Most of you that are particularly worried about us or our safety here in Seoul have already been in contact with us, but for those of you that aren't, I thought I would provide you with a little update.
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Just to give you a picture of how normal our lives remain, I thought I would share these pictures of Cade at the park yesterday. It was over 50 degrees when we got up yesterday, which is considerably higher than normal! It reached 66 by the end of the day, so we went to the park with friends in the morning and then again in the afternoon after we got back home. The only things that were out of the ordinary for us were 1) helicopters and planes flying overhead--normally there is only one day a week that we hear air traffic in Seoul and 2) I actually discussed North Korea and the possible threat with the women I was with at the park.
So first of all, the news is a whole lot scarier for you in the States than it is for us here in Seoul. The US media hypes up the threat and tension far more than the reality. I'm sure you're shocked to hear that! To be honest, we really don't hear too much about it. Life here in Seoul continues as normal. Realistically, South Korea has dealt with the ongoing threats from North Korea for more than 50 years. They can either live in fear or they can live. The majority chooses the latter. This article holds a lot of truth.
Yes, I would say that we are on heightened alert. Our headmaster addressed the issue of protocols and safety in a meeting this week--that was the first time that North Korea had been brought up in a formal capacity since our arrival. He confirmed that our school has an insurance company that closely tracks activity north of the DMZ, and we will have everything covered for us if the time comes for us to leave South Korea.
Our school sent out an email to parents last night reminding them of our emergency early dismissal procedures. Again, this is not normal, but it was meant to reassure parents that we do have a crisis response team on campus that is responsible for organizing procedures in the case of an emergency.
The US Embassy did release a security notice yesterday--another first--but it confirms the fact that we are safe. It's true that no one knows what Kim Jong Un will do next, but the reality is that all we can do is pray and continue to live our lives.
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Just to give you a picture of how normal our lives remain, I thought I would share these pictures of Cade at the park yesterday. It was over 50 degrees when we got up yesterday, which is considerably higher than normal! It reached 66 by the end of the day, so we went to the park with friends in the morning and then again in the afternoon after we got back home. The only things that were out of the ordinary for us were 1) helicopters and planes flying overhead--normally there is only one day a week that we hear air traffic in Seoul and 2) I actually discussed North Korea and the possible threat with the women I was with at the park.
Yes, I would say that we are on heightened alert. Our headmaster addressed the issue of protocols and safety in a meeting this week--that was the first time that North Korea had been brought up in a formal capacity since our arrival. He confirmed that our school has an insurance company that closely tracks activity north of the DMZ, and we will have everything covered for us if the time comes for us to leave South Korea.
The US Embassy did release a security notice yesterday--another first--but it confirms the fact that we are safe. It's true that no one knows what Kim Jong Un will do next, but the reality is that all we can do is pray and continue to live our lives.
Hope the situation is just one of muscle-flexing in the end. Good to hear life goes on in South Korea. The news has been a little on the "scary" side here Down Under so we've kind of stopped watching it for a couple of days.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all well and our Lord keep you and all safe.
(came by way of Melody's blog).
Thanks for stopping by. Ironically, one of the more reassuring news articles I've read was from an Australian publisher! http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3727471.htm
DeleteThanks for the update, Chelsea, and for the link to the Embassy website.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're safe. So fascinating about the media hype. The same happens when there are conflicts in Israel. The US media makes it seem so scary and every second, but people I know who live in Israel are carrying on as usual.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and enjoy the warmer temps!