The Quintessential Korean Dog

Not to gendercast, but the best part is that it's a male dog. And that there are so many other dogs out there just like him.

- Gilad

Breath Terrorism

Well, it's been a few years since having the whole foggy makgulli experience. Dawna and I found a place nearby that does the whole thing and so, ladies and gentlemen, the makgulli experience.

The best way to start this (or anything else in life, really) is by getting something for free. In this case, it's two fried eggs. Only Korea makes you feel special for two free fried eggs.

Next up, the makgulli. Not quite sure what it's made of but I suspect it's some sort of fermented rice juice. Some say its disgusting. Others claim it tastes like beer and milk. I'm convinced it's the greatest beverage ever created.

Next up, pajeon. It's a sort of non-sweet pancake mixed up with veggies and octopus. You can get other variations with kimchi (kimchijeon) or potato (pajeon). Either way, oh mama!

And lastly, no culinary Korean experience is ever complete without kimchi. Definitely an item that takes most palettes a few tries to finally enjoy, it's a fermented/pickled cabbage smothered in chili paste (gochujang), garlic (tons of it), fish sauce and other delicious things. Most agree it smells bad but that doesn't stop me from exposing it for what it really is: the greatest use of vegetable on the planet.

Back in 2008, Dawna and I would convince everyone we knew to frequent this kind of pub/restaurant at least once a week. It took us a year to realize that it was mostly us who liked it and that our friends were being good friends by tagging along. Oh, we have such great friends.

Your breath will take a week to recover, but definitely a great experience (at least for us).

- Gilad

First blog post from Korea round 2

So who would have thought that I, Dawna, would beat Gilad to putting up a blog post? As most of you know, expressing myself through social media is not my forte. However, as it is 4am and I am jet lagged and having trouble sharing our single bed I am just going to go for it.

So, we are here, living in South Korea for a second time, visiting for a third. How we managed to make this happen, so quickly, blows my mind. Poor Gilad wanted to come home from Israel and enjoy Toronto for at least a few months, not pack his bags and jet off again for another potential six month journey. However, what happens when you go home and you have nothing to do? No job, no school, no real responsibilities to keep you going? You celebrate! At first.... Then, while waking up and doing activities- like going to the gym, gardening etc.- are still very enjoyable, you do start to question your motivations in life. Like, what am I doing to help my career focus, how am I contributing to society, or even simply, how am I going to afford to eat this month? These are the forces that drove us to start pursuing our actual goals. Getting a job is pretty important, but working with your passion in a way that sustains you mentally, physically and emotionally, for me, is the most important.

Gilad for many years now has had an insatiable appetite for all things North Korean. Learning about this country in relation to it's neighbor, and once family, South Korea, has occupied much of his time. It is through him that I also have developed a passion to learn about and discuss the past and current events of a country so often over looked. Too often North Korea is categorized as a corrupt, poor and nuclear crazy country. However, it is so much more. There are real people with real stories that rarely get to be heard. There is art, and life and love that goes completely unnoticed. It is our hope that these next few months will give rise to a pursuit of knowledge that will not only create awareness of critical issues but that will also bring forth a feeling of human connection to our North Korean brother and sisters around the world.

- Dawna

The North Koreans

Okay so meeting North Koreans was... awesome! You learn so much from books or documentaries about the mess that is going on over there... the famine, brain-washing, labour camps, the desperation that forces someone to run away from home for a start somewhere strange and new.

When I lived in South Korea in 2008, I had the fortune to be one of the few to go to Kaesong, a city in the south of North Korea through South Korea. We started in rich and fancy South Korea, passed through the DMZ and after a brief visa process, ended up in North Korea. To describe it as day and night would not do enough justice in describing the disparity between the Koreas. For more detail on this trip, fish for one of the entries in this blog around June 2008.

In any case, my brief time in North Korea instilled an interest in me that has not died down. Its the motive for my next trip to South Korea next week and was the driving force that led me to my new North Korean friends last week.

Although I wanted to ask them every question in the world ('how did you escape?' ... 'what's it really like there?'), I made sure to take things easy. I aim to become friends with the people I met wherein they become as interested in learning about me as I do about them. The things I did learn, I'll keep private for now, but I'm beyond excited to learn about North Korea and it's people without having to refer to a book or movie to do so.

For those 2 people who still read this blog and would love a great starting point on North Korea, I really recommend "Nothing to Envy" by Barbara Demick. Not only a great resource but also one of my favourite books on any matter.

- Gilad

How do you stay motivated?

For the last three years, trying to come up with a blog post has been as easy as ...

Let my inability to finish off the above sentence speak for itself. Writer's block hit a few years ago and I have not been able to escape it. There was supposed to be that post about my trip to Thailand. Or Kenya. California Or the second one to Korea. Morocco. Chicken wings. Israel.

Well, I still can't think of anything. But let me say this: I am going back to South Korea to work with North Koreans. I'm done school. I'm done work. For the last few years, so much time was devoted to supporting others' ideas. And so much energy was lent to making other things happen that barely any energy was left to create my own things and get them to take off.

But now there's more time. And good things will come from it.

After years of interest, research and thought, I finally get to meet some North Koreans tonight. And hopefully build solid relationships where I can learn from them and them from me.

I have a feeling tonight will kick start everything new.

Gilad

The Transition

Wow, so our time with Global Youth Network has come to an end. Definitely an interesting two years as an employee and four years as a volunteer. I'm happy with all the people I met and all the friendships made. And I'm also happy to move on to whatever the next chapter of my life may be.

With all the uncertainty (WHERE WILL YOU WORK? WHAT WILL YOU DO?) surrounding me right now, I've got to say that the only certainty I know of is that I want to do some more traveling. Spending the summer in Morocco and Israel was great. But it wasn't enough. I'd like to disappear for half a year, maybe longer to parts of South America. Learn to farm. Learn some Spanish. Learn about coffee. Grow a beard.

Yes, I'll eventually need to get a full-time job (YES YOU WILL!) but the time isn't now. I miss the days of living in South Korea for a full year - a place completely different than here... a place where I was forced to turn uncomfortable into comfortable and forced to learn and adapt. I want to go through that again.

Gilad

Andy

It's often debilitating when one loses their freedom. Be it a loss of movement, speech, thought, or anything of value, the adjustment from "I used to be able to do this" to "I wish I was still able to do that" is tough to say the least. Over the years, and especially as a post grad student in issues surrounding International Development, discussions are frequent on the loss of freedoms. And so I come to this forum today to contribute to the same topic.

I met Andy nearly eight years ago. Young and hopeful, a bunch of us were filing into our new residences, saying goodbye to our parents and welcoming a new chapter of our lives: first year university. Andy was right there with us, full of optimism for the year to come. He had a knack for staying up late, pranking on people on our floor and making those around him laugh with his unique way of being. Enrolled in the same program, we took many of the same classes together and really got to know one another and depend on each other. Needed someone to talk to? Andy was your guy. If even for just being an ear to shout obscurities at, Andy was your man. When you were in need of someone to fart into an empty jar, seal it and deliver it to unsuspecting girls on our floor to open up and whiff, Andy was always on board. As years passed, we continued to remain friends. He cried when he heard I was getting married. He's helped me move countless times. He's been there at the best and worst for each of us. As much as a friend can love his fellow male friend, I do.

Tragically, Andy lost many of his freedoms recently. These losses are that much more painful when you remember what Andy was like before. Young, innocent, full of life. A smile that wouldn't only brighten up the largest of rooms, but that little lighthouse in your heart. I remember the last time I was with Andy when he was still himself. We were sharing a meal together with other friends around. Everything seemed so usual - so normal - so right. And suddenly, like that, his freedom was ripped away from him with no warning.

Life is funny that way. You wake up in the morning, go through the motions and for the most part, take things for granted. Your privacy. Your enjoyment of taking a dump with the bathroom door open. The crusted up toothpaste in the corner of the sink, garnished with some sort of body hair. The unkept bed and the fact that you've been wearing the same underwear for three days. These freedoms, although small, are the building blocks upon which happiness rests on. These freedoms, among millions of others, were ripped away from Andy when he recently decided to move in with his girlfriend.

I'll always remember that jar, Andy.

Gilad