LauraLing

I've been asked this question a lot, and have thought about it a lot. And in fact, just a couple weeks ago, I sat down with my five year old daughter and told her what happened. She was just about to start kindergarten and I didn't want her to possibly hear about it from anyone other than me. I told her that I was working on a story about people that need help (I was covering the trafficking of North Korean women) and that while I was doing that, I found myself in trouble and needed help. President Bill Clinton rescued me and my co-worker, and that is why her middle name is Jefferson after, William Jefferson Clinton. I was on the verge of tears telling her this.

My conditions were simple and basic. There was a guard's room attached to mine with two guards present at all times. During the beginning of my detainment, the days were mainly filled with being interrogated. It was incredibly stressful. After a few weeks, I was allowed some books -- they were an amazing escape into other worlds. I spent most of my day thinking about my family. Hoping I would get through another day. Wow--this is bringing back memories. As for events I've covered that have fascinated me most: touring toxic e-waste villages in China, slave labor in the Amazon, Mexico's drug war, freedom movements in Myanmar. It's ironic that I've covered many issues of freedom, and then lost my own. A lesson to note take our liberties for granted.

I've been pretty open about my experience being detained in North Korea, but there are little things that I may not have shared. The first time I heard my guard hum a tune, I was brought to tears. It was the first time I'd heard music in many weeks and I was so overwhelmed emotionally, I just broke down.

Thanks for the question! In the past, I've covered more international issues--stories about human rights, the environment, conflicts, etc. Now that I'm a mom of two young children, I'm hesitant to travel as far, for long stretches of time. I'm very excited about the work that I'm doing for Seeker. I've been able to cover some really amazing, inspiring stories. I recently met a young woman who was sexually assaulted in the military. She talked about her ritual of photography that has allowed her to cope. I have a series called Rituals (motivated by a ritual that I started practicing during my captivity) that focuses on people who have overcome obstacles and the Rituals that have helped them through. I hope you'll watch. I feel there are so many stories in our own backyard that need to be told. Having said that, I'll be heading around the world in about a week to cover an issue that I'm incredibly passionate about --the energy crisis in Africa. Just got my immunizations this morning! hence my slow typing.

We hear the normal vitriol between North Korea and the US and much of the talk seems to center around nuclear arms, threats and hostilities. Sometimes the picture of the average citizens gets lost. That we all want the same things in life. Turkey is one of my favorite places in the world because it's a Muslim majority democracy so there are a lot of cool juxtapositions that challenge perceptions--women in headscarves walking with women in jeans in front of a mosque with people drinking beer. Travel has a been such an eye-opener for me on so many levels.