Time Out

I've been up for six hours now and I'm still in my pajamas. I've got a full cup of coffee, a fuzzy green blanket, and no desire in the world to move. I should move. I should buy groceries, mail christmas presents, wash dishes, do laundry, and find dinner. But in actuality, I don't really HAVE to do anything. Everything can wait. That's the beauty and curse of living in Korea- Few responsibilities, lots of free time, and no pressure to conform. No one expects any of the foreigners to be anything but different. And those, are easy shoes to fill...

As most of you probably know, things are pretty tense in Korea right now. North Korea and South Korea are on the brink of war, and no one can predict what will happen next. Everyone seems to have a different way of coping with the situation- some of my friends are completely ignoring the news, and others are planning their escape routes. I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle. I've started carrying a copy of my passport in my bag, and looking for places to go if I must leave Korea. I say the word, "BOMB," several times a day and think of the word, "BOMB," several times more. On the flip side, I've also been contemplating going back to school next year in Daegu, and moving to another branch. That's right, I've been thinking of staying even longer! But what will happen next? Only Kim Jong-il know the answer to that. Hold on to your hats!

Tricks and Treats

Halloween this year was very exciting, and it was probably the silliest I've had since I was a kid. Sometimes it seems like the longer I stay in Korea, the younger I get! ;)

Thinking Pink

It is breast cancer awareness month, and I've never been more aware! My mother is now in complete remission, but my own health has me concerned. My grandmother, cousin and mom have all been diagnosed, and the doctor says I am at high risk. He also said I need to get a mammogram as soon as possible. I don't think I would feel so bad about this if I was in Canada, but trying to deal with my health in Korea is very stressful. Tomorrow I will venture into a women's health clinic, where I'll awkwardly ask, "Do you speak English?" This will probably be followed by, "Doctor? ENGLISHEE?" What will happen after that is anyone's bet.

There are lots of little things to think about too: Does birth control effect my chances of getting estrogen based cancer? What about drinking soya milk? Should I give it up just in case? And how many other things should I be avoiding? No, this is not the time to tell me some quote about living your life in the NOW. Yes, I know that stress causes cancer too..

When I was a kid, I was totally obsessed with singing the "Hi, My Name is Joe" song. I recently taught it to one of my classes, and they too fell in love with the button factory. Here is one of my favorite classes performing one of my favorite childhood chants:

Today I had a student salute Hitler in my class. for some reason he thought it was going to be hilarious, and I think he was quite surprised when I threatened to kick him out. When I asked the kid why he thought Hitler was so funny, he said, "Hitler made war!" Why do boys daydream about going to war? What makes them think that blood and death are such awesome subjects? I obviously don't understand, and that's probably a good thing-wanting to be a princess is far more sensible anyways. My classroom will continue to be a war free zone as long as I'm a teacher. I might even install an invisible metal detector for all the invisible guns my students like to carry. And as for Hitler? He'll have to learn English somewhere else.

Today at Taekwondo, one of the ladies said, "Diana, how do I spell Wednesday?" After I told her the answer, she responded with, "Diana, how do I spell Porno?" Obviously her Wednesdays are more exciting than mine!