Folks,

I'm writing on a really beautiful Sunday evening. The sun has shone all day, and I was out in the local park earlier. It was very hot, but now I have my fan on and it's cooler. The weather has alternated between hot days and some really rainy days. Like everywhere I've been, people tell me the climate has changed.

The pic of the week shows some 'soldiers' (or actors) from the changing of the guard in Deoksu Palace. They're inside the palace on a break while the main ceremony goes on outside.

Job
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Things are going fine in school. This was a three day week, because the kids were having their 'summer vacation'. Although at only 2 days it's nothing to write home about. Our type of school is called a Hagwon, and is a private school that kids go to after their regular school. I'm enjoying it, but I don't know that the kindergarten level would be something I want to continue. I was doing The Hokie Cokie Song with them the other day, and while on 'you put your left arm in, your left arm out' I was thinking; remember, I've got an MBA!

Beef Protests
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When I arrived there were protests against the decision to lift the ban on American beef. It's a nation very prone to protests. They had candle-lit vigils at the city hall. The reason is that they are sure they'll get CJD because of Mad Cow Disease (or Crazy Cow Sick, as one of Clara's students called it). The president has had to sack government ministers and reshuffle the cabinet, and they have put some restrictions on the imports. The protests have died down now, but Bush is here this week on his way to the Olympics, and I expect it's going to heat up again.

The Subway
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There's an amazing subway in Seoul. It's got eight lines that they criss cross the city with hundreds of stations, so you're never far from one. What amazes me is that it was only started in the 1970s, but you'd think it was as old as the London Underground. It's also very cheap. It's 45 minutes from Clara's to here, and that costs just 63c. You can get a virtual money card, called t-money, which you load with cash on a machine in the station. You just place it near the card reader as you go through, you don't even have to take it out of your wallet. The cards can also be used on the bus. If you transfer from subway to bus you're not charged on the bus, as it's a continuation of the journey you've paid for.
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Well, that's it for this week. I'm back at school in the morning, so I'm going to take things easy tonight.

So until next week,

Éamon

Today's headline on The Korea Times: Koreas Engaged in War of Rhetoric