You're never really prepared for the bitter cold until it hits you in the face with ruthless, unforgiving force. Sweaty summers and friendly fall temperatures annually wipe away all memories of frigid cold. Gradually, winter creeps upon us, masked by cheery Santa hats and decorated Christmas trees.
"Cold weather is a MUST during Christmas" you might argue. Sure, we want cold weather during the holidays. With all the North Pole stories and snowy Christmas movies on TV, icy air just seems appropriate. Then, dreaded January-February happens, and suddenly, you're wishfully reminiscing on a summer vacation you had 6 months ago and wondering why in the world you were excited to purchase that brand new winter coat. If you're like me and you've grown up with mild winters, you probably view cold weather with an expression of utter disdain.
Many Korean businesses staunchly believe in "saving power." What better way to do this than to have zero heat pumping during the winter months? Somehow, small space heaters are expected to do the same job as a regulated heating system, but trust me: it's not the same. Students at my school are accustomed to wearing their goose-down puffy coats all day long, and surprisingly complain very little. I've lost count of how many times I've walked into a classroom at my school and was struck by a blast of stale, cold air. My next move is to coax a kid out of his seat so I can step up onto it and reach the electric heater mounted high on the wall, precariously held by a couple of screws. Sometimes they work, but often, I fail to make anything happen. I love heaters, but when they refuse to pump heat, my trust wavers. Also, all of the buttons are in Korean, so pressing them is guesswork.
We've been told that Seoul is quite a bit colder than Busan, so I suppose we're fortunate to be in the southeast region of the country. We haven't seen any snow this year; we've only experienced cold temperatures and icy winds......SO MUCH WIND. This winter will make us appreciate the summertime humidity all the more.
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| The "THE POLONECK FACE." Hmm. I suppose this is suited for a strict budgeting North Face and Polo Ralph Lauren enthusiast? |
"Cold weather is a MUST during Christmas" you might argue. Sure, we want cold weather during the holidays. With all the North Pole stories and snowy Christmas movies on TV, icy air just seems appropriate. Then, dreaded January-February happens, and suddenly, you're wishfully reminiscing on a summer vacation you had 6 months ago and wondering why in the world you were excited to purchase that brand new winter coat. If you're like me and you've grown up with mild winters, you probably view cold weather with an expression of utter disdain.
To put it plainly, South Korea is a lot colder that expected. Both Pepper and I have purchased new coats and sweaters and haven't stopped wearing them since early November. The cold temperatures would be more bearable if our workplaces were properly heated, but alas, another drastic difference from our previous working places to now: our buildings have no central heat.
Many Korean businesses staunchly believe in "saving power." What better way to do this than to have zero heat pumping during the winter months? Somehow, small space heaters are expected to do the same job as a regulated heating system, but trust me: it's not the same. Students at my school are accustomed to wearing their goose-down puffy coats all day long, and surprisingly complain very little. I've lost count of how many times I've walked into a classroom at my school and was struck by a blast of stale, cold air. My next move is to coax a kid out of his seat so I can step up onto it and reach the electric heater mounted high on the wall, precariously held by a couple of screws. Sometimes they work, but often, I fail to make anything happen. I love heaters, but when they refuse to pump heat, my trust wavers. Also, all of the buttons are in Korean, so pressing them is guesswork.
We've been told that Seoul is quite a bit colder than Busan, so I suppose we're fortunate to be in the southeast region of the country. We haven't seen any snow this year; we've only experienced cold temperatures and icy winds......SO MUCH WIND. This winter will make us appreciate the summertime humidity all the more.
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