Seoul is cold, real cold.

Light Bulb Sun @ Seoul Home Brew
I like living in Seoul. The brewing scene is bubbling, the music scene rumbling, the food scene scintillating, the home-deliveries mind-boggling. It really is a place to be in your mid 20's and many, who have actually left the country to pursue whatever reason it might be, can attest that. For me though, I look more towards the basics; the water's running, the cooking gas is plentiful and the electricity never, ever gives up on me. Mundane as this might sound for folks who have never got to taste life in a third world country, for me, the fact that I don't have constantly worry about energy or sanitary issues is a real luxury.

And yes, it's wayyy safer to walk out in the street then any place I can think of. Europe? nope, US? nope. Japan? nope (earthquakes, frequent radiation issues), India? lol. The police are in a loop of infinite boredom here.

Despite all this, there are times when Seoul can be a real pain in the arse. Language is fine these days, I don't look as dumb, or  play dumb as I used to. Or I don't get magazine (Chabzi) instead of a plate (Chubji) in restaurants either. It's the weather that Seoul serves it's residents cold that's worrying. 

For the past few days, the mercury levels have reached record low temperatures. Add to the fact that our school is on top of a "mountain" and is severely windy, the feel temperatures could have been well below what google replies to "OK google, Temperature Gwanak-gu....nonono not Temperature Going-to-go god dammit!" I have been putting up multiple layers of first Amul Gold vest, then Rupa Thermocoat, then a layer of H&M shirt, another layer of cheap emart sweater, then a layer of uniqlo jumper, a layer of $12 nepali sweater jacket and another layer of down-looking jacket on top, and  I still feel cold. 

This one time forgot to put in my jumper, and I didn't have anything on top to cover my head, I wasn't sure if was in some dream or inside a virtual game where everywhere you looked was glossy white. I was, quite literally, having a brain freeze. 

I am sure you have noticed this well known phenomena where there's bright sunlight, a happy sun gazing down on earth with the clouds on vacation, it's warm and fuzzy and remarkably nice to be outside. At least that was my version of the sun we all love and despise. From where I come from, we requested our teachers in class to take us outside not inside to escape the winter cold. With one hand holding a cup of overly sweetened milk tea and your body at angle of maximum surface area towards the sun, winters were a warm affair.

Not here.

You see the sun. It's amazingly bright. The clouds are in Hawaii. And it's amazingly, amazingly cold. A filament lightbulb that I have at home dissipates more heat than the sun here, and that's no exaggeration. All you find yourself doing is staying indoors, far from the bubbling brewing scene, far from the bustling music, far from the scintillating food, always ordering those mind-boggling food/groceries/just-about-anything home-deliveries.

Summer, please do knock sooner.
Even though I know, I will regret it later.

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