many friends from high school; I didn't keep in touch with my group of friends from school and looking around at the other girls in my life who had a large group of girlfriends, I was painfully reminded of this. However, as I have gotten older (in my oh-so wise 23 years), I have come to see how silly these fears were and I know that I truly am blessed with an array of friends--Team Awesome from Oswego, my Ghostlight theatre crew, the WooGulls, my local friends, Mango Group in China, and my newfound friends and amazing housemates from my Disney College Program.  

Realizing that I am so blessed with the people, friends, and family in my life, it has become quite stressful trying to make time to see everyone before I leave. However, with several get-togethers,  getting to see Godspell at the Ghostlight Theatre, and a few parties, I feel like I've done a pretty good job at seeing everyone I love at least once before I go (if I have missed you, remember that there is a small open house planned for this Saturday 8/24 at my house)!

 

 One of the things that I have come to take for granted (and full-on disliked over the years) is the Erie County Fair. I'm not a fan of crowds (why I am going to China is beyond me in regards to that!!) and the fair is usually filled with everything I find to be unlikeable about the American culture--the obnoxious "Made in America" building, morbidly obese individuals (usually rolling around in scooters), and deep fried everything (seriously, I found deep fried bubble gum this year...????). However, this year, I went not once (unwillingly) but twice!! WHA?!?! I went with my parents and my aunt, uncle, and cousin, Ashley, the first time and my parents and brother the second time. While I did not find any pleasure at being pulled into the "Made in America" building, nor did I take part in the deep fried bubble gum, I did thoroughly enjoy myself both times I went there.

And of course, before I can go to China, the land of chicken feet, duck head, and fried scorpions, I have been devouring as much American food as I can--barbeques with hot dogs and hamburgers, loaded french fries (one of my hardcore guilty pleasures), and LOTS and LOTS of cheese (so much cheesy goodness)...

I am now in the final week before I leave. My dad and brother are away on a boy scout trip, leaving my mom and me alone to spend time with each other. Yes we've been shopping for things I need for China but we're doing a lot of fun things together... making memories. Yesterday we went to a few wineries and the casino (I won $50!!), today we're off to see a movie, Thursday we're going to IKEA for lunch, and Friday begins the crazed wave of packing. During all of this, I did have time to cross something off my bucket list--the Color Run!!

Yes, I, Amanda Woomer participated (willingly) in a 5K run without having anyone chase me with a chainsaw. It was actually way more fun than I had expected and I ran almost 2/3 of it nonstop (again, WAY more than I had originally expected). I am sad to say that I am not the most active person on the planet--yes, I exercise everyday but I mostly walk and hike, never run (I sometimes joke, saying that it is against my religion). So to be able to take part in the 5K Color Run, and do it better than most of the people around me, I was so proud of myself. I might start up running full time and take part in more 5K runs like this one. Cross off #221 from My Life List!!

Of course, nestled between saying goodbye, crossing things off my bucket list, and filling myself with American, fatty foods, I've been stressed about my visa (read the full story here). It was a long and painful journey but I am proud to say that I now have my lovely, wonderful beautiful passport back with that stupid, sparkly sticker that will let me into China.

Victory is MINE!!!!

I think I've done a pretty good job with my time left in America. I know Rachel and Olivia will laugh at me when I say that this reminds me of a drama I once watched (my favorite one to be precise, 49 Days). In it, a girl has 49 days (title drop) to find three people who genuinely love her in order to escape her death (it's way better than that description and it is super deep... if you want to watch it, you can find it right here... get your tissues ready!!) But in it, there is a line said by one of the characters that really changed the way I live my life:

"We must learn to live our lives as if we only have 49 days."

Of course, I am not dying, but I am leaving for a (somewhat) extended period of time and since I just love to reference dramas (just ask those poor girls who were forced to travel around China with me), I couldn't resist this one!!

So there you have it, I've begun to live the rest of my time over here as though I only have 49 days. It's a bit melodramatic but that's how I like to live life (keeps it more interesting, you know?). I hope I've done enough and I hope that I've done it right.

Here's to my last six days...

Until Next Time,

Amanda