On Day 3, the group trekked to Camp Humphrey. Personally, I do not know a lot about the military, so I was not sure what to expect from Camp Humphrey. We left Seoul for one of the only times this trip for this tour.
When we arrived, I was surprised at how welcoming and friendly the soldiers were. I wrongly assumed that since they were in the military that they would have strict and hardened souls. The Sargent who spoke to us was actually from Pittsburgh himself, so he connected with our group instantly. We learned about the amenities the base offers its soldiers, as well as the purpose and history of the camp.
Afterwards, we had lunch in the Camp’s canteen. At lunch, I sat with one of the soldiers: Chris! He told me about how he is currently serving his mandatory military service at the moment. He was also a business student! He started his military service after his freshman year of college at Hong Kong University in China. Apparently it is common for most Korean men to begin their mandatory service after their freshman year of college. Chris plans to continue his education after his service is finished. It was interesting learning about mandatory military service!
The soldiers showed us some technology their engineering core worked on and we received a bus tour of the encampment. The base was basically a mini America!
We went back to the hotel after Camp Humphrey and we had the night to ourselves! Some friends and i decided to make the trek to Namsan Tower! This was probably the best decision we could have made.
We took the stairs up the mountain to reach the tower, and along the way we saw stunning views of the city and nature. I had so much fun getting to know my friends even more along the way!
Up the tower. there were locks attached to the railings of the stairs from couples. Namsan Tower is a very popular destination for couples apparently! The views at the top of the tower were breath taking. i have been to several different countries and seen many different views, but this was genuinely the most beautiful place I have ever been.
All in all, exploring Namsan Tower was the best way we could have spent our free time.
