I have never seen such an extravagant fireworks display in my life--unless you count the many July 4 celebrations that were based in Boston, NYC, and other places that I watched on TV.
Vickey and I left home three and a half hours before the show was scheduled to begin and instantly discovered that a larger number of Seoul's population would be attending than we had anticipated. The subway station was nothing shy of a cattle farm. Police officers guided everyone to and from the gates, and everyone who dared squeeze into the next subway car experienced a sardine's life for the few minutes of transport to Yoido. At last, we all reached our destination and exited the station. I couldn't help but wonder if this kind of mass exodus could be compared to that of Moses and the Israelites.
We followed the crowds to the park and discovered we had arrived just in time. While some had set up tents and slept there the night before, the rest of us wandered around to set up our own "camps." (We have guessed that there had to have been at least 1 million people who attended the festival and watched from either side of the Han River.) Vickey and I found a comfortable location on the steps overlooking the Han River and saved seats for three others who planned to join us. For two and a half hours we sat there, waiting and talking with those around us. Vickey ended up talking to a Korean who had been teaching himself English, and I ended up talking with an American English teacher from Oregon and her Korean friend who speaks good English and is an elementary school science teacher.
Just before the show began, J--, Vickey's student and friend, found us after much effort. After that, it was impossible for anyone else to locate friends or family as there was no more phone service or wireless internet accessibility.
For the next two hours we watched the skies. It was truly the most phenomenal fireworks display I've ever seen--and unique. There were some smiley face fireworks, some jellyfish-looking ones, and I'm almost certain there was a Chinese or Korean word at one country's finale.
At the very end, they set off special fireworks from the bridge that, falling downward, appeared to be a flowing waterfall. It was so beautiful.
J-- wanted to leave early, fearing that we wouldn't be able to get out safely or quickly otherwise, but by the time we agreed to leave, it was over anyway. She had driven to Yoido so that we wouldn't have to take the subway home, which was so nice of her. We expected to just find her car and ride home with her, but she had other plans . . . she wanted us to meet her friends.
We learned something new about J-- that night: she has friends in high places--the National Assembly, to be exact. After asking some questions, I gathered that it is the USA's equivalent of the US House of Representatives. She took Vickey and I there, and we met some secretaries and one NA member who wants to learn English. They fed us lots of fruit and sweet delicacies and just took time out of their busy schedules to talk with us. For most of the conversation, though, Vickey and I were just sitting there, feeling like goldfish in a bowl--foreigners on display. We didn't know what to say, and it didn't help matters that most of them either didn't speak English or were too afraid to try. So Jessica translated a bit for us. In the end, we truly had had a good time, but we were certainly shocked by the whole thing. They gave us souvenirs and told us to come by and visit any time. They even stood and bowed in respect to us as we came and left!
That was an experience I never ever expected to have! What everyone has said is true: Koreans' social status is becoming more and more clear to me. First come the president and government officials. Second come teachers, and foreign teachers actually have a higher standing than Korean teachers, I hear.
My mind is boggled. I cannot even try to imagine what the future holds anymore. All that matters is that God is in control.
Wow, such an interesting post! There is a several-day international fireworks competition in Vancouver every summer right in the middle of our BC campmeeting time, so I've gone to that a few times and it is really amazing! It's probably very similar to what you saw at the Han River. Beautiful pictures and such an interesting story of your detour home! Wow, so interesting, and so true about teachers being right up there in Korean social standings.
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting. I concur with Ali.
ReplyDelete