NEW! PYONGYANG TRAFFIC GIRL WALL CALENDARS FOR SALE

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Order a Pyongyang Traffic Girl Wall Calendar !

EDIT 2022: The link for the calendar no longer works. Will update if new link becomes available.

Zaruka (Ray Cunningham) has put together a nice 12" x 12" wall calendar featuring photos he took of the traffic ladies while he was in Pyongyang.  Each new month features a photo of a traffic lady with some Traffic Girl facts captioned underneath.

In addition to the usual holidays featured on a standard calendar, this calendar also has DPRK holidays and important dates featured, with a small picture to go along with the date.  So now in addition to celebrating the 4th of July - Independence Day in the USA - you can note the 27th of July - Fatherland War Victory Day! or Party Day, which is the same as Columbus Day in the USA - October 10th. Or January 8th - Kim Jong-Un's birthday! April 11th - the date of the Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia flower show!

The calendar is 12" x 24" hanging, and is a good quality product, made of heavy stock glossy paper. On the back cover are smaller pictures from each of the 12 months featured.

You can order this Pyongyang Traffic Girl wall calendar by going to this link      PTG CALENDAR (EDIT 2022: dead link)
which will take you to the Flickr associated photo website Snapfish.  You will need to register with Snapfish before you order, but registering is free and only requires a name, email address, and to create a password.  You can preview the calendar at the above link before you order. The price is $24.99, all proceeds going to Snapfish - Zaruka Doesn't even get any royalties from this. And no percentage goes to the DPRK, in case anyone had reservations about their money going into the coffers of the "Dear Leader".

As this screenshot from the Snapfish website shows, YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT YEAR AND MONTH to start your 12 or 18 month calendar with.

I have always dreamed of doing this and finally I have created a calendar. That is the retail price (a bit high) but the advantage is you can pick them up at your local store. That I like. I gave them out as Christmas presents this year. Do not worry, I am sure there will be one next year with new photos from Pyongyang. I am headed back in September for over two weeks. Hope you all like it.
Happy New Year
- Ray

When you go, you could take a few to NK with you and sell them as souvenirs to fellow tourists. Or give a few to your 'minders' - they may get a chuckle out of it.

Someone else is creative with their traffic ladies photos - Tom Peddle made a Christmas card:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tpeddle/5290561827

Ah Tom, yes he is quite the character. We pulled some pranks in the DPRK and we may be back as a team for the September tour. That picture is priceless!
Ray

Dear Leader wrote:

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You can order this 2011 Pyongyang Traffic Girl wall calendar by going to this link 2011 PTG CALENDAR
which will take you to the Flickr associated photo website Snapfish. You will need to register with Snapfish before you order, but registering is free and only requires a name, email address, and to create a password. You can preview the calendar at the above link before you order. The price is $24.99, all proceeds going to Snapfish - Zaruka Doesn't even get any royalties from this. And no percentage goes to the DPRK, in case anyone had reservations about their money going into the coffers of the "Dear Leader".

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But aren't all tourists to North Korea putting money into the coffers of the Dear Leader?

I can answer that. Whenever I visit a regime that is denying human rights, waging a war of aggression, holding political prisoners, or fostering a reprehensible policy I am indeed putting money into the coffers of the Dear Leader. Is any manufacturer helping the Dear Leader if their products go to the DPRK? In an interdependent world we all are helping any leadership stay afloat.
I am one that goes to these nations. Why? Because the more light we cast on these societies (I have taken nearly 12,000 photos inside North Korea) the more they are exposed and we understand what is going on instead of making up stories about the society. It is not quite as black and white as we would like.

The people in these closed societies see Americans for the first time and we do not have horns. It leaves an impression. They finally have first-hand knowledge of the American Imperialist Aggressors and we bring iPads, iPods, rock and roll and t-shirts. That does more to disarm the legitimacy of the regime than the money they gain. I saw a hard core North Korean party man love Grand Theft Auto. So what is that worth?

I asked the tour operator (who is quite well known) if he ever felt like a stooge of the regime and he said no, not at all. If anything he is exposing the regime and helping people. I am sure some of the money I pay goes to the regime but I am also literally handing Euros to the North Koreans I know to help them survive. They are embarassed but grateful because I know that what I give the people I meet will get them through the winter. Every bit helps. When you meet people in that society you discover how warm and decent they are. They are scared about the future and their extended families are all dependent on any income or goods given.

If we did not go, the regime would be there, trust me. The regime is not on the verge of falling. Sorry, that just is not true. I do think that they can exist at least two years after KJI's death but one more famine could end it. They are nearing the cliff but I think it is more solid than most thing. I went to the USSR four times, all over the society and you knew that was crumbling because everyone told you. Romania was worse - they hated Ceaucescu and told you (believe me that was just as frightening a police state.) Koreans are more nuanced in how they discuss it but they love their country and the Kim family has legitimacy to a greater degree than the communist party did in many countries. Kim Jong-il is not that loved but his Father's state is. They know what comes if it collapses and it is not pretty. I think you need to think about how ruthless the South would be if they took it over. We would not be able to stop the cruelties the ROK army would unleash. I know it sounds strange, but the emnity between sides is too much.

The fear of the North invading the south is long over. The North's military is decaying. The recruits do not have socks. The machines do not move. There is not enough petroleum to turn the tanks on - and they know they are useless with the A-10's that would take them out in the first few hours. They are useless anyway. Ignore the parades, that is about all that is left of the military. Believe me, they barely have the paint to pain the rusting hulks. You cannot hide this kind of thing from experienced people taking photos.

My photos are on Flickr under user Zaruka. I educate the North Koreans and the Americans. The disconnect is huge and we have to bridge it.

Hey, when is the 2012 calendar coming out? I want to send some to my friends before Christmas. Surely you are preparing a special edition calendar since it is Juche 101, 100 years since the birth of the Great Leader, 70 years since the birth of the Dear Leader and 30 years since the birth of the New Guy.

Thanks!
TT

Ray had told me he would be making another calendar for 2012. I don't know how soon though - I relay this to him and post the details. There are many more pictures from the latest trip.

OK, thank you!

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If you don't want to wait for one with a new set of pictures, I just discovered that if you go the the post for the 2011 calendar:
https://www.pyongyangtrafficgirls.com/t239-new-pyongyang-traffic-girl-wall-calendars-for-sale
and proceed to the snapfish website, you can choose any month to start the calendar with, including 2012.
You can even make it a 12 or 18 month calendar, as shown in this screenshot:

I am so glad you are doing this. I did not get time to do another calendar. When KJI died my photos went viral and I have been answering emails and posting photos. I notice that PYTG traffic to my photos is up.
Remember folks this is Juche 101 coming up. Yes I will be heading back in but not in April. I want a longer stint in the fall for the harvest but not too late to see the new Mass Games.
This DPRK thing is getting full time!
Have a great holiday everyone!
Ray

Time for an update! 2013 is coming!

Jong-Il's Hair Apparent wrote:

Time for an update! 2013 is coming!

You can customize the calendar into the year and months you wish on the snapfish website.