Fall is now upon us, which comes with a new semester, new classes, new teachers and new stories from summer vacation. Some college kids went home for the summer and enjoyed thee free life. Some of the lucky ones probably travelled around to Mexico, Europe or somewhere else interesting. Yet, it is safe to say that none of these summers can even begin to compare to what one UCLA student did with his summer break.
Off to Join the Rebels
Chris Jeon is a UCLA student who bought a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Cairo this past summer. According to the LA Times, “Jeon told the Emirates newspaper that he [then] traveled by train to Alexandria, took buses to the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi and then hitched rides towards the capital of Tripoli.”
Once he got there, he joined a group of rebels and is now fighting alongside them in the Libyan civil war. This war is an attempt to overthrow Moammar Kadafi, the autocratic ruler of Libya since 1969. It is said that Jeon does not speak Arabic like the rest of the rebels and that he uses sign language to communicate. When the Emirates newspaper talked to Jeon, he was apparently well on his way to attacking the city of Surt, the leader Kadafi’s hometown.
Keeping Tabs
Two reporters are staying updated with the American. Bradley Hope is a reporter from The National and he recently tweeted on September 3rd, “Last we heard, he was still a celebrated mascot of the rebels, going from brigade to brigade. But info is hard to get.”
The other reporter is Kristen Chick from The Christian Science Monitor. She also tweeted about Jeon recently saying, “He apparently slept in the hospital there, took a shower, got some sunscreen, then hitched a ride back to the front. Jeon – still here.” Chick reports that Jeon has been fully accepted by the rebels and is not being kicked out like a rumor said. In pictures, Jeon is seen wearing a blue Los Angeles basketball jersey with a rifle in his hand. His parents apparently had no idea that he was in Libya but they now know that he is safe and sound and apparently coming home soon. According to another one of Hope’s tweets, “Parents of #ChrisJeon told me he is safe and heading back soon. He was unaware that there had been any news about him for the last week.”
Jeon is a bold and daring kid for going out to Libya with no return ticket and no experience with revolutions. All Chris Jeon had to say about it is, “This is one of the only real revolutions [in the world].”
So, I’m sure you all had great summer vacations but Jeon did something that most of us would never be brave enough to do. He fought in a revolution. At least that’s something that might look good on a resume.
About the Author
Meagan Hollman is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them search for online courses that can help them reach their goals.