Dan - DMZ

While my dad was here, we decided to book the tour of the DMZ (Since we were in Seoul anyway). This was something I've been wanting to do since I got here and it was an amazing experience.

For a brief history, at the end of the Korean War both sides pushed each other's armies to near the 38th Parallel, near where the original two countries split in the first place. An armistice agreement was signed, signifying to pull back all military operations two kilometers from the division line. The two countries are still technically at war. The DMZ is the 4 kilometer wide patch of land that runs (roughly) along the 38th Parallel. It is heavily militarized and supervised by the North Korean army (DPRK), South Korean army (ROK) and the United Nations.

For the tour selection, I went with the USO tour through Koridoor. It's been highly recommended by other tourists and I'm happy to say I would agree. Their website is here. We met at Camp Bonifas in Seoul at 8am and got on the bus that morning. There were about 20-30 members of our groups and many more tour groups in the area.

Our first stop on the tour was the third tunnel. A total of four tunnels have been found since the armistice agreement was signed, leading from North Korean into South Korea. US and ROK officials have speculated there could be as many as 20. The third tunnel could have roughly 30,000 soldiers pass through in an hour. When asked about these tunnels, the DPRK painted the walls black and explained that it was a coal mine. ROK officials obviously saw the paint and also realized the granite tunnels would not be a suitable place for a coal mine.

Sculpture outside the third tunnel.

Instructing us on the history of the tunnel and rules.

The diagram of the tunnel. ROK to the right, DPRK to the left.

Pictures were forbidden in the tunnel, but we were able to go inside. There's a 400 meter descent at a 30-40 degree angle (which was a pain getting back up). You walk for about 300 meters hunched over due to the low ceiling under you reach the Military Demarcation Line. This is where a cement wall and barbed wire is found. There was a museum nearby that we unfortunately did not have enough time for.

Next up was the Forward Observation Post. Here, we could actually look at North Korea for the first time. Situated on a hill, we were able to see the Kaesong complex (the only factory South and North Korean workers collaborate) and Panmunjom (Propoganda village). We were not allowed to take pictures past the yellow line, but there were binoculars we could look through.

North Korea.

Up until this point, things were interesting but the gravity of where I was didn't hit me. That all changed when we went to Dorasan Station. This train station is the last one leading into North Korea and the trains haven't run through there in decades. The station is still functional, with a information guide, a conductor, two armed ROK guards, a ticket seller and even a gift shop vendor. Everything was clean and spotless. There were so many empty chairs.

Train ticket to the DPRK

Empty waiting area.

Not the last station from the South, but the first towards the North.

Everyone except the soldiers on the right are our tour group.

Here is a photosphere I took of the platform.

I was able to buy a ticket to North Korea for 500 won ($0.50) and stand on the platform waiting for a train that would never come. This is when it really hit me; this was a really, really weird thing to be happening.

Finally, we went to the Joint Security Area (JSA). This is what most people think of when they hear DMZ. The ironic blue buildings serve as the division between the DPRK and ROK. This is where negotiations are held and quite possibly the only place you can see a North Korean from South Korea soil. We were escorted by a US soldier with many more US and ROK soldiers in the complex (the exact number was classified).

We were debriefed and had to sign a few forms acknowledging that we were entering a combat zone and the rules that came with it. A short bus ride later and we were in the JSA.

From where I was standing in the above pictures, North Korea is directly ahead. The stone building is owned by the DPRK and the concrete barrier inbetween the blue buildings is the border. There was one North Korean soldier outside (you can barely see him above the blue building with the open door). There was one other DPRK soldier standing inside, directly behind him. The ROK soldiers stood halfway in cover in a Taekwondo ready stance. They did not acknowledge us at all. We were not allowed to take any pictures behind us, or to even point.

After a short wait from the other tour group, we managed to to into the second building (with the open door). This was a big deal, as we could freely roam the room. There was a flag and two microphone wires that signified the border between the two countries. So technically, I was standing on North Korean soil. This room has two ROK soldiers and is monitored at all times. The US soldier informed us that both the DPRK and ROK share the same room for their own purposes. There is no set schedule, the ROK simply does not go inside when the DPRK is using the room.

This table is in the center of the room. That flag and microphones are technically the border between the two countries. I'm standing in North Korea in this photo.

 North Korea is through that door.

A DPRK soldier poked his head inside through the window. This shot was a little too slow to get a shot of him. North Korea here.

I could go on for days about what I know about the JSA area. Some of it was very interesting. The DPRK blocks all cell phone signals through a jamming tower on their soil. There's a building to the right of the blue buildings dubbed "the monkey house", in which used to be a recreation room for both sides but after the axe murder incident became a North Korean-only room. The DPRK soldiers used to flip soldiers off and make faces, hence the monkey part. At night you can hear propaganda from the North, encouraging benefactors to defect. In response, the South sometimes blares K-Pop. There's nothing else like this area on Earth.

The final part of the tour was another forward observation post. This is where the infamous axe murder incident occurred back in 1976. The Bridge of No Return is a bridge connecting the two countries in which the two sides exchanged prisoners during and after the war. POWs would be led to the bridge and given the choice of where to cross, knowing that they would not be able to cross back. 

In 1976, there was a tree blocking the view of the bridge from the nearest observation post. Captain Arthur Bonifas and several US and ROK soldiers went down unarmed to trim the tree (unarmed because of security declarations establishing a limit on how many soldiers could be armed at any given time). As they began cutting the tree with an ax, 15 DPRK soldiers led by Senior Lt. Pak Chul arrived across the bridge. They observed the tree cutting for several minutes before ordering them to stop trimming. The reasoning was because the tree was under Kim Il Sung's protection. Bonifas ignored the request and Pak sent a runner for reinforcements.

It ended up being roughly 35 DPRK soldiers verses only a few SK personnel. Bonifas and one other were killed with many more wounded. The entire incident was recorded. The DPRK said it was aggression on part of the ROK, when they had video proof otherwise. An operation named Operation Paul Bunyan eventually happened three days later, tearing down the entire tree with a 64-man escort and two 30-men security platoons. 

We were able to stand at the forward observation post and the bus did drive past the bridge of no return, plus the memorial for Bonifas in which the tree once stood.

 Bridge of No Return

North Korea. Propaganda Village in the center, along with their flag.

Memorial for Captain Bonifas. Where the tree once stood.

Outpost for the Bridge of No Return

Bridge of No Return.

Would I go on this again? Oh god yes. It was incredibly interesting and very surreal. The tour guides and military personnel were fantastic and had a great depth of knowledge to share with us. If you're thinking about it, book it. You won't regret it.

Catt - Dan's 26th/27th Birthday Celebration!

Well, Dan turned the big 2-6 several days ago, and we celebrated Korean style of course!  Now, aging is different here in Korea.  On New Year's Day, technically everyone turns one year older.  So that makes Dan 27 and me 26 in Korea.  It's a strange system in many ways.  For example, if a baby is born in December, it will still turn 1 year older in January with the new year.  Even though its technically only one month old.  Get it?

So anyways, we started the night at Dan's favorite restaurant, Self Bar.  Its an all you can eat Korean BBQ place.  We ate there to our hearts content for only 10,900 won!  (About $10)  After, we went out for coffee.  Coffee shops here are different than in America too.  They don't open until about 10am in most cases, but then stay open until around midnight.  Its common for people to go for coffee with coworkers after work or dinner.  That's why they stay open so late.

At the coffee shop we of course had coffee but also dined on Dan's birthday cake, an ice cream cake from Baskin Robins that our lovely friend Choua got for him!  (pictures below)  After coffee and ice cream we headed out for some good old fashioned noraebang, Korean karaoke.  Noraebang places are as common as coffee shops and convenience stores here, as in, there are A LOT.  We went to one in our favorite neighborhood and spent about an hour and half there.

To end the night we came back to my place and played Cards Against Humanity with our friends Choua and Matt.  All in all, it was a great birthday in my opinion.  Can't wait to see what happens for mine in a few weeks!  :-)

Love and miss you all!!!  <3

Dan's birthday cake!  Complete with unicorn!  heehee

Happy Birthday to you!

Noraebang!

More noraebang!

Me - Choua - Bri - Lizzie

Dan - I got LASIK in Daegu, South Korea!

I finally did it! As of January 3rd, I decided to give myself a little early birthday present and got LASIK for myself. This was something that I've been wanting to do ever since I came to Korea. I'm happy to say the operation was a success!

 If you have any more questions please post a comment or send me an email at dcebulsk (heypleasedon'tsendmeanyspaminternetbotsokthanks)@gmail.com. Even if you stumble on this blog post years later, I'd be happy to share my experiences.

A little about my condition. I've had astigmatism since I was in the fourth grade. -4.00 in my left eye and -3.25 in my right. I wore glasses from grades 4-6, where I then started wearing contacts ever since. LASIK in the USA has always been something I was interested in, but quotes delved from $3000 to $4000 PER EYE over the years. As much as I would have liked to (A year's supply of contacts generally costs me $600 a year without insurance), I never really had the capital to invest. Even though it would pay for itself in the long run.

Before we came over to Korea, I researched this topic thoroughly. In my research about the country, I learned two things about eye surgery in Korea.

• South Korea is a developed, first world country and their medical care is outstanding. Both the LASIK and LASEK procedures are very common and very safe procedures that thousands of Koreans undergo every month. 
• It's less than a third of the price than the USA.

Numbers I were seeing were 1.25 to 1.80 million won for BOTH eyes ($1100 to $1700). Um, holy crap. I couldn't wait to have lasers shot at my eyes!

The clinic I went to was in Daegu, called the Noon Eye Clinic. (http://noon.co.kr/). I found this out through another expat's blog post (Shoutout to Amanda!). It was super easy to get to. Take the green line to Beomeo, take exit 4 out of the station and the LIG building is literally to the left. No more than thirty feet away (Look for the Dunkin Donuts sign). The Noon Eye Clinic is primarily on the 20th floor, with additional offices and labs on the 19th floor. 

LIG Building

Setting the appointment up was the hardest part, as the website is entirely in Korean. I was lucky enough to find a native Korean in a Facebook group who was offering to translate and make the appointment. He wanted an article for a local Daegu newspaper out of it, so I figured it was a great trade for both of us. If you're an expat, your co-teacher can schedule the appointment for you. They do, as of this writing, have an excellent English translator on staff. So the initial appointment is all you need! Be warned that she might not be available for the follow-up checkups (especially if you schedule for Sunday), so if you have questions for the doctor I'd get a Korean friend to translate or, at the very least, write your question down for you. Again, if you have any questions on getting this done please email me or post a comment below.

As for the procedure itself...

Before the procedure

I could not wear contacts for at least 7 days beforehand. Glasses are obviously ok. They want a clear look at your natural eyes. The first step is a consultation, which determines on whether or not you are a candidate for LASIK/LASEK. This takes about 2-3 hours. Mine was on a Friday at 5:30pm and they were extremely empty. The translator came over and walked me through all the paperwork and procedures. Ts were crossed, Is were dotted and we were on our merry way to get tested. The tests ranged from the usual (Read the chart on the far wall) to the annoying (We're going to give you this stinging agent that'll dilate your pupils. Then we're going to put paper under your eyelids for five mintues) to some I had never saw in an eye examination before. The exams are extremely detailed and my numbers I received at the end matched the ones back home exactly. I paid about 10k won for this consultation.

Congrats you're a candidate for LASIK! Let's put some paper in your eyes.

There was a hangup with my eyes though. Apparently my retina was a little more narrow than they would have liked in my right eye. So I had to get one additional appointment with the retina specialist to make sure he gave the go-ahead. I scheduled for the following Thursday (Since the New Years holiday put a wrench into scheduling). It was a little nerve-wrecking with the wait, but Thursday rolled around and the retina doctor cleared me for surgery. The cost of this consultation was about 10k won as well.

So I scheduled the surgery for the following day, on Friday the 3rd. At this point I had a choice between LASIK and LASEK surgery. They quoted me 1.35 million won for LASIK (About $1200) and 1.25 million won for LASEK ($1100). 

My issue was astigmatism, which means my cornea is shaped more like a football than a basketball. This causes blurred vision when the light enters through the cornea, because it's not a normal shape to process. Both procedures would have cured my condition in different ways.

Here are the differences

• LASIK is a procedure where they cut a flap into the cornea, fold it back, and then physically reshape with a tool. For farsighted people, you want the cornea to be steeper. For nearsighted people, the cornea needs to be flatter.
• Recovery time for LASIK is much better, around 2-3 days. The procedure has minimal pain (though some discomfort and many weird feelings). This is good to have done on a Friday, so you can be back and running to work on Monday.
• Disadvantages are that it's a procedure that can really only work once. The scar tissue around the flap that is cut is weaker and can be dislodged through massive head trauma. This requires additional surgery to correct.
• LASEK is a procedure where, instead of cutting a flap and readjusting, the entire upper layer of the cornea is moved to the side of the eye (Rather than just folded back as in LASIK). A laser is used to reshape the lower levels of the cornea, and the missing tissue regrows naturally within 3-5 days.
• Recovery time for LASEK is worse, around 5-7 days. There's a bit more pain while the tissue is regrowing. From what I hear, you're basically bedridden screaming in pain for up to a week. The advantage is since there are no tissue scars like LASIK, risk of future head trauma won't have any implications.

I opted for LASIK since I did not have enough time to recover and don't expect to be hit by a bus anytime soon (I like to live dangerously). The papers were signed and I was ready to get lasers shot at my eyes!

NO DAN, ONLY ZUUL

During the procedure

The next day I arrived an hour before my scheduled surgery. They wanted to do a few final check ups to confirm everything was still hunky-dory. The doctor (Who spoke wonderful English) found the numbers to be the same and cleared me for surgery.

I put on my surgery gown, took off my shoes and placed my glasses in the locker, knowing it would be my last time taking them off. "You can just throw those away" I joked to the translator. At this point I was filled with a mix of excitement, nervousness and anticipation. Like waiting in line for a roller coaster. 

They took me to a side room where a nurse sterilized my eyes and the surrounding area with a dab. "Whatever you do, don't open your eyes. It stings a lot." I thankfully managed not to find out how much was "a lot". At this point I confided I was a little nervous. Surgery is a rarity for me. The translator laughed and told me not to worry, it's a very safe procedure. After I was sterilized, I was taken into the surgery room.

There were two beds in the surgery room and around 5-6 doctors and nurses. I took the empty one and laid down. Surprisingly, I was not strapped in, though my head filled a half-bowl at the head of the bed. It was a little unnerving knowing I still could move my head, but the guide of the bowl was helpful. From there, I heard the five words I would keep chanting to myself.

"Look at the green light."

Green light. Green light. The machine above my face blinked with a green light as a guide to keep my eyes stable. Going with the roller coaster analogy, at this point I felt like I was strapped in past the point on no return. Any second now this coaster would take off and I'd be in for a wild ride. The doctor introduced himself to me in perfect English. It went something like this.

"Hello!"

"Annyoung haseyo!" (Hello)

"Ah, hangul?" (Korean?)

"Anno..." (No...)

They all had a good laugh at the waygook trying to speak their language. But they were all very nice. The doctor spoke to me every single step of the way in fantastic English.

"OK, I am now putting cold water in your eyes."

"OK, now we will numb your eyes with this solution."

"OK, now I will hold your eyelids in place."

"OK, now I will cut a flap in your eye. Look at the green light. You will be blind for a few seconds."

"OK, now here is the laser. You will smell burning."

It was the weirdest thing. They did one eye at a time and covered my entire face in a mask that only left my eye exposed. My vision ranged from blurry, to clear, to blind to a blinding white in the span of thirty seconds. And then it was done.

"OK, now it is time for the next eye."

The surgery itself? Less than five minutes for both eyes. I couldn't believe how quickly it took. There was no pain and by far the worst part of the actual surgery was when they used a glass disc to flatten my eye. This caused a little discomfort due to the pressure on my eye, but still no pain. The doctor said I was a perfect patient and he was glad I did not complain. Which did wonders for my ego.

If you're feeling adventurous, here's a fun youtube video I saw from the doctor's point of view. It's a little intense, but keep in mind none of this hurt for me. It was just an odd, different feeling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-TUMw1FTmY

Once finished, they stood me up and led me to a recovery room where I sat for ten minutes. Things were still very blurry, but it was still slightly better than my original vision. The rate at which it improved was noticeable and I remember moving my hand back and forth to see what level of blurriness I was at.

Then I opened my eyes and this happened.

After the Surgery

I was able to walk out of the clinic fairly easily at 1pm, though my girlfriend was there to help. We went to her apartment where the WORST part of the whole process set in. It felt like I CONSTANTLY had sand in both my eyes. But I couldn't touch them at all. They prescribed me eye drops to help. The relief it provided only lasted for a minute or so. I was constantly applying like an addict. They gave me sleeping pills and pain relief meds to help, but they also told me not to go to bed until 9pm or 10pm. This was confirmed by my friend who also had LASIK done; sleeping right after surgery just makes it worse. The feeling wasn't painful, but it was just annoying enough to be a major pain in the ass.

By 8pm my right eye saw things perfectly. My left was still very blurry. I went to bed and woke up to find the sand-in-eyes feeling gone. Left eye was still blurry, but noticeably improved. Right was still perfect. I was able to do pretty much anything I wanted at home and even was able to go out for my birthday dinner the next night. 

Over the next few days my left eye got better. I went in for my check-up and the Doctor took note of it and told me not to worry. It takes roughly a week for vision to improve and up to 6 months to stabilize. During that time I'm told I may have a few hiccups: Bright lights may be painful, night vision may be diminished and odd blurryness may occur. Future checkups will occur at 1 week after surgery, 1 month, 6 months and every years from now on. But overall the operation was a success.

My last picture with glasses!

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the cost?

I paid 1.35 million won for the actual surgery and less then 50k in the various medications and checkups. LASEK was 1.25 million won.

Was it painful?

Not really. The operation itself was painless. It was mildly uncomfortable when they pressed down on my eye. The worst part was the rest of the day after the surgery, due to the 'sand-in-eye' or 'folded contact' feeling.

What do you need to do after surgery?

I have to take three medications for a week. An anti-biotic (4 times a day), an anti-inflammatory (every 2 hours while I"m awake) and artificial tears (as often as possible.) I cannot drink alcohol for two weeks and cannot do any heavy lifting for four weeks. I have to sleep on my back and wear a protective eyeglass for one week (so I don't scratch my eyes). I cannot touch my eyes for one week. I could not shower for two days after surgery and must avoid smoky and steamy environments for two weeks. Ice cream is mandatory.

Could you walk out of surgery ok?

My vision was blurry but I could walk out. I would really recommend having something there with you to help to at least get you home. Once you're home, you're golden. If you're living alone, I would recommend having some meals prepared. Audiobooks would help too.

What was the recovery period like?
Short answer, if you get LASIK on Friday evening you can for sure get back to work on Monday. LASEK you'll need to take a week off. With LASIK I felt fine to go back to work after about 36 hours.

What was the problem with your eyes and/or what was the condition?
Astigmatism. -4.00 in the left and -3.25 in the right.

How long did it take for your eyesight to improve?
My right eye could see within eight hours of the surgery, 90-95%. My left eye was improved during that time, but it took about 24 hours to get to the 85-90% range. There are minor hiccups (bright lights are more sensitive, night vision is a little reduced) but the doctors say the majority clears up in a week and it takes about six months to completely stabilize.

Did anyone speak English there?
Yes, the Noon clinic provided a translator who was there for the two consultations before the surgery, and she was there every step of the way for the actual surgery. She was actually right next to me on the bed as they worked on me. Both the doctor who cleared me for surgery and the doctor who preformed the actual surgery spoke very good english. Scheduling the initial appointment will require a phone call from a Korean friend though.

What type of time commitment do you need?
The initial consultation will take 2-3 hours. I would recommend scheduling this 1-2 weeks before you want the surgery (though it can be sooner). I had an additional consultation before surgery due to concern about my retina. The day of the surgery took a little over one hour. The surgery itself took about five minutes. After that, you need to go back within 1-2 days (they have someone available on Sunday just for followup appointments), 1 week after, 1 month after, 6 months after and then 1 year after. I'm assuming the 1 year/6 month appointments can be done by any specialists back home too.

But really, was it painful?
But really, it was weird and freaky, but no pain. Worst was the sand-in-eyes feeling for 8 hours afterwards.

Again, any questions please ask! Thanks for reading!