cantRYAN

Yea, this is very evident if you have a chance to visit Dandong, China. It's a border town across the Yalu river in Northeastern China and and ideal place to border cross. From what I learned from locals the border is fairly permeable, and every day items are smuggled into NK like electronics, luxury items, etc. To get out, its most effective to bribe guards and then hire someone on the Chinese side to get you to safety. The Eastern most segment of the Great Wall actually extends right to the border and you can look across into North Korea. They have a facade of a carnival there (just across the river on the NK side) thats non-functional but is supposed to suggest prosperity and happiness to the outside world. They also have a (Korean War) museum there, but the Chinese call it "the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea Museum". Really interesting place to travel for a few days. We took a speedboat up the river, they pulled up along the bank and a NK farmer threw us a cucumber. Haha as if to say "we have so much fuckin' food we're throwing it at people'.

Did you pronounce is pe-cawn or pee-can? Just curious.

This story reminds me of slaves escaping their plantations via the underground railroad. Harriet Tubman's book describes having to smother babies in situations like this to save a group from discovery.

How does it affect your ability to walk, exercise?

Thanks for doing an AMA and sharing your story. What kinds of things can cause a two year olds chest to collapse?