My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth - Softcover

Simmons, Wendy E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0795347049 ISBN 13: 9780795347047

Publisher: RosettaBooks, 2016

Synopsis

Most people want out of North Korea. Wendy Simmons wanted in.

In My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth, Wendy shares a glimpse of North Korea as it’s never been seen before. Even though it’s the scariest place on Earth, somehow Wendy forgot to check her sense of humor at the border.

But Wendy’s initial amusement and bewilderment soon turned to frustration and growing paranoia. Before long, she learned the essential conundrum of “tourism” in North Korea: Travel is truly a love affair. But, just like love, it’s a two-way street. And North Korea deprives you of all this. They want you to fall in love with the singular vision of the country they’re willing to show you and nothing more.

Through poignant, laugh-out-loud essays and 92 never-before-published color photographs of North Korea, Wendy chronicles one of the strangest vacations ever. Along the way, she bares all while undergoing an inner journey as convoluted as the country itself.

About this title

From the Author

Wendy Simmons won’t stop travelling until she visits every country in the world! Despite her
hatred for packing, she’s managed to explore more than eighty-five so far—including territories and colonies—and chronicles her adventures on her blog, wendysimmons.com.

Wendy is president of Vendeloo, a consultancy she founded in 2001, Chief Brand Officer of a NYC-based global eyewear brand, and an award-winning photographer. She’s also owned a bar in Manhattan, worked for a lobbying firm on Capitol Hill, and written a Japanese-language phrase book. Though her Japanese is now terrible,
Wendy’s Pig Latin is flourishing. She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University.

Wendy practices Muay Thai daily and lives in Brooklyn in a converted 1800s schoolhouse.

From the Back Cover

A born explorer, she is thrilled when granted a rare entry visa―despite the country’s penchant for detaining tourists.

In My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth, Wendy offers readers a glimpse of North Korea as it’s never been seen before. Because even though it’s one of the scariest places on Earth, she somehow forgets to check her sense of humor at the border. Even worse, she’s never met a rule she didn’t want to break!

Oh my Dear Leader.

But Wendy’s initial amusement and bewilderment soon turn into frustration and growing paranoia. For ten days, she hurtles through a “North Korea is Great! America is Not!” tour. She’s attached by a virtual shock-collar to two female handlers, who monitor her every step―and guard their every word. And Wendy’s pretty convinced one of them is crazy, even by North Korean standards.

Before long, she learns the essential conundrum of “tourism” in North Korea.

“Travel is truly a love affair. But, just like love, it’s a two-way street. And North Korea deprives you of all this. They want you to fall in love with the singular vision of the country they’re willing to show you and nothing more.”

Ultimately she’s left with more questions than answers―the most urgent being whether she can find a bathroom with running water, electricity, AND toilet paper!

Through poignant and laugh-out-loud essays, Wendy chronicles one of the strangest vacations ever. Along the way she bares all while trying to befriend her enigmatic minders, and undergoes an inner journey as convoluted as the country itself.

Edition details

• Publisher: RosettaBooks
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0795347049
• ISBN 13: 9780795347047
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 312