When my family moved, I decided to quit my job.  It was too far from our new home to be practiclical.  Now I am looking for a job, and am facing the full weight of the economic crisis.  

It is awfully hard to find a job during the crisis.  About 100 companies a day go out of business, and unemployment is already at 1 million.  It is expected to reach 2 million.  Some men who have been laid off, or are bankrupt are resorting to suicide and murdering their families!  Many children have been delivered to the Children's Center because their parents can not afford to raise them.  The pressure of debts and homelessness is enormous.  Even college graduates can be found sleeping in the subways.

It's much worse than I expected.  I feel scared.

We shouldn't lose our hope.  We can recover from this bad recession.

To help myself, I attended a class entitled 'How to Start Your Own Business' sponsored by Pusan City Hall.  The class is only two days -- Wednesday and Thursday -- but they are full eight-hour days (9:30 - 6:00).  They will offer the class every week until June.  At the end of the class, you get a certificate!  The class addresses several topics, such as small business, adventure business, trade, production, flow system, and SOHO (small office, home office).  

Many famous business consultants were recruited to conduct the lectures and had some good ideas to share with everyone who attends.  The class was very formal and well structured, not at all like the informal atmosphere I expected.  Many people also rushed to attend the class, also.  The sponsors had expected 100 people, but 300 enrolled!

You can enroll in the class by phoning, 888-3111.  The city maintains a jobs bulletin board at the site.  The class is held at City Hall.

The class has helped me feel more hopeful, but I still pray for Korea.  We can rebuild our economy!  We can do it!