Today was one of the most memorable days of my trip to South Korea because we visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone, also known as the DMZ. The day started with a very long bus ride, but honestly, it was nice because everyone got a chance to relax and catch up on sleep before the tour. Once we arrived, we explored different areas of the DMZ between bus stops and learned about the history of the border between North and South Korea. Hearing about the conflict and seeing the area in person made everything feel much more real than reading about it in a textbook.
Before the main part of the tour, we stopped for an early lunch because the tour itself would last around three hours. One interesting thing we learned was that fertilizer cannot be used in the DMZ, so the food tasted a little different than what we had been eating in Seoul. After lunch, we got back on the bus and headed to the tunnel. Everyone had to wear helmets because the tunnel was extremely small and narrow. Even I had to duck while walking through it. It was fascinating to see the tunnel and think about its history, but the walk back up was exhausting because it was very steep and the air was thin.
After the tunnel, we drove to the observation point where we used binoculars to look into North Korea. It was surreal to actually see another country so closely. I spotted a few people, but most of the city and farmland looked empty, almost like a ghost town. On the way back, Dr. Yun surprised us with ice cream, which was a perfect treat after all the walking. I also picked up a few gifts for my mom at the gift shop.
The day still was not over because we then took another long bus ride to a baseball game between the KT Wiz and the Kiwoom Heroes. The game was so much fun, especially because the fans were incredibly energetic. Each team had cheerleaders, and whenever their team was batting, the crowd would sing, dance, and chant together. They even played a lot of English songs mixed with Korean chants. We ate a lot of chicken while watching the game, and the atmosphere made it one of the coolest sports experiences I have ever had.
