We've begun our third and final year in Korea and it's amazing how quickly the past two years have flown. I feel like I'm running out of blog topics and losing steam because we're very settled into a routine and the strange aspects of living in this foreign land have become normal somehow. I want to keep the blog going though -assuming at least one person hasn't given up on it yet- so I'll dig deep.
It looks like this will be our last August in Korea.... and August is not among the many things I'll miss. Last August almost broke me and this one is shaping up no differently. I keep hearing how it's cooler than last year or how it's not as bad as the Alabama summers, but I've been spoiled by Northwest summers for too long I guess.
In fact, this post's title "losing steam" is a misnomer because the air around us seems to be getting steamier each day. 91% humidity when I checked this morning at 5am. Gross! I had sweat through my shirt before I even began the warmup in spin class this morning. The temperature has been hovering around 85 for the high (overcast) and 80 for the low with over 80% humidity for a few weeks now and it probably won't let up until the end of September. My hair is a frizzy mess, I continually have a sweat 'stache, and it takes effort to peel myself off the leather couch.
Complaining about the weather gets old, because there always seems to be something to complain about. But the biggest reason August's steaminess gets my goat is the mold that comes along with it. Black mold is a huge problem in Korea and obviously a major health concern. I've heard horror stories about apartments overridden with black mold, wardrobes ruined, babies very sick. In June we had one black mold incident around a window after a leak following a particularly rainy spell, but luckily the apartment owners were proactive about treating it and it hasn't been back.... yet.
Instead of black mold though, we have its unwelcome cousin: white fluffy mold. This mold grows on natural fibers so our leather belts, wool coats, and certain other fabrics are in peril. I've combated the mold with vinegar, gloves, and a doctor's mask more times than I can count and it keeps coming back during this damp season. I can't seem to figure out where it will sprout up next, so I'm always unnerved when I open a closet or grab some not-often-worn shoes and it's there, mocking me to say "you missed a spot." Still, I think it's manageable with a large dry cleaning load at the end of the season, the DampRid pouches that Joanie sent, and a glass or two of wine before I go on my mold killing spree.
Quick note about air conditioning: our apartment has one refrigerator sized air conditioner in the corner of the living room that has a hard time not freezing out that room while still pumping out enough cold air to cool the remote parts of the apartment. It's also prohibitively expensive to run it all the time (which is what it would take to stop the mold altogether). Our upstairs neighbors run their AC continuously and have a monthly energy bill of $2,500! That's in addition to the rent of $1,500 and other utility bills. Nuts! Although as a former power company employee, I appreciate the Korean utility's stepped rates for power consumption: the more you use, the more you pay per kwh. Our bill is more like $30.
Well I'm feeling better after venting about the mold. Enjoy your cool breezes and be glad you didn't come visit in August. Still 11 months to go for visitors though! The rest of the year it's lovely here... I promise.
