up north...

north korea in photos

about 30 minutes north of where i live, i can climb a hill, look out, and see north korea just over the river. it's so close, and yet it's a completely different world. i felt really touched and emotional as i looked at these pictures--all the soldiers and people look just the same as the people i see everyday here, and yet their lives are so incredibly different. the little kids i teach at my school look exactly like the kids playing in those pictures, but the opportunities given to the kids in the pictures are non-existant. i can't believe that the other half of this country i live in is so close, and the people are exactly the same, and yet the two countries could not be heading in different directions. it's like the pictures are from 100 years ago. i can't believe that seemingly un-real world is literally right above me.