Visiting Kenyan Dignitaries

In 2010, the country of Kenya (eastern Africa) wrote a new constitution to restructure its government for the sake of efficiency. Despite Swahili and English as common economic and political languages, this country of 580,367 square kilometers experiences significant cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1963, Kenya has experienced less cultural conflict than many other African countries. Yet, a country with such diversity of peoples often had difficulty of fully meeting the needs of such a diverse population. Thus, the new constitution created a system of federalism (similar to the United States) in which the national government would share power and responsibilities with 47 county governments (comparable to the 50 U.S. states).

With not having had a background in federalism, various international leaders, including my friend Jerry Regier, have been invited by the Kenyan government to lead seminars the political ethics involved within democratic federalism. Kenyan leaders have also made a variety of study tours within the United States. One such study tour has brought a delegation of Kenyan Governors to Oklahoma.

Tonight, I had the opportunity attend a reception held at Express Ranch (home of Bob Funk) and sponsored by Water4 in honor of this Kenyan delegation. It was an honor to meet:

Wycliffe Oparanya Ambesta, Governor of Kakamega

Peter Munya, Governor of Meru

Mohamad Ahmed Abdulahi, Governor of Wajir

Joshua Irungu Wakahora, Governor of Laikipia

Rutto Isaac Kiprono, Governor of Bomet

Johnathan Mueke, Deputy Governor of Nairobi

Evelyne Aruasa, Deputy Governor of Narok

and their associates holding other governmental offices

This delegation arrived Sunday evening. They then spent Monday touring agricultural sights and the Water4 production facilities. Today they met with several Oklahoma government officials at the Capitol and will meet with others, including Lt. Governor Todd Lamb, tomorrow. Jerry Regier has facilitated their visit to Oklahoma and is already planning a return trip to Kenya in hopes of taking some other Oklahoma leaders with him.

Personally, it was great to visit in-depth with a couple of these delegates and share my own experiences of having visited Kenya in 2001 and 2002. I've been invited back...so perhaps that can happen sooner than later.

pavilion at Express Ranch

His Excellency Wycliffe Oparanya Ambetsa,
Governor of Kakamega & Delegation Head,
presents formal greetings on behalf of the delegations

Expected v. Unexpected

When traveling the world, there are certain examples of globalization which I have come to expect to see.  Occasionally, however, there are things that I see which catch me by surprise.  Here are a few examples from my recent trip to South Korea.

Expected

McDonald's, along with delivery motorbikes

Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks

7-Eleven and Pizza Hut

Popular books in local language and baseball

Anything "Angry Birds" (this was all over Indonesia too)

Unexpected

 

Popularity of an American automobile company

Influence a current movie in reviving interest in the book on which it's based

Travel guides in local language

 

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen

Subway and Yankee Candle

Eskimo Joes (Stillwater, Oklahoma restaurant) t-shirt;

chocolate candies named after a west African country

McDonald's menu items: green tea and Shanghai Spicy Chicken

the Beef Bulgogi burger didn't surprise me since it's a Korean dish

Lone Ranger movie advertisement on a clear fan;

"Boom-Boom" sticks to cheer on the favorite baseball team

Sixth inning stretch (rather than 7th) and players actually came on the field to stretch

Making the News in Korea

On July 6th, just after our final lecture at Korea University, myself and two other teachers, Robin Manning from the Austin, TX area and Kelly Webner from Miami, FL, were interviewed by The Chosun Daily.  We were asked about our favorite moments of the trip and what specifically we will take back to our U.S. students.  The article appeared in print on July 8th.

While it is in Korean (and I can't find it on their English version website), here is a link to The Chosun Daily article on the Korea Society trip.  I have used Google's translator to try and make sense of the article.  Based on those results, here is what I understand the translation to mean:

39 Teachers Visited Korea at the Invitation of the Korea Society

"Many students in the United States know very little about Korea, like a small puzzle piece.  When I return I hope to share with them many more puzzle pieces to help them see the larger picture of Korea."

From the 26th of June through the 7th of July, 39 teachers came for a two week visit to Korea and will return home to share their experiences.  David Burton (36) a high school social studies teacher from Moore, Oklahoma, USA, said "Most of our students only know about the Korean War and the division into North and South.  I hope to share many other things about Korea."  Burton specifically plans "to teach about Korea's economic development by using pictures of the POSCO steel plant."

Various academic and cultural exchanges were part of the Korea Foundation and Korea Society's program.  The teachers visited museums and sites all throughout Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Gyeongju, Bulguska, and Cheongju.  Robin Manning (58), a teacher at Jack Hays High School in Texas, USA, said "having her students read newspaper articles on Dokdo will help to organize discussions with her students" when she returns to the United States.

Running for about 25 years, the Korea Studies Program began in 1989.  So far, more than 600 teachers from the United States have come to Korea.  The program was first started when the eledest daughter of Choi Young Jin (70), Korea Society Vice President, was in high school.  "Her teachers were not covering information on Korea in World History.  China and Japan provided the basis of East Asian representations."

Noting that this is her first visit to Asia, Kelly Webner (33), a teacher at South Miami High School in Miami, Florida, USA, said that her "experiences will lead to expecting students understand the balance of traditional Confucian values with modernization as well as to know of Korea's pristine beauty."

Picture's caption: 39 American social studies teachers explored the campus of Korea University for five days as part of their two week good will visit to Korea.

A Little "too far" to the North

A visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (aka "DMZ") is considered a once in a lifetime opportunity for most foreign visitors to Korea.  Today was my second time to go...so I better not push my luck too much, huh?

We left our hotel a little before 10:00 and then proceeded to the Lotte Hotel/Shopping complex to pick up our guide for the day.  We had a few minutes to browse through Lotte's duty free shops.  My excuse for not buying a pair of uber sexy Louis Vitton shoes is that 9-1/2 was the largest they had and I needed 10-1/2; this decision was NOT due of the $960 price tag on them <grin>.

Kelly helping heal the no-shoe pain

We then drove the hour or so from Seoul to the outskirts of the DMZ for what would be our final meal together as a full group: a wonderful beef bulgogi lunch cooked in a pot on our tables.

Lyn and Jess

Amber and David

Next we made our way to Imjingak.  This area was developed in hopes that it would provide a location where families from each the North and the South could visit each other, hopes that have never proved true in that the North will not allow it.  This location was selected because it is the southern edge of the "Bridge of Freedom".  It was on this bridge where prisoners of war were exchanged between the two Koreas following their armistice.

Leaving Imjingak, we made our way to Camp Bonifas which is located just south of the actual southern boundary of the DMZ.  We were given a short introduction to the DMZ and Joint Security Area (JSA) and then boarded an official DMZ bus to continue on to Panmunjom.  Crossing into the DMZ and driving toward Panmunjom, we could see the flags flying at each Daeseong-dong (aka "Freedom Village") in the South and Kijong-dong (aka "Propaganda Village") in the North.

Kijong-dong village

Our bus finally stopped just outside of Freedom House.  We were escorted inside and lined up on the stairway in two-single file lines.  Then we began moving outside again through the tented glass doors held open by guards and walked directly into the small blue building which straddles "the line".  It is in this building's single meeting room where all of the historic and high level diplomatic meetings between North and South occur.  The main table is placed directly over "the line" which is indicated by the layout of microphones on the table which provide 24-hour a day monitoring of what is said in the room.  With only two South Korean guards and our U.S. Army escort in the building, we were able to move freely about the room including the crossing of "the line".

This portion of the Panmunjom visit which I made in 2009 did not occur.  So while I have returned to South Korea and Panmunjom, this is my first time to enter North Korea.  It's quite an emotional moment to be there.  You know it's the "other side", the "bad side", and yet there you are without harm coming to you.

Leaving the building on "the line" we went back to the porch of Freedom House and had an opportunity to take pictures of Panmon Hall on the opposite side of "the line" from Freedom House.  It's kind of chilling looking through your camera's zoomed-in lens to see a North Korea guard staring back at you through his binoculars.  While the whole experience is tense due to the physical plot of land on which you are standing and knowing the history of the JSA and DMZ, it is also comforting to know that while we were in this place diplomatic conversations between North and South were occurring nearby to help resolve some of the recent tensions which resulted in the closing of the Kaesong Industrial Complex (located in the North and yet administered by the South--Northern employees and Southern employers).

 

 

In closing, all I can say is "wow" to this day of roaming the roads of lands remote!

Confucius Say...

Today we enjoyed a time filled with events relating to the impact of Confucian philosophy.  Professor Peterson led a lecture/discussion on the bus about some basics of Confucianism.  Confucian philosophy focused on making sure there was a moral rightness in five different relationships: king to subjects, parents to child(ren), husband to wife, elders to youngers, and friend to friend.  If these relationships are perfected then harmony can exist within this life.

Our first stop was to Ok San Seo Won, a regional school for learning about the philosophies of Confucius.  After touring the grounds, we all sat inside the learning center of the school for continued discussion on Confucian ideology and education as well as Korean literature styles.  It was noted that the primary career of choice was to be a public official or government bureaucrat/adviser.  Because Korean leaders of the Josen period had so heavily embraced Confucian ideology, having a firm grounding in the teachings of the great philosopher was imperative prior to obtaining such a government related job.  In order to show your worthiness you had to pass a serious of tests.  There were three levels of potential service and each level had three distinct tests which must be passed.  Professor Peterson mentioned that this could be a significant reason for why there is such a strong focus on education and test scores to this day in Korea.

We then ventured to Yangdong Village, a traditional 15th-16th century community.  This village is of the style built and used during the primary era of Confucian political importance.  Following a traditional lunch, served on tables at which you must sit on the floor, we met with the spiritual leader of this community.  The leader's title is Jongson and the current leader is the 17th generation of his family serving in this position....it is passed to the first born son of each successive generation.  The Jongson is responsible for leading his community in the various religious ceremonies related to the traditional practices of Confucianism in this part of Korea.  We sat down in the ceremonial room adjacent to his house for a question and answer period.

17th generation Jongson with his 2nd eldest son

Following our visit with the Jongson we then walked around and visited many places within the village.  Yangdong has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thus all buildings, including new construction, must be accomplished in the traditional manner.  This was one of those days in which the full sun, strong humidity, and overall heat combined for a day that made many of us so miserable that we probably did not appreciate the visit and experiences and much as we otherwise would have done.

It was a great day learning more about Confucian philosophies and visiting sits associated with such.  Even with the weather, it was still enjoyable to roam the roads of lands remote.