The Sharing House

The Sharing House was such an interesting experience!  Mariko and I met some other people at one of the subway stations, and then we all headed out to the area where the Sharing House is located.  It had nice grounds, out in the country and was  a great place for these women to be able to relax and enjoy life.  Listening to the woman speak with us - (in the pictures above - the one on the right with the purple pants) was such a privilege.  It was really interesting learning about her life, and so sad to imagine what she went through.  (I wrote a bit about this in an earlier post this month on 8/18 if you need some background info) 

It is always sad to come face to face with tragedies like this, to come to the realization that people are not always good.  The saddest thing today is that the disgrace continues as Japan refuses to acknowledge its role in this atrocity.   There is ample evidence that the government was responsible for the main organization of the comfort women, yet even today they will not dirty their hands with that responsibility.  I am so glad that I had the opportunity to meet the people I did at The Sharing House, and I hope that someday those responsible for ruining so many young women's lives will have the decency to admit to their wrong-doings.  

The collage above has a few pictures from the visit.  The photo with the folded hands states "We must record these things that were forced upon us."  This is the motto for the sharing house, and they have done a wonderful job. 

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...