It's COLD!

Date: 12/15

I've been asked a couple questions by friends and family if it's actually cold in Korea.  And I proudly respond, like a good Korean-ite, "Korea has four seasons!"  Which, if you ever come to Korea, you hear all the time when Korean's talk about Korea.  Korea has Four Seasons!  Which is great and nice and all, but when they mean all four seasons, they (at least in my little city) mean they have the extremes to ALL the seasons.

For example, when it gets cold, it gets REALLY cold.  Ms Kim told me that today has been the coldest so far.  This morning, when I walked to school it was -7 degrees.  That's in Celcius.   So that means it's 19.4 degrees F (thanks to the wonderful thing that is the internet and instant converters!)  Which means, that's like 12 degrees BELOW freezing!  Holy crap!  That's cold!

Here's how cold:

I am basically an icicle.  I walk to school and I turn into a frozen treat.  My legs are like ice, my face is a frozen shade of red, my fingers literally cannot move, and forget about even feeling my feet.

I'm not a man, but this basically summons up what I feel like when I get to school...

It wouldn't be too bad if it was just cold.  But it's more than that...it's soooooo SOOOO windy here in Gunsan.  And it's the wind that pierces all your layers.

Besides the fact that this lady is in a dress, this is me.  I had an umbrella for when it was raining on Monday.  Now I do not own an umbrella because the wind literally blew the umbrella inside out, removing the edges from their mooring, bending the spokes, and turning my umbrella into a joke in about 15 seconds outside.  So, I was cold and wet when I got to school. 

I'm literally wearing about 8 layers.  Look, I'll count them:

1) undershirt
2) base layer
3) cotton long sleeve shirt
4) decorative overshirt
5) Sweater
6) NorthFace thin Jacket
7)  NorthFace Winter Jacket
8) Nice Long Winter Jacket (if I can fit it on...which is only half the time)

This does not include all my gloves, ear muffs, and scarf.

If I was a commercial/ad, I would look something like this.  If only I could look that coordinated when I am all layered up.

And don't think that I'm neglecting my lower half:  I layer down there too.  Base layer of tights, 2nd layer of tights, and pants.  Then I have at least 2 pairs of socks on.

This is me when I go outside....

And the really stinky part of it all is that Koreans don't use heating quiet like Americans do.  And buildings aren't exactly enclosed.  First of all, the doors to my school are open.  Yes, that's right...So basically they heat certain rooms.  My teacher's office is heated--but whenever someone opens the door and blast of FREEZING AIR shoots into the room.  And guess where the Teacher's Room is located?  That's right, right next to the wide-open front doors.  

Then to get to my classroom, I get to walk outside.  There is a 'driveway' so that teachers can drive their car to the parking lot, so the buildings are not connected on the first floor. Which means, I get to walk outside to get to my classroom.  

Yep...Open doors on both sides of the "Tunnel"

Which basically means I look like a giant puff man all day long because I just don't take off my coat(s).  I've always been a one of those people who is cold when everyone else is like, "It's starting to get a LITTLE warm in here, don't you think?"  But its on a whole new level. 

That being said, I must say that I love my school and little city.  I might be a little uncomfortable, but I wouldn't change where I live.