Wednesday 19 September 2012

(Day 61) Hwaseong Immigration Detention Center-day 48

sit-ups push-ups chairlifts
100+ (am) 10 x 20 reps 5 x 20 reps 5 x 20 reps

Breakfast 2 hard boiled eggs
Almond soy drink
bread with custard filling
Lunch rice
kimchi
sweet tomato juice
egg drop soup
raw onion, cucumber, & carrot with red pepper paste
Dinnerrice
kimchi
watery chicken, bean sprout & mushroom soup
plain fish cake in soy sauce


A representative of the Human Rights Commission came to the detention center today. Of course, at a place where no one is Korean, the entire meeting was conducted in Korean. And it wasn't a meeting either. we were given forms that we could have gotten and filled out at any time.

 I was able to talk to a representative later. I pointed out the lack of newspapers, English news on TV (they have Satellite, but CNN has been blocked. I know this, because I had the same service) and internet access (at least an hour once a week would be wonderful). I mentioned the shitty food too but to a Korean its normal, so they fail to see what's wrong with the menu. They also think Americans only eat pizza and hamburgers, because for them it's normal for them to eat rice and kimchi at every single meal.

Later, a guard was spouting off at me in Korean. I said, "I don't speak Korean" and to empathize, I continued with "blah, blah, blah" and made talking motions with my hands.

 He said, "We in Korea, you talk Korea."

 I said, "We in foreigner center, you talk English."

 He continued to talk in Korean, so I walked away and muttered "asshole."

In English, the Guard said "What did you say?"  and I replied, "Oh, you speak English now? You know exactly what I said, asshole."

He got really upset of course, and started yelling at me some more in English.

I just said, "The more you yell at me, the more you prove you really are an asshole for talking Korean to me when you know I don't understand, and you can speak English." and I walked away

There's not much he could say or do since the Human Rights representatives were still at the center and he couldn't put me in solitary for insubordination with 12 witnesses, when I was right. The guards are idiots and essentially powerless when it comes to telling us to do something.

No comments:

Post a Comment