Longest Winter

Seems like there is no end to the winter in Korea. This year they broke a 100 year record for most snow. I heard it was about a foot of snow accumulation, the most in over 100 years. I arrived just a few days after the big snow fall. The snow lingered for a couple of weeks, and then quickly melted away one sunny day. But since I've been here, I've experienced only one week of good weather earlier in February. Then suddenly, it began getting cold. After a week of about 40-60*F weather, the temperatures quickly dropped back down to low 30s and 20s. Today it's 26*F and snowing furiously.

I thought for a while maybe it's just cold and it'll get warm again, but of course it's got to snow before it gets warm again. That's how it has worked the last few times it has snowed. One week it snows, then the next it begins to warm up. We've been dealing with volatile temperature and weather. Now why can't Mother Nature decide on how it's going to treat Korea.

Today however, the snow has been more aggressive. Sticking to everything, including the roads. Cars have been driving down my street covered in snow, with only part of the windshield cleared for viewing. Fifi, my Maltese mix decided she absolutely needed to go outside. I tried to ignore her and hoped she's just relieve herself on the puppy pad. But even after several hours, she still hasn't gone to the bathroom, where the puppy pad is. So at about midnight I suit up for the snow and wind and leash her up and head downstairs. I'm sure the guards in my building were laughing about going outside with a little dog in this weather. Had I know my little 4-legged brat was going to play in the snow I'd taken my camera along. I thought it might be a quick trip considering she doesn't enjoy the rain or wet weather. But since being in El Paso, Tx, Ruidoso, NM, Salem, OR and now Seoul, ROK, all when it's snow since December, I think she's grown fond of it.

It was windy, wet and cold. The snow was sticking to Fifi's fur and to my jacket, pants, boots hands, anything exposed to the elements. I somehow think that Fifi knew it was snowing and that is why she was so persistent in going outside. I'm hoping the roads clear up soon, the weather warms up and we finally get the sun out to bring spring. I feel like I've been stuck in winter for far too long!