The BNP and other animals.

So I know I decided to keep this blog to document my ramblings on Korea, but there's something a bit closer to home that I feel needs to be discussed. That's right: Elections.

Before I continue, I should point out that I was born too late to register in 2005 and I haven't voted in the recent European elections for obvious, geographical reasons. Now I'm not sure why, but England seems to have a track record of political apathy. People are of the mind that "my vote can't make a difference". However, the rise of the neo-fascist BNP should hopefully put that dangerous thinking to bed. I don't care how they package themselves: THE BNP ARE RACISTS AND NO AMOUNT OF "NICE LANGUAGE" WILL CHANGE THAT. They are a party who seek to maintain the purity of the white race and see minorities as sub-human. They exploit the fears of the silent majority to their own bigoted ends.

And, thanks to those who stayed at home in protest at the expenses hooha (Nice protest guys!), their leader has been elected to the European Parliament with just 10% of the popular vote. 10%. And to add insult to injury, this has happened in the county which I call home. For the first time ever, I am ashamed to say that I come from Yorkshire.

I don't know, maybe this is a blessing in disguise, and we've given Nick Griffin enough rope to hang himself. Hopefully he'll expose himself as the hate-monger he is.

Back to domestic news-one week into work and it's going fairly well. I am teaching three out of four slots every day, but I don't have to prep the lessons like I did back at the old place. The new teachers are all pretty cool too-my boss is English so I don't feel quite so "special" anymore. We have a new teacher who is currently under isolation and should be joining us at the end of the month.

North Korea have finally shut their noise holes, foreign teachers are still treated with total suspicion after the government singled us out as modern day Typhoid Marys, and I sent home 1,000,000 won (at least I sent it-if it makes it into my bank account is another story) so now I feel better about my finances at home.