Come home! Come Home!

For the last few weeks, the international community has decided that South Korea and North Korea are on the brink of war. Because I live in South Korea (for any of those that weren’t sure) I have had an influx of “are you alive” phone calls coming my way these days.
And for those of you that live under a rock, but must get internet access to be able to read this blog… Last Tuesday, North Korea and South Korea exchanged fire, killing 2 marines, and 2 civilians. This was an outrage to the foreign community, thinking that shortly there would be a war between the two countries.
It’s been very odd to have the insider point of view on this issue, talking to Koreans about what is going on, and living day to day in this “war torn” country. Most Koreans seem to brush off the possibility of war, and have explained away North Korea by saying “they are always crazy…just sometimes crazier then others.” My boss has been very nervous, not because of the impending war, but because perhaps when I go home for my visit in January my family will “not let me leave.”
A friend of mine is dating a boy who is in the Army, who doesn’t seem to concerned with what is going on, except that it has caused the Army to be very busy these days, which he doesn’t like.
Anyhow, friends and family, I am safe…don’t worry. but will be coming home for a few weeks…soon.

talky blog!

I just did a skype video blog with Dave, here’s the link!

http://www.breaktheillusion.com/story/talky-blog-with-my-life-hero-jessica/

The Skinny on North Korea

Though I hardly claim to be an expert on the subject, I have been talking to several South Koreans about their supposed impending doom.
The reason I wanted to touch on this topic is because of all the frantic voice mails I’ve received lately telling me its time to end this adventure, and come home…before things get bad. So this post is to tell everyone, don’t worry…I’m safe and am pretty sure I will continue to be for the next 7 months.
For those of you that aren’t aware, North Korea and South Korea have very tense relations these days, after North Korea supposedly shot a torpedo and sunk a South Korean ship.
For the past two weeks or so, I have been hearing the name Kim Jong Il sparsely being said in my children’s conversation…though that’s the only word I can understand. I haven’t heard adults say anything.

While driving to costco with my boss on Thursday we discussed the situation and he didn’t seem to have much to say. He did go on to tell me that he thinks that American’s and the western world is pretty obsessed with assuming that war will happen very quickly. He said that many situations like this have occurred between North and South Korea, and no war has come about from any of it. Eric then said “American’s news likes to think about war…here in South Korea, we just don’t think about it…at all.”

Though I’m sure this isn’t everyone’s opinions, and I’m definitely not speaking for the whole country here… but there have been several other interesting points made by my Korean friends.
One explained that she isn’t sure that North Korea did anything, but finds it very interesting that this is all coming to blows, even though the ship sank a few months ago, right when the election is occurring in South Korea. She explained that maybe the South Korean government may be hyping this all up to make sure that they stay in power. Sounds a little reminiscent of American policy, eh, eh?

So, to end the topic… or my rambling. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen, or really what’s going on, because my CNN hasn’t been working for the last week (ironically), but Mom,Dad, sister, brother, aunts and uncles…don’t worry