I arrived in the evening, was introduced to everyone and given a tour. If you haven’t seen photos yet of the Whale Embassy and campgrounds, you should have a look. These activists have done an amazing job, creating a home thousands of miles away from their own, in the midst of what is essentially a construction site next to several incinerators. (This part of Ulsan is an industrial mecca, you can smell the toxic fumes immediately.) The Whale Embassy is a beautiful monument, which has served to be extremely educational for the locals, as well as the hub for all campaign activity. I am glad to be here--all the faces are new yet familiar—activists from different parts of the world, with great passion and dedication for what we do, always fascinating and unique in their own way.

The morning begins with a meeting to run down the day’s events. While the exact date is not certain, our eviction is imminent, and it is imperative that we are prepared for a peaceful interaction with the Korean police. Marek and Stufke are off on their whale watching expedition that sadly will result in no sightings. There is also a barbeque to prepare for, as KFEM members who have traveled a long distance will soon arrive.

I try to contact the US Embassy to let them know I am here but unfortunately, the embassy is closed. After a few other tasks I pop down to the public bath house where for 4000 won you can shower, sauna, and sit in a hot or cold pool. Being surrounded only by Korean women is a first…and find myself wishing that I spoke Hangul.

At home, its about 11pm. (1pm in Korea) I feel the jetlag hit me hard and try to take a nap. My tent is next to what seemed at night to be emptiness, but by day turned out to be a baseball and then soccer field for the locals. So between balls and bats it was hard to fall asleep, and instead I drifted somewhere between the waking world and dream one.

At the morning meeting I volunteered to help cook for the KFEM dinner, knowing how to make a Korean dish (jap chae) that is perfect for serving a lot of people. I am an American, but was born here in Korea. Adopted at just a few months old, I was raised in the states most of my life, this is my first time back to Korea.

As the cooking begins, four children arrive for our english lessons. This is a fantastic start, and would only grow with continued presence. They are so cute and eager…Michelle, (a Canadian teaching english in Ulsan) is leading the lesson which consists of standing, sitting, counting chopsticks, learning names of vegetables and fruits, playing with clay--the children made a large whale, with several little whales around it. It is so sweet, to see them here in the Whale Embassy, learning.

Cooking commences with myself, and Raoni. I prepare the jab chae, and Raoni decides to make a potato salad with a Korean twist, Asty (a new arrival from Switzerland) makes a fruit salad, and Jan cooks up several flavorful side dishes to be wrapped in rice paper. There is kimchee galore, and by the time dinner commences a delicious feast is to be had by all. I worry that my jab chae is a little bland and am relieved when it gets the thumbs up by So Yeon, (our interpretor), and Kim, a volunteer from Ulsan.

Over the next couple of hours people relax and mingle. A couple from New Zealand teaching English in Seoul arrived earlier in the day--they took a train down just to check out what we are doing, and to get involved. A brief meeting takes place around 10pm, where we learn that with the help and actions of YOU!, and other Greenpeace offices, we really are having an impact in Ulsan, and on the South Korean government. The mayor of Ulsan has even asked if we could just leave for Oceans Day. This is says a lot about how seriously our presence and this issue is being taken. Our most recent web action, as you may have read before, had such a huge response it crashed the server. So thank you, for doing your part to make all of this happen. Thank you for letting the South Korean government know they must do the right thing and continue the moratorium on whaling. (And stop all the ‘accidental’ bycatch!) Thank you for reading our weblogs, caring, taking action and being aware. This is the only way we can ever make change. Kamsahamnida! (thank you!)