10.15.05-- An American Dignitary in Seoul?

Hey Friends,

We are on the USO bus on the way to the DMZ. They have a strict dress code and I think only let non- Korean citizens. I am armed with my camcorder and still camera. So you'll get the full report.

How can anybody take the police seriously with an icon like this? If the LAPD had a cartoon of themselves like this, we'd likely run after police cars like they were ice cream trucks.

The Most Badass Mayor in Seoul

So yesterday we just thought we were doing a no frills building visit to the Mayor's office (Seoul's Gang-Buk Gu District). But when the bus pulled up to the parking lot, we were totally floored to see 100 city employees applauding us as we got off the bus. The Mayor handed us each a rose and they had a huge welcoming banner for us. Of course all of us were not dressed appropriately because we thought it was another casual dress day. And none of us were ready for the awesome reception this mayor put on for us. He really does know how to show folks a good time and make them feel good. As I walked past the applauding crowd off the bus I was like, "Damn, Kristina, you're special."

I felt like a real American delegate.

After having tea with the mayor, we came into their conference room and they had placards, and fruit out for us. They had a placard with my name in English and Korean and my title. I felt like I was at the United Nations or something.

The mayor offered some great remarks about how his district is infected with the "Happy Virus" and that if you have some of the virus, you can spread the happiness. He also told us he likes to wear traditional Korean clothes and drink Macoli rice wine (only available in Korea because US customs has restrictions on fermented items). He was so gracious, genuinely happy and proud of his job and area. We were so awed by him.

Here I am with him above, holding up the TeAda bumper sticker I gave him.

The mayor treated us to a lunch at the Buddhist temple in his district. The first meal I've had in Korea where I haven't had to pick out meat, request the meat be taken out or ask whether or not the food had meat! It was delicious and I had never had Korean vegetarian, so I really appreciated it.

The temple has a lot of international monks that study there. This monk from Poland gave a talk on Buddhism.

I was raised semi-Buddhist so it's always nice to got back to my peeps.

National Security Check

After the temple, we got back on the bus and unexpectedly experienced Korea's National Security Drill. We had been running late at the temple, and they really wanted to get us out of there so that we wouldn't be stuck in the city streets during the drill. This drill, is a security drill that happens throughout the entire country twice a year. For 20 minutes, twice a year on designated days, the whole city is required to stop. Cars stop. People are to stop. Business is to stop. These drills came out of security measures to prepare for a threat from North Korea.

You can't tell but these people are stopped during the drill.

These flags indicate that today is a National Security check day.

Global Institute of Peace Studies

Time is going by so fast. Our last of four lectures on Korean Politics was yesterday. Kyung Hee University has a Program called Global Institute of Peace Studies. A graduate school that only has 40 students. All the classes are in English. And all the students have free rides in. I toyed for second with the idea of throwing my art career to the side for a few years and going. But then I remembered that I would have to finish my program now. Live in Korea in the Summer and Winter. And by the time I got in, I'd be the oldest student there.

Enjoy this mini movie of the nightlife in Seoul. Sorry, you have to tilt your head sideways to see. It's a game where kids karate chop these plastic tiles, and the more they chop through the bigger the prize. The biggest prize is a bottle of crown royal. I thought this guy was quite funny in his attempt at chopping the tiles. He won a keychain for his effort.

My next update will be about the DMZ and life with a Korean family!

love,

k