How's the Weather

I thought I would dedicate a post to how the weather is and has been so far during my stay in Daegu.

When I first arrived in December, it was winter, the same season I left behind in Canada. The winter season, as far as temperature goes, was very similar to back home. There were some days with bitter cold. The difference is there rarely was any snow. The most snow I saw was a thin layer that painted the side walks but not the roads due to traffic, and even that only lasted for a few hours max.

The season of winter also did not seem to last as long. There were some days in January where while walking I needed to take my winter jacket off. The next day however would be back to bitter cold. I think February ended up having a very cold stretch, but by the end of it I officially retired my winter jacket...right around the time back home people were plowed with a butt load of snow.

After the weather warmed up it seemed to rain a little more frequently. Korea love's their umbrella's! You can be sure if it looks like there may be a sprinkle of rain everyone will bring their umbrella. It's a fashion trend along with keeping yourself 100% dry.

In fact, they also use their umbrellas on very sunny days to protect against the sun.

Right now we are in spring, and it is about as hot as I would like to see. I seem to drip sweat off my forehead just from walking to work, and I don't traditionally sweat that often. It is hot! Probably about the steady Ontario summer weather at this point, minus the week or so of unbearable heat. I am told it is going to be like that or worse all summer.

There is one more weather aspect that has gone unmentioned, and it is something I certainly was not used to in Canada. In late March and most of April Korea gets yellow dust. This is sand that blows into much of eastern Asia from deserts in China and Mongolia. If you leave your window open you will find a thin layer of it on your things, and naturally while out and about you inhale it. It makes my throat very dry and sore.

Many Koreans wear masks that resemble surgical masks to help minimize the dust intake. They look pretty silly in them in my opinion, but whatever helps. They too can be pretty fashion trendy. I have seen many students with the masks that have little cartoon pictures or faces on them. I make them take them off in class though, because it is hard enough to understand what they are saying without me being unable to see their lips while hearing their voice muffled by the fabric of the mask.