Old friends, teaching in North Korea

Today I got coffee with Andrew for the first time after I left work. Andrew is one of my super good friends, I would even consider him a best friend, who I met in Columbia. We lived together for a year and did not kill each other.

Frankly, it's nice to talk to someone who knows enough about what a bitch I can be without being so frightened of it.

We both are equally perplexed by people and can share funny stories about people and our interactions with them. Usually these stories do not entertain everyone but they entertain him and me.

So today I explained to him (in some form) that I did not understand this bizarre subgroup of people who are obsessed with labeling themselves as "travelers." I guess I wish I had enough travel cred to consider myself a traveler but I do not have the bucks. People's ideas of what is expensive and inexpensive baffles me. Yesterday I had a conversation with a woman who was waiting to get into the adviser's office. She was very friendly and told me about all of these different Teaching English as a Foreign Language programs. Then she said, "Oh I am such a traveler!" A few drifts in conversation later, "Oh yeah, I used to tutor this guy from Korea. He said that Korea wants American's badly and will pay big bucks to have you teach English there. But it's dangerous. You can only go to work, the store and that's it. You stick out like a sore thumb. I mean, I hear the dictator is in hiding and all." I found myself confused. "Wait, you mean North Korea? I don't think that South Korea...." "Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, I don't really know, you know. I just hear it's unsafe." "Yeah but I know that North Korea doesn't let Americans in or whatever so I can't imagine that being safe." "Yeah I mean I don't know."

A traveler that doesn't know the difference between North and South Korea? And am I missing something? Does North Korea really want me to come in there and teach English? Could I make the big bucks and skip the labor camps? For heaven's sakes I feel so fucking lucky!

Anyway, we talked about saving up money and when I graduate in a year visiting Rio De Janeiro and going to Carnaval. Which, this is something I have always wanted to do. Who knows if it'll follow through. It's hard to follow through with anything these days. Especially when money is involved.

Lately, Kansas City has been feeling better.