Anger management

I want to start by saying that I really like my students, and I really enjoy my interactions with my colleagues. I like teaching here. I do now and I always have, but I am growing increasing tired of the anger that I feel every day in Seoul aimed at average strangers. It is increasing apparent that, every time I go somewhere else (Thailand or Canada), I feel a lot more relaxed and calm and, every time I come back here, I feel unhappy. There is rarely a day that goes by while I am in Seoul that I don't think, "You f**king half wit" or "Stupid idiot". I know that this is my problem, but now I have read this article that makes me think that, inspite of all the time I spend in the gym, there may be a real reason why I am sweating like crazy every day after walking up 6 flights of stairs to my office.

Anger 'compromises lung function'

Anger can damage lung function, according to research.

A US team followed 670 male military veterans and found those with high levels of hostility had poorer lung function than their happier peers.

The scientists also found that the angriest men suffered a more rapid decline in lung capacity.

This evening, on the way to the gym, I was walking in the middle of the sidewalk. On the right, there was a 2-foot high concrete wall and a group of young Korean men standing on top of it. I knew that they were going to jump down, but they stood there until I got even with them, and then they jumped down and lightly bumped me. To be fair, it wasn't a hard shove. I doubt that they even noticed me before or after, but it bothered me for the next ten minutes - all the way to the gym. Then when I was working out, I was standing about 3 meters from the mirror and the dumbbell rack. There was lots of room in front of me to get the weights. I had done 2 or 3 sets of lat raises and was in the middle of my 4th set when some wanker walked right beside me to pick up a weight. I was in the middle of a set. I had done 5 or 6 reps and was just about to raise the weights again when this idiot walked right beside me, forcing me to stop my set. Not only was this inconsiderate, it is dangerous for him and for me. It also upset my rhythm and I couldn't finish the set. Did he do this on purpose? I doubt it. I suspect that he didn't notice before or after. This is not the first time that someone in Korea has done this in the gym. I've been doing sit-ups and had someone stand right behind me so that I hit him when I came down (he moved all of 1 cm so that I had enough room). Again, I got quite upset and was upset for quite awhile. The anger shouldn't happen, but, if it does, it should be like water off a duck's back. I should just let it go. I can't.

I've said this before, and I guess that I shouldn't belabor it. I really don't understand what people are thinking. I'm tired of it. It makes me a lot more upset than it should. I'm having such a hard time accepting it. I suspect that it causes me all sorts of mental and physical health problems.

This is the one country that I would love to love as much as my own - but I can't. I have left and come back 5 times. I think that, when my contract ends at the end of August next year, I will go. That's the advice I would give to a friend. I should take my own advice.