1. Katie
The Diary of Byeoung-Kuen
10 March 2009
Dear Diary,I have no idea what I am doing talking to you right now. My mom
bought you so I can write everything down when I go to army training. I’m
leaving in 9 days, because that’s when I turn 15, and all boys here have to go to
the army once we reach the age of 15. My dad went before and we lost him,
which is really sad. I really don’t want to go! I heard you have to do about a
hundred sit ups at 5:00am in the morning, I could never live like that!..Wait
right here my mom’s calling me... . By the way it is fun writing my feelings out
on you.
11 March 2009
1 day closer to getting shipped off to military camp. I guess thats where I will
be living for the rest of my life. Oh right! how rude of me blabbering away like
that without telling you some things about me. As you know my name is
Byeoung-Kuen Hyong and I am a boy cause its on the front page. And, yes I
do live in North Korea, and as everyone knows the Korean government is really
strict and doesn't let anyone use the internet and our government also controls
all our media. And no one is allowed to call people who live out of the country,
but that doesn't make a difference to me, because everyone I know lives in this
developing country. Oh well, thats it for today I need to go to school.
12 March 2009
Going to school now, and if you want to know I go to Kaohsiung Korean School
but there is no reason for you to know so...yeah. But at school I get treated really
well, and I really like school. Too bad I have to leave soon.
14 March 2009
I had a family dinner last night so I didn’t get a chance to write to you.I can’t get
the army thing out of my head, I don’t know why I was longing to go before. My
cousin is already at military camp about 2 years ago and everyone misses him.
Why don’t girls get send off to military camps, who thought of this thing?...Oh no!
It’s 10:30pm and I haven’t even start practicing for my exam yet! My mom is
going to get so mad.
15 March 2009
I’m going to fail my test today! All I could think of last night was being shipped off.

2. Katie
Well today I think I failed my test. I only knew the answer to 2 questions and most
of the other boys failed too and thats about it.
16 March 2009
Dear Diary, you will never know what happened today...I’m an orphan! You might
be wondering what happened. Well I was at school doing math and learning algebra
and waiting for class to end, then suddenly there was a announcement on the loud
speaker saying “Byeoung-Kuen Hyong please come to the principal's office
immediately” at first I thought it was because of my test results so I was really
scared but when i got there i knew something was not right. It was completely quiet
in the office, usually there’s a lot of noise. I knew that because I came here to hand
things in a few days ago. Then I continued walking to the the principal’s office, but
when I asked for directions no one in the office talked to me they just pointed, and
usually everyone is really friendly. The principal must have told them to be quiet.
When I finally got to the principals office he told me something I will never forget in
my life, “my mom is dead” It was shocking, I almost fainted. Then principal Sang-
Hee asked me if I knew anyone who lives in the area and I nervously said no. Then
she said that I was going to military soon so she didn’t think I need a parent so
soon. And you wouldn't believe what she said next, she said she was going to send
me to military right away. And so right now I’m on a truck and going to military.
Well I’m here now, this place is nothing but dirt. You know what...I’m going to run
away. Ready.. GO!...so..tired..going to keep running...going to faint...why are they
still chasing me? Yes! a car I’m going to jump on 1,2,3 JUMP! Yes I’m free!
This is a really long ride when are we going to stop? I’m going to take a quick nap.
17 March 2009
Where am I? Did I sleep through the night? Oh right I’m on a fruit truck I remember
now. And there is the driver. THE DRIVER!! oh no hide.
Good thing he didn’t see us, and he looks very old. Where are we going now? Okay
I’m going to jump off, talk to you later.Well I successfully got off but I still don’t know
where to go. I’m just going to go on one of those ship and then think. You will never
guess how I sneaked in, well I might not have ever told you I can swim before I’m an
expert swimmer. So I Hitched a ride to the other side of the dock, then I jumped in
the water and swam towards the ship and grabbed a rope and climbed up. I’m not
really sure where the ship is going. I guess I will have to wait.
19 March 2009
Yeah! it’s my birthday and I celebrating it by myself on a ship.

3. Katie
15 April 2009
I was right! even with my extremely poor english I could read the sign. And you can
not believe where I am at now, I’m in a room in side “AdoptUsKids” waiting for
someone to adopt me.
17 April 2009
Am I really that bad, why won’t anyone adopt me.
20 April 2009
Finally someone is adopting me what took so long. I’m still a bit scared because of
my last adopter. But I don’t think my new adopter is the same as my old one, at
least I don’t think so, I can’t be so sure yet.
Well my guess is sort of correct. My adopter is like a normal parent. And she even
knows a bit of korean, her name is Madison Lee. But she doesn't treat me badly.
She doesn't whip me or make me do dangerous things like chop fire wood. And she
even signed me up for Bridgeport Korean School Foundation.
I feel like my life won’t be that bad after all.