america, which i invented

I've only been here for seven weeks. I feel like I've been here forever. Lately I've been walking around with a huge goofy grin on my face.

I was worried I wouldn't like living in a smaller city. Turns out it's pretty ideal for me. The way this town is set up, I get the quiet of a suburb but the convenience of a big city. There are plenty of places nearby to eat or shop, and I can take a bus easily. This week I went exploring in my little part of town. I discovered a Baskin Robbins and a new grocery store. I've been going to the same restaurants and stores for the past several weeks now, so it's nice to discover new places to mix things up.

Yesterday I went into Seoul again. As much as I just went on about how much I love Dongtan, I look forward to the weekends so I can go to Seoul. There's something about big cities. Just being there is exciting, even if I'm only walking around. I checked out the Seodaemun Prison. I have a couple pictures, but I don't know when I'll get around to posting them. There aren't many because photography wasn't allowed.

Anyway, the story behind the prison is that it was used during the Japanese occupation of Korea to house anti-Japan activists. It was used for some time afterwards by the Korean government, but is now set up as a museum to remind the Korean people of what their ancestors went through under Japanese rule.

On the prison grounds were about ten buildings. In the cell blocks we could walk inside the cells or lock ourselves in solitary confinement. It was all pretty open. There was also a museum building that had re-enactments of the Japanese torturing prisoners. An entire basement of one building had room after room of wax people covered in blood, their faces contorted in pain as Japanese wax people sneered and yelled at them. I tried to feel the gravity of what had happened there, but it was a bit difficult with the wax people and canned screaming. It was almost like a cheesy haunted house.

One disturbing room showed women prisoners getting raped by Japanese men. In my left ear I heard the sounds of women being assaulted, while in my right ear I heard the laughter of school children on a field trip. Children are impressionable, and whether intentionally or not, the museum is set up as propaganda against the Japanese. No wonder Koreans still hate them--and at this rate will continue to hate them.

Another interesting part of the prison was the execution building. In it you can experience what it was like to be sentenced to death. You can stand on an execution block facing a jury of scowling Japanese men. Sensors detect your presence and one of the men yells something in angry Japanese. Then the floor drops about an inch and for a split second you get the feeling of being hanged, complete with a noose in the ceiling above.

The prison grounds also had a Corpse Tunnel, which is what it sounds like. There was a long tunnel behind the execution building where bodies were carried out. I think my dad would have appreciated it; that place felt haunted, it was eerie. One American couple stopped us and had me take a picture of them in front of the tunnel. Keep in mind that Saturday was Valentine's Day.

Today I wasted most of the day sleeping, then watched TV online. I've been watching 30 Rock non-stop for the past week. It's my new favorite. I also watched a movie called In Bruges, which I recommend. For lunch I made something that resembled Mexican food using rice, chicken, salsa I found at the new grocery store, and taco sauce the teacher before me left in the fridge. God, I miss Mexican food. If you're reading this, please go to your nearest Chipotle and eat a burrito in memory of me.