WORK

The work I do is pretty tedious, just lots and lots of translation/ searching for statistics on various databases/ summarizing reports from UN or OECD/ researching about PR strategies to persuade the public about the need to give aid to developing countries.

But what it adds up to is kind of cool: diplomats take the speeches, presentations, or reports that I translated for them to international conferences or UN/OECD meetings.

These days, the National Assembly (parliament) is in session, so my boss is calling up/meeting/arguing with MPs to persuade them to choose the enactment of an ODA Framework Act as an agenda for debate, and hopefully to enact the Act during this parliamentary session. (Although only 4 MPs out of around 200 seem to be intersted in it..)

Sometimes I feel like these people seriously lack expertise in the area they're supposed to make policies on, but I really admire their hard work and their sense of responsibility as representatives of our nation.
"International development" is still an area with a lot of talk and very little action, but at least Korea is trying to engage actively in the talks, even if such ideas are not so popular among the general public (or even within the government).

The people in my office seem to be pretty decent-- no perverts, no snobs. Nobody is particularly friendly or sociable, but neither is anyone particularly a pain in the ass. Everyone in the office (except for the boy doing his alternative national service) is older than me. That's quite different from when I was in school. Yet nobody treats me like I'm the baby. I am expected to work swiftly and accurately. No nagging or sermonizing, but slacking off is not condoned. No excuses whatsoever. 모든 일은 '눈치껏' 해야 한다.

I really miss college life: debating, going (or not going) to class, eating and sleeping whenever I want, studying whatever I want whenever I want, chillaxin' with friends... It was such a period of ultimate freedom. I don't think I will ever be so FREE again in my life.
But I do feel I am becoming STUPID because I've been using a smaller portion of my brain since I quit debating. Now I realize the good debate has done to me.
My supervisor keeps telling me I should teach our colleagues to debate. That seems impossible now, because they are always so busy and I know they are not interested enough to be willing to make the time for any activities other than work and maintaining (yes, just barely) a family.

Also, an important advancement (?): I'm learning how to cope with lunchtime when I don't have an appointment. Since I don't get ANY exercise and eat three big meals (AND snacks) every day, I can use lunchtime to take a walk. And there are plenty of places to go within walking distance. I am working in the political, economic, and cultural heart of the country, after all.

So, this is what I've been up to for the past couple of months.