The Dills visit Korea!

From December 28-January 9, my parents got to visit us in Korea.  It was so fun showing them around and introducing them to this country we have come to love!  We got off school for a week for our winter break, and so we met my mom and dad in Seoul for five days.  We did lots of sightseeing there!

For me, the most interesting part in Seoul was the tour of the DMZ and Infiltration Tunnels.  The DMZ is a section of land that separates North Korea from South Korea.  There is a US army base that assists ROK (South Korean) soldiers in guarding against DPRK (North Korean) attack.  We took a tour from the Seoul USO to the DMZ, and learned a lot about attempted invasions into South Korea since the two countries were divided.  The Infiltration Tunnels are a series of tunnels that go underneath the DMZ, and were dug by North Korea in the 80s and 90s in an attempt to reach Seoul and invade.  We went underground and walked through the tunnels.  When they were  discovered in the 80s and 90s, North Korea claimed that they were only searching for coal.  However, there is no coal in this area of the country, and it was clear that they were used as an attempt to invade.  Another stop on the tour was an observation area where we could look across the DMZ into North Korea.  We also went to the last railway station you can visit in South Korea before the railroad track goes into North Korea.  There are currently no trains running into North Korea from South Korea, but for 500 won (about 50 cents) you can buy a ticket to the North Korean capital, and walk out onto the platform and wait for a train that will never come.  It was really eerie being so close to such a notorious and dangerous place.

Observation area.  You can't take pictures of North Korea; I had to stand behind a yellow line and this was as close as you could get to take pictures.

Bradley's artistic shot at the last train stop, looking toward North Korea.

At a visitors plaza for the Infiltration Tunnel

Outside the USO on our way to the tour

The last train stop in South Korea, with our tickets to North Korea

Mom and soldier

Also in Seoul we went to palaces, museums, the Seoul tower, a show at the theater, and had lots of delicious food.  The best part was seeing it all with my mom and dad!!!

Gyeongbukgung Palace

So cold at the palace!

Top of Namsan tower, view of Seoul

After Seoul, we went to a city in the southern part of Korea, Gyeongju.  It is famous because it was the capital of Korea in the from 57 BCE to 935 CE.  There are large burial mounds there, where Kings and Queens of the time were buried.  Some of these have been excavated and beautiful treasures unearthed.  It was AMAZING to see these thousands of years old artifacts.

Tombs

They are all over the place in the city

There were lots of bird shaped pottery in the tombs; the people at the time believed that birds helped to guide a person's spirit to the spirit world after death.  This was before Buddhism became popular in the Korean peninsula.  Once Buddhism became the dominant religion, most people were cremated instead of buried in the mounds.

Crown and jewels

We also visited the beautiful Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, just outside of Gyeongju in the mountains.  The temple and grotto with the large stone Buddha were built in the 500s CE.

Guardians that protect the entrance to the Temple grounds

These pillars of stones are placed for prayers and good luck.  It was really amazing to see them all over the place.

Finally, we returned home to our city of Gwangju, and my parents got to see our apartment and city, as well as a few nearby tourist sites, the Boeseong Green Tea plantations (where there was a light festival, very pretty) and the Damyang Bamboo forests.

Beoseong Green tea plantation; this is a tunnel of wishes

The plantation is on a hillside.  We got there as the sun was setting. 

Lights on the Tea Leaves

Dills on a Bus

Damyang Bamboo Forest

However, I think my favorite part of having them at our house was having them visit our school.  The entire school was on vacation for the month of January, but we worked from 9-12 for three weeks doing a winter camp for students that signed up.  On their last day here, my mom and dad joined us to meet the students and see our school.  My Dad came to my room; I had the younger students, 2nd-3rd graders, 9 girls and 1 boy.  I thought they would be shy around my dad, but they LOVED him.  As soon as he walked in one of the students started trying to jump and touch the top of his head, ("Oh, so tall!") and they were showing him their phones and all their games on their apps.  During class one of the girls started calling dad "Smurpa" and at first I didn't know what she meant, but then she said, "Blue eyes, like Smurpa!" and I realized she was calling him a Smurf because of his blue eyes, haha!!  Dad was so cute with all the kids!  Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of mom and dad with the students, but here are some of Bradley's class.

The visit went much too fast and I was sad to see them go.  It was so nice to be able to share with them our experience here, and show them some of the things we love about Korea and our experience here.  Thanks Mom and Dad for visiting us!!!