Esther M. Aberle trip diary

Trip diary written by Esther M. Aberle who was a member of the KSU choral group, the Kansas State Singers, during their Far East Tour. On July 25, 1960 this 13 member group left Manhattan, KS to give performances at Armed Forces Installations in Japan, Korea, Formosa, the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii. William Fischer, Associate Professor of Music at K-State was the director of the group. In the diary, Aberle writes of her experiences at the various bases, the group’s performances, nightlife, and her thoughts on the people and places she encounters. For example, while in Seoul, Aberle wrote about going swimming in the enlisted men’s swimming pool, and then passing by local men, women, and children working along a road. In another entry, she writes about entering the DMZ (Korean Demilitarized Zone), being instructed not to “speak to any Reds,” and passing by the “Bridge of No Return” (a bridge used for prisoner exchanges between North and South Korea until 1968).