Thu Oct 23, 2003
Today was a field trip day, we took the kids on a train ride up north to Imjingak on the North-South border, the site of the ‘freedom bridge’ which symbolically links the two countries. They built an amusement park, of all things, up there, so it’s a popular spot for school trips. We didn’t have to take the train, in fact the school bus dropped us off at the station and met us up at Imjingak, but the train trip was part of the fun for the kids. For adults, riding public transit is a mundane activity, perhaps even an annoyance, but for kids it’s an exciting novelty. It was great, all the grannies and grandpas on the train were kidnapping our kids and coddling them.
At the park, the kids were more interested in the helicopter patrols flying overhead than the rides, testament to the overwhelming military presence on the border. Apache helicopters bristling with armaments were lazily droning overhead in perfect formation, I thought it was an air show, but I guess it’s just a regular thing. We rode the ‘peace train’. We rode on The Viking, that big ship contraption that rocks back and forth, except they put it on really slow. Went on the ubiquitous merry-go-round of course. I don’t see many kids in this world actually enjoying that ride anymore, I think kids have been accustomed to getting their kicks hard and fast these days. They were blasting out Marilyn Manson on the loudspeakers, poor kids being exposed to such anger and torment, way to go children’s park manager. What is it with Marilyn Manson and places of relaxation anyway??? (see: Tues, Oct 7th)
To continue the theme we had lunch on a train that had been converted into a restaurant, courtesy of one of the parent’s connections. All the other schools were eating their Kimbap on the dusty tarmac outside. All in all the casualties of the trip weren’t severe. Only one kid threw up (much to the restaurant owner’s chagrin). Only one bloodied lip from a nasty fall. No animals were tortured, although Patrick almost got his hands on a stray cat.
I was so tired when we got back I snuck out of the office and went up to Sulu’s apartment for a nice nap before stumbling down for the afternoon classes. I don’t think Debbie noticed, but who cares if she did anyways. Yesterday I was working till eleven writing report cards and tonight we had to decorate the classrooms for Halloween. It’s been a rough week, but then I could say that about every week I suppose, I’ve gotten kind of used to it. Sora and I did the decorating together while we gossiped about Debbie and Chris and then when we went home she bought me some Korean desert pastry thing from a street vendor outside. The vendor seemed to like me because she gave me some free food, it was nice. Good end to the day.