The Worthless Won

I am soo very scared because the value of the South Korean Won has dropped about 10 cents (per US dollar) in the last week or so. Although this is not the first time for this to happen, I feel very worried about being here in this country for the first time. Basically, with the current exchange rate, I am making less dollars here than at my former factory job in Iowa City. Considering that I still have bills to pay back home, this totally sucks!

The other worrisome thing that has been on my mind recently is the developing tensions between North and South Korea. North Korea is putting together an army as we speak. North Korea has torn up all peaceful agreements with South Korea, siting hostile intent. Government officials have stated that the two Koreas are "on the brink of war."

This leaves many questions on my mind concerning the safety and well-being of a person currently living in Korea. At what point should the country be considered unsafe and should we foreigners bail out on the country? Is the pitiful amount of money I am making enough to keep me here?

Yikes!

Hitler is on the $20 Dollar Bill

Thank God for kids like Edward, my little weirdo first grader that reminds me that not ALL Korean kids stick to the homogeneity of their culture.

ho·mo·ge·neous

1 : of the same or a similar kind or nature

2 : of uniform structure or composition throughout

Yes, that one word about sums up the Korean population. But not Edward. He is truly one of a kind. Edward is the kid who wears moon boots everyday who constantly mortifies his classmates on insisting that extraterrestrials are real and looming outside of thier windows at night. He is kid who stares blankly into space while the rest of the class is reading a lively story about a dragon going to the grocery store and blurts out a question during this time, "Teacher, how does a rocket propel itself into the air?"

Basically, Edward is your typical completely brilliant kid who is socially retarded and completely clueless in the field pertaining to common sense. In other words, I totally adore the kid.

Well, anyhow, today in class, we were discussing American currency and I asked the question to the kids, "Who is on the $1 dollar bill?" And they answered, "George Washington," like properly trained chimps. And then I asked, "And who is on the $5 dollar bill?" One of the smart kids in class answered, "Abraham Lincoln." And then I asked, "OK, who is on the $20 dollar bill?" With complete and utter confidence Edward blurted out, "Hitler!"

I nearly fell out of my chair, not knowing weather to laugh hysterically or die of shock. Best of all, when I tried to correct him, he further insisted that it was true and that he read it somewhere that Hitler was on the $20 dollar bill. Oh man, classic.

Its days like these that make me happy to be a teacher.