North Korea

Yes, I put my hair up into a messy bun.  I look scarily more professional that way.

Good morning one and all.  I have been faced with the question of why I don't talk about North Korea and how they are affecting lives in my blog.  After all I am in South Korea, so shouldn't I be writing about my life here and how such a momentous threat affects life here?  The simple answer to that, my friends, is it simply doesn't change anything.  At least not for the Koreans.

There is one change that took the amusement out of the situation.  The economy is fluctuating because one man is threatening war.  The exchange rate that us expats watch so closely is horrible right now.  Normally we hope for a 91 or 92.  I was lucky back in January and wired money home when it was at a 93.  As of yesterday evening it was at 88.  That is low.  So the foreigners living in South Korea are less than pleased.

We are definitely not the only ones.  Japan and China are experiencing the same problems.  Their economies are experiencing instability on the world market due to North Korea's rhetoric war.  Something that China will not take lightly.  You do not hurt allies.

That said, life here is normal.  We go to school and work like always, worry about the weather and which students in our lives are doing what for studying.  Plan lessons that we think will get the students' attention and adjust when they don't work the way we had hoped.  I'm going into town tonight to pick up dry cleaning, and most likely won't be back in town again the rest of the week.  Life is just normal.

If that changes, I will gladly post it here.  This blog is to reveal life as I learn it here in South Korea.  Those of you who have facebook with me can panic if I am not online for a day or two.  The rest of you, don't stress. I would feel horrible if I knew that I was the cause of stress for you.  The prayers have been welcome by the way.  Just don't be overly worried.  Everything is okay here.  God's got my back ;)