Although there were hints of the approaching winter for a while it still seemed to strike all at once. Additionally, although I knew Hwacheon, and all of South Korea, would be substantially colder than my winters in Durham I did not imagine it would be so cold. This morning I walked a mile to school in -12C weather- that's 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Needless to say, it's frigid. Also surprisingly my school still hasn't turned on the heat. I keep being told it will turn on once the weather gets colder which scares me a little for the forthcoming weather. Luckily I only have two weeks of school left before winter vacation so I'll just continue to hide in my heated classroom only emerging when necessary. I do have a lot of respect for my students who have most of their classes in unheated classrooms. I cannot imagine being able to concentrate when it is so cold.
One of the upsides to winter's arrival is how beautiful Hwacheon has become. Hwacheon has always be exceptionally beautiful, nestled in between numerous mountains, but the snow really enhances the beauty. It has snowed five or six times so far and there's a solid six inches that I'm pretty sure will remain all winter. The temperature doesn't really get above freezing even during the day. Here are some pictures to show you what winter in Korea is really like.
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| A bridge to nowhere in the river. I think the wind disconnected it. |
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| A ship that somehow sunk during the transition to winter. |
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| How I dress to brave the cold. |
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| The lights along Hwacheon's main street. |
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