So apparently in doing my pre-Korea research, I missed the part about there being yellow dust storms. (Please don't bother asking me "how" it is that I was able to overlook such a major aspect of the Korean climate, as I've already asked myself that same question too many times. Ah well, I'm here now!) As any red-blooded Korean will tell you, the dust migrates over from China, each spring, is a byproduct of China's sacrifice of trees for economic growth (Can't eat trees!) and it is beyond obnoxious. (The word "China" is italicized to illustrate the deep disdain that most Koreans feel towards China--and Japan, too, for that matter. When I innocently inquired as to why that is, I was told "Because China gives us the yellow dust and the Japanese STOLE our cherry blossoms!!" True story.) They will also tell you that it can make you sick when inhaled on days when the levels are particularly high, and that you should invest in (okay, so they only cost like 2 bucks) a face mask that covers your mouth and nose. (Which probably half-way explains why all the little babies in the park look like tiny surgeons!) When I actually did some research on the yellow dust storms (after an entire day of being fully exposed, no doubt), I found out that it can also irritate your eyes and skin. (Wait. Skin?? My pores are already plenty clogged, thank you very much. They will most certainly NOT be requiring any help from China...) From what I can tell, it doesn't really seem like a huge deal for anyone who is over the age of nine and under the age of 90, and who doesn't have any major problems with allergies. In fact, some days when the dust is at it's highest levels it's kind of cool to watch it (literally) blow through the trees. (I'm a dreamer, what can I say?) Well, at least I used to think that watching dangerous dust blow was cool, until I realized that that this "cool" dust is more closely related to the word "pollutant" than it is "fairy," and that its magical journey through the trees eventually ended in my eyes, nose, and throat. (And heaven forbid that I have to visit the ear, nose and throat doctor here again. The guy that I saw was wearing one of those creepy headbands with the big, metal disks in the front like you see in cartoons, his nurses were all silent and wearing shagadelic prints, and his medical apparatus looked like video games from the 80s! Plus he sent me out into the world (unbeknownst to me) with white stuff oozing from my ears. I aint goin' back! You can't make me!!) Being the rebel that I am, I underestimated the dust and spent an entire day at the park. By the end of the day, I could literally see it comfortably chill-laxin' (and I don't even like that word) in each of the individual curls in my hair, from root to tip. (No exaggeration.) It was then that I discovered that yellow dust wasn't to be taken too lightly. (I can only imagine how much dust I had actually inhaled, yikes. Good thing God created nose hairs!)
Despite my colorful (but accurate, none the less) depiction of the great annoyance that is "yellow dust," there is plenty of good news. First of all, the news (and U.S. military websites) issues daily forecasts and warnings to stay indoors during peak times. Second, there are still plenty of low-dust-level days, and it has yet to inhibit me from doing anything that I've wanted to do. Further, I'm told that, due to global warming, spring only lasts for a short time here anyway. (Hey, you can't have your cake and eat it too.) While some people have had some difficulties, I think that I can say that I really haven't been bothered by it in any major way so far.
If you ask my pores, they may tell a different tale, though.
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