This week, I received an email from a friend. They had just finished looking at my recently posted pictures and had the following to say about them:
"You went to North Korea?!?"
Oh. Did I not tell anyone? Sorry about that, that was P.O.J (pre-online-journal). Instead of a huge rambling about everything that happened, I'll fill you in bit by bit in easily digestible servings.
Episode 1: A Guide to North Korean Immigration (abridged)
1) Visa Processing - Provide your tour group with your passport and employment details a week before. They will kindly submit the details for Visa processing so you can just pick up your North Korean Visa and ID without delay the day of your trip. If there are errors in the information on your ID card, start memorizing now, and be prepared to lie to North Korean Immigration if you are selected for questioning (we were actually instructed to do this). Some situations you will not be able to lie (you will not be able to convince the agent that your are actually 20 years younger/older than you look, or that you have recently had a sex change), so inform the guide and they will make arrangments to pay your fine for you. From here on in, every opportunity will be taken by the North Korean government to try and fine you. Be warned. Place your issued ID card around your neck and do not remove for the next two days. Do not lose, damage or deface the ID in any way. Again, you have been warned.
2) South Korean Immigration - Get off the bus. Take all your belongings with you. Go into the beautiful, modern building nicknamed "the airport". Get a pretty stamp in your passport from the smiling customs agent. Have your luggage security screened. Use the toilet. You will not see another flushing one until you get to your hotel. Leave the building. Get in a new bus. While waiting for the other tourists to be processed (in the thousands this weekend) you will be instructed that from here on in, while you are in the bus, you are not allowed to take pictures. In fact, do not take pictures unless otherwise instructed to. Our buses move in convey formation from here on.
3) North Korean Immigration - Over the next 30 minutes, the buses will navigate the desolate road to North Korea. This road is marked only by North Korean soldiers positioned every 100 meters with red flags. EVERY 100 METERS! They are instructed to raise their red flags if they see anyone on the buses taking pictures. I don't know what happens after that. Along the backdrop of the hills, you may be able to spot guard stations, watchtowers, tank bunkers and other military paraphenalia. Pull up to the wedding tent blasting propaganda music otherwise known as the North Korean Immigration building. Be prepared to feel like your being processed for refugee status. Take all your luggage with you. Walk down the long road, navigating your way through the convoy of parked buses. Locate your group. Organize yourselves in single file according to ID file-number. Do not smile. Do not take pictures. Do not talk to your assigned agent. Camera in left hand, documents in right. Give your documents to the agent. Don't smile. Don't speak unless spoken to. Do not attempt to speak Korean. Submit your luggage for security screening. Pick up your lugagge. Keep walking. Don't expectantly look for Kim Jong Il to be there personally welcoming you. Expect a man in a bear suit. Do not smile at, or take pictures of, the man in a bear suit. Get back on the bus.
Welcome! You are now officially in North Korea.
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Recently Updated...03.25 - Two posts! About Me...Out and about in the world, teaching others and educating myself. Stuff I Like...Traveling. Cuddling a cat. New toothbrushes. Friends. Socks of the Joanne Younes variety. The smell of sun-dried laundry. Baking. Archives
March 2008
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