One more to go

We flew off the Korean peninsula days before the northern neighbor launched their "satellite" and narrowly escaped the apocalypse and certain death, Or so we've heard, coming back into the western mental-sphere.

Not a word mentioned about it while talking to my far east contacts. The South Koreans are resilient people. Very dismissive about their black sheep brother to the north. "It's just a lot of trash," Said one child months back, during a different barrage of threats. Naturally, they have turned a deaf ear.

But it's all the rage back home. People saying, " Thank God you got out when you did." Like we were fighting in some CNN war room.

We have lived without TV for a year by choice, letting the internet satiate our entertainment needs. Back in it, I again realize the stupifying hype generated by those 24 hour news stations located in westchester's 24-26 channel range. We can fear anything they want.

In reality, South Korea is a lot safer for the individual than the U.S.A.(at least it seems that way to me and as long as US military backs them, hehe) . I believe that. Their medical system is cheap and efficient.

Guns, though I promote the 2nd amendment, are not a problem in Korea. No shootings. (Just stranglers and knivers).

Their education system (not better in my mind), however deeply flawed it may be, is the nations top priority. They have 99.9% literacy rate, or something close to it.

In short, I hope people stop taking the TV's word as truth. There's finer information on the internet and in libraries.

In other news, our last night was spent at Soundgarden in Jinju's Gyeongsang University "district." For a Tuesday night I was surprised at our turn out. Most of our friends came out to say goodbye over some drinks. Thanks guys!

In other other news, more exciting news I think. Our friend Kim Hyung Ook or "Ookers" as we like to call him, is visiting the USA!! He is joining me and Ana on our cross country trip. He has never been out of S.K. so we're super excited to show him this vast beatiful land. (most of which will be new to me as well).