Living history

I find that one of the most rewarding aspects of traveling, of taking my little world beyond my little world, is having the opportunity to really experience history.  To really experience social studies, language, geography.  This last weekend I went to one of the palaces here in Seoul, and while I was not entirely enthusiastic about going, I nonetheless found myself mesmerized by the history that the palace represented.  I find that from a distance historical monuments hold little significance to me, and I have to be in their presence to gain much from them.  I can never truly understand the lives and lifestyle that are represented in an ancient place such as the one I visited, but I can tuck it away with all of the the other things that create the kaleidoscope that is my paradigm.   I can hope that I will someday look back and see the various minute or grand ways in which it impacted me.  There are many palaces and other important sites in Seoul, and throughout Korea, and Asia that I would like to see.  I will enjoy learning from them and seeing what they have to offer, but at the moment I am more interested in another type of experience I will be getting to take part in.  

My friend Mariko asked me to go on a tour to a place called The Sharing House in a couple of weekends. (If you are interested in learning more about it yourself,  you can check out the link in the previous sentence or click here for another, different website - Namun House ).  One of the more tragic aspects of Korean history is the story of the comfort women.   These women, referred to and addressed now as halomi, or grandmother, were used by the Japanese during WWII as sex slaves.  Korea was occupied by Japan at the time, and so, in the interest of the war,  Japan stole between 100,000 and 200,000 women and young girls away from their homes and sent them to the various places throughout the world where Japanese soldiers were stationed.  These women were raped repeatedly on a daily basis, many were killed, others were abandoned in far places after the war.  None of these women were paid any respect, and most of them lived a life of shame.  

This is a huge political and social issue between Japan and Korea, and until 1992 was not recognized by the Japanese government as being the fault of the government.  I had read about this several times in various guidebooks and histories on Korea, but honestly, and a bid ashamedly, I wasn't really struck with the enormity.  I thought it would be cool to go to this safe house, get to have a new experience.  Interesting.  Another entry on the list of cool things I have gotten to do while in Korea.  Then I read over the website that Mariko sent me.  I read the posts and the newspaper articles and something clicked.  These women (there are only a handful alive today) speak of an atrocity that happened to thousands of women, an atrocity that even today is hidden from public view.  I am honored to learn more and possibly have the chance to talk with one of them.    

I find sometimes that I get too wrapped up in my little world, in the hundreds of things that determine how I feel at any particular moment.  Something like this makes me stop and examine myself, my choices, my life.    It makes me grateful for the opportunities that I have had and the world I have grown up in.  So many things in my life are a privilege, and there are many people who were never given any options at a happier life.  I hope that I can remember that next time I start complaining...