Granted, was a little surreal to be in NK. When you wake up early in the morning to slightly creepy music box sounding tunes filling the streets with State devotion songs, and watch everyone mutely making their way to work... yeah- its kind of unsettling. But in general, I and most my team adapted quickly to the restrictive circumstances, finding ourselves able to forge through the somber mood of the environment and be beacons of life and freedom in our warmth, laughter and care for our guides and one another. In an climate of fear, suspicion and duty, we acted intentionally out of love, trust, and joy.
The tributes to the revered founder of the state are manifold. Monuments, hymns, paintings...there was even a flower species bred to be named after him. This giant boulevard led nowhere... just up to this large rendering of the beloved founder. In all the places i have been in the world, i feel the idolatry in this atheistic state was perhaps the most shocking i've seen. For people to bow to an image, i can at least imagine that believe they are bowing to a symbolic representation of some greater spirit/essence that they are intending to worship. But here, praise is uttered to a man. To a man, as an end in himself. Not as the symbol of something greater- but straight out worshiped as man. It was shocking to hear translation of what was sung of a mere man. For a society founded on atheistic presuppositions, there is certainly a deep (and deeply troubling) devotion to this god. Maybe he is in many ways a symbol after all... a symbol of State. 
Its unbelievable that you can begin to adapt so fast in such circumstances- we were no doubt helped by our Father who sent us to represent Him. But i was still amazed at how normal i felt even when i saw surreality on all sides. Kind of like being on the set of The Truman Show (if you have seen the film) ... and while being on set you don't forget who you really are. And there is still gravity, air, sleep & food. You are still you. And there is still normal dirt. And you still have to use the restroom when you drink tons of water. You sweat. You eat. You still find things funny, and you still smile. Its you, and its the real world... but with a mask on it. 
If anything, it was weird that I didn't feel weirder more often. Rapid adaptation was a gift from God, allowing us to focus on prayer and on loving our guides and representing Christ to them. It was such a privilege to be in that place and pray within its borders for the knowledge of God to flow there like a river of life to hearts as dry and dusty as the broad empty roads of the city. 