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init6
WayToRussified
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Posts: 363
Location: Москва, Россия
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 Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, he's not making this up, Cyndy. In addition to KFA, the Koryo Group does DPRK tours and several other groups do as well, most (if not all) leaving out of Beijing. And unless George W. is being particularly inflammatory (and he hasn't since the original 'Axis of Evil' speech) the DPRK is welcoming to Americans as well.
Sure, there's a "moral" issue about spending money on their government, etc. but I just want to see it for myself, and that's why intend to go. I think they're "cool" about stamping your passport, too, so you can just pull the visa out of your passport upon return and not get interrogated if/when you return to the US.
It's an involved process with a slight risk factor (from the US gov't, not DPRK  ) but, to me, that makes it a LOT more fun and exciting!  |
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cyndy22
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 1076
Location: massachusetts
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| Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I know- you are young, single, adventerous and have a maverick streak. I understand that. Just be careful. I don't think you have alot of experience traveling to foreign countries not to mention developing and politically challenged, (how's that for a pc term) countries. Human rights are not a given and God forbid you do something even remotely out of line, well then you have real problems and no more fun. |
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init6
WayToRussified
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Posts: 363
Location: Москва, Россия
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| Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I don't consider myself an experienced traveller yet, but I haven't had an opportunity to leave for nine years. Now I'm going to be gone at least a year and I don't intend to return to the US for long. "If I have money, I'm somewhere else" is my new motto.  But my time in Germany was not in a hotel in Bavaria. I lived in a Soviet flat the size of my parents' bedroom and bathroom with three other people. In short, I lived like an East German, not like a tourist. I'm not into tourist things, other than monuments, museums, etc. But as far as living conditions, I prefer to get an "authentic" experience. Obviously if I visit DPRK this won't be the case since foreigners are strictly controlled as to their interaction with "normal" people. But in Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba and even the former Soviet republics I will be experiencing serious culture shock.
To be honest, I'm more concerned about the Central Asian republics than I am about the mid-East or Korea, especially Uzbekistan. Serious unrest, a regime that performs "contract torture" for the US (Egypt, Jordan and Uzbekistan torture terror suspects for us). Azerbaijan and Armenia are supposedly big "trouble" spots still as well. BUT, I have set a goal for myself of visiting all fifteen Soviet republics and I will. It will probably take a couple of years, but I'm hoping to do the Baltics, Belarus and Ukraine this year, the Caucasus and Central Asia next. My problem is mainly time and not-insubstantially money. But isn't that the case with all of us?
Journalism should provide a great opportunity to be paid to travel and write. Although very small in scale, I basically got my first story yesterday. The gulag camp I am searching for near Yekaterinburg was backed up with a check to cover my travel expenses, guide/interpreter, etc. I may not make it there until winter, so I may speak decent enough Russian by then to avoid the interpreter, but I still have to find the bloody place, and that's the biggest challenge. Small-scale though it is, I basically got my first commission to pursue a story! |
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cyndy22
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 1076
Location: massachusetts
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| Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Congratulastions El Casey! That is great that you got your 1st commission to do a story in Yekarinburg. That is the city where our son was born so we visited there Oct. 98. I hope yuou meet your goals and have a safe but exciting adventure and great education. |
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