Our last stop in North Korea was an ostrich farm in Pyongyang that was on the way to the airport. Of all things in Pyongyang we could have gone to see, we were taken to an ostrich farm.
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| Our ostrich farm guide in front of a map of the farm. |
The farm is a failed enterprise. Unaware that the idea of ostriches farms as a thriving business is nothing less than ridiculous to outsiders, the North Koreans are proud of the establishment. I believe there were things going on in the city we weren't supposed to see, some sort of preparations for the upcoming holiday celebration, I'm not sure. One member of our group that I roomed with heard rumors that one must visit the fifth floor at the hotel we stayed at in Pyongyang. The elevator doesn't stop on that floor, in fact there is not even a button for the fifth floor in the elevator, it goes straight from 4 to 6. So, this group member took the stairs. He doesn't speak Korean, let alone read it, but he snapped one photo before he bolted from the floor late last night. He asked me to look at it and interpret the Korean on it. He got a picture of a propaganda sign, and anti-American one, pledging to revenge one million fold on the U.S. for what we have done to them.
That was the one and only anti-American thing I saw during our entire trip and it was tucked away in a place where we weren't supposed to be able to see it. After the ostrich farm we went to the airport and flew away.
I will never be the same again. My heart has wept since I put my hand in the Yalu river and the tears have flown uncontrollably, creating a river that sweeps me away from my former self. I feel that my future is tied to this peninsula - to its people. I am bound to help them, to be their ally. North Koreans love the movie Titanic and especially the song My Heart Will Go On. Like the lyrics in the song, though I leave, my heart will go on... far across the distance and spaces between us.
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| Saying goodbye at the airport to Mr. Jo (조진혁) |
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| and to Mr. Han (한주학), our guides. |
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| A final look at Pyongyang and the Juche Tower. |
