snowy korea.

{ cats are smarter than dogs. you can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow. } -- jeff valdez

Well we've got snow, here in Korea. I always say if it's going to be cold it should be snowy. So, I guess I got what I was wishing for.

yes, this is for real. This is an 'ice hump' on the side walk.
It's made because of the way they heat the homes here.
(it's hard to describe!)

The biggest difference here when it snows is that they don't plow (at least I have yet to see a snow plow - or maybe I saw one once). They just let it pile up and maybe, after a few days or weeks, they just maybe throw some sand on it. And shoveling the sidewalks? Why would we when we can leave it and it will be a skating rink? Then we can all watch the foreign people (and koreans alike) slip around and fall on their butts and laugh. Don't believe me? I am being totally serious. The ice was about an inch thick on the sidewalks. It's ridiculous. And if the ice piling up on the sidewalks isn't slippery enough they decide that marble is a great choice for EVERYTHING. News flash Korea, it's always WET in your country and when marble get's wet it's slippery and when it's cold and wet it's as good as an ice rink (if not even better). This I found out when I had 2 bags full of groceries and ended up on my butt right outside (on the marble slab) in front of my apartment. I am now terrified to leave and come home!

The sunrises here are quite pretty. This one was really strange. The sun almost looked like the moon, I am guessing because of all the fog!

So I should be happy, snow is pretty and equals - SNOW DAYS -- which are great right? In America yes, in Korea it means I wake up at 6:20 go to school, which takes 1.5 hours, get to school, listen to the teachers freak out (which I finally gather it's about the weather), sit in my classroom doing nothing, go to lunch to find out kids are leaving after lunch and I don't teach. So, I make my way back to my city, which takes about 4 hours by city bus in the snow. Or another day (Dec. 14th) it was raining (but then freezing) but I still went. Left at 10:30, got to Goesan to find out - oh school is getting out early. So I got lunch with Sarah and then we went all the way home. Yes, I paid over 10,000 won to ride to Goesan and back and waisted 3 hours of my life on a bus. So, all in all I don't really like snow days here, I would rather just teach! - Weird I know... choosing to work over not? What?

Yes.. this would be what you think it is. There is snow on the ground and the window is OPEN! They love to open the windows here when it is freezing cold. My family does not believe me.. so this picture is proof that they are a bit crazy (and apparently there range of comfort is somewhere between 35 and 90 degrees. (Yeah, mine is about 69-75). Sooooo, this is why I am sitting in my school in my winter coat, gloves, hat, scarf and mittens. Attempting to teach the students with out freezing! Some days I can't feel my fingers (esp. when I take my gloves off to type) I dread walking to the bathroom, since the hallways are literally 40 degrees if not colder. My room is luckily  a balmy 55 - maybe?! The best part of the bathroom is that once I sit down on the toilet, it's heaven -- they have heated toilet seats here!!! That is one plus. Sometimes I just go to the bathroom to 'warm up my bum' - literally!!

On a happier note. The snow is beautiful here. I have been noticing it looks like icing on a cake. It fits perfectly over the landscape and fills all the crevices. It's heavy snow and is plastered on all the trees in huge clumps. It also makes for some beautiful sunsets and some crazy sunrises! Yes, I have seen more sunrises in Korea alone than I have in my ENTIRE life. Korea, if nothing else will turn me into more of a morning person!