Day 6: the North Korean Spy Game

I was supposed to go to church with Kim Young today. (It was a deal that i made a long time ago.) the bad thing is that you have to have some type of nifty card to use the public phones here, and i don't know where to get one. so, i couldn't call her and ask for directions... meaning that i went to the mormon church. i made a pretty big idiot of myself in sunday school. they were talking about the anti-nephi-lehis and i thought, "yeah, i've got this in the bag if they ask me a question. i know that story like the back of my hand." well, turns out that i nailed the story, but flopped the question. they pulled a fast one on me and changed the subject 30 seconds before i got the question. i had no clue. after giving my grand sermon on how we too must bury our weapons, temptations, and sins, the girl next to me leaned over and said: "uh... we are talking about different thing." i slumped right back into my chair.

When sacrament started, Jean showed up. (I left a note just in case he was feeling better and wanted to study today.) I was thinking, "sweet! i didn't even have to extend an invitation and he came. why wasn't my mission this easy?!" then he said, "we must go. my parents waiting." i hadn't met Jean's parents before, and i didn't want to make a bad impression, so i packed up my things and left. his parents were parked around the corner in a van, dieing in the heat. I did the bows and and all that jazz, and they ushered me into the van. i didn't know where we were going, but everyone seemed excited about it. we pulled up to this tiny place that was crowded with people. i soon realized that we were at a restaurant waiting to be served. we sat on the floor (my legs still aren't getting adjusted to sitting indian style for an hour) and i asked what we were going to eat. they said, "보신탕. Jean said you wanted to eat 보신탕." I had no idea what 보신탕 was, so i said, "yeah, sure. sounds delicious." they brought it out and it was just like anything i had eaten before in any korean place. the beef was really tender and fatty, but other than that, it was just another traditional meal. when we walked out i told Jean that it was really delicious. His uncle turned to me and said, "that was dog. i didn't think you were going to like it, but i'm glad." I had previously made a lot of jokes about eating dog with jean, but i then realized that hadn't probably picked up on my sarcasm. oh well, it tasted good!

we hopped back in the van and we kept driving for about an hour, until we finally arrived at the DMZ. this is where the North Koreans and the South Koreans have their border. its divided a river, and the only thing that connects the two sides is a rebuilt bridge that is built next to one that was blown up. we stood on one side of the river and stared down those dirty northerners. i was pretty intimidating, so i think they'll be signing a treaty pretty soon. and i know they saw me because i was the only white guy there, and especially because i was the only person wearing a shirt and tie.

The good thing about it the trip was that they have turned it into an amusement park to show off how much fun it is to be free. The sad thing is that it was 10 times as bad as Lagoon. I don't know which is better, walking around in a shirt and tie in an amusement park, or going on spinning, loopy, and crazy roller coasters on a stomach full of dog meat. i almost lost it on the "super viking" which was a ship that went back and forth high and higher in the air. The lagoon has one just like it next to the swings, but this one has such a cooler name. plus, when the koreans say it, it comes out as "shoopah biking". thats worth it right there.

we finished the night off by eating at Jean's parents' restaurant. they own this amazing chicken place that puts every Boston market, KFC, and Popeyes in the dust. (its a sit down restaurant though.) i don't like fried chicken, but this stuff must have been drenched in MSG or something because it was amazing. i was introduced to the whole staff and we ate next to the kitchen because the place was packed from wall to wall. and when we left, my stomach was packed from wall to wall with the dogs fighting the chickens. i sure hope one of them wins before i fall asleep!