My "Friendly" New Neighbors

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I'm completely clueless when it comes to world affairs. Since I decided to become an expat, I've taken a more active interest in global news. Last night I fell asleep listing to CNN, and woke up to a live press conference where Bush discussed the benefits of new North Korean news. It seems North Korea made a formal declaration of certain nuclear materials . I thought this seemed a fortuitous event in the time line of my trip- until I realized that all news is some form of propaganda.

Snuck in to the CNN stream was a microscopic announcement of South Korean Riots as a result of US Galbi (Beef) imports. Apparently, the US has no problem allowing beef, possibly contaminated with Mad Cow Disease, to be exported to SK. Of course, this negative aspect of the US cattle industry was given barely any press time. We have to make the US look good no matter what, after all.

The US isn't the only, and far from the worst, manipulator of wold news, though. Check out the interesting rhetoric of the North Korean Newspaper  about us US warmongers. We might now know more information about their nuclear arms, but they definitely like us just the same.

My International Mac

I love the people on the internet who actually know what they're doing with computers, and post tutorials on how to do useful things. Look Mom, I'm typing in Korean!

~개 리 안

BBQ, Visas, and Goodbyes

Dal Rae took me to get Korean BBQ last weekend. The night was filled with lots of surprises that reminded me why I'm going to Korea. All of the research in the world can't prepare you for real life, and I'm going for adventure.

I've hit the last stretch of my USA time: I'm waiting for a Visa issuance number that is taking longer to get to me than anticipated, and saying goodbye to some dear friends and colleagues. I'm worried about the Visa, and thankful for the friends. 

Thank you, especially, to the PSC staff who were wonderful to me.

Hangul

Sounding vaguely like a curse word or euphemism for something foul, the name for the Korean Alphabet, Hangul, is giving me something to curse about. Now that I've figured out how to write my name in the strange and modern letters, I need to find a way to be able to type in the language (for free) on my ibook.