Graduation season!

Entering the new semester, also the time to say goodbye to the graduated! Congratulations to all who have graduated for the year 2009!

Koreans give flowers as a encouragement to the graduated persons. Seeing the fresh flowers in the cold winter make people feel so warmth.

Parents and friends attend the ceremony - not because of the ceremony, but because of the special time to take photos for you, looking at you on the gown - though just for 1 hour.

Winter is long...

Snow arrived since Christmas - a thick one...
then it continued with the new year...

roads were covered by snow, and still the snow are gathered around the poles or corner;
cars were covered by snow, and still some people do not clean the snow on their car;
windows were frozen with ice, and is getting thicket and thicker;
temperature is always below zero, and is always "tomorrow will be colder -15 or more" are heard;
Han river is frozen too, and the park around the river become white.

See this news:
Ways to overcome the severe cold spell
Electricity fee is a big amount in winter.

Do you have yourself protected from this winter?
2 gloves I have,
more than 3 scarfs I have (thick one),
good shoes (not easy to wet) I have,
long underwear I have to keep myself warm,
jackets I have - as thick as  possible,
hats too,
mask too,
a lovely husband who does not want me to go out when the temperature hit -10... if not all my winter will be only sickness,
yes, I still pack myself like a bear...

Just this year, I did not hibernate like a bear. :)
This winter I am better than the last 4 years, I think I have made myself stronger since spring with lots of sports and exercise.

(First 3 photos were taken by hp and the last by Samsung camera)

Beautiful views in the snow

Though it was a heavy snow... it was  nice to see.

roadside

View from the plants covered by snow

playground covered by snow

how thick? see the photo above!

didn't it look like cotton? or marshmallow?

green leaves stay strong in the snow

Natural Christmas tree with the kid

This is the one I like the most - Da In found her own way to play in the snow.

Heavy Snow Storm 4th Jan 2010

A new Monday in the year of 2010 started with heavy snow in Seoul!
When we went out at 5.40am it was already snowing...

It became like this at 8.30am! Anyway, it was  my first time to view such a heavy snow! I like the view so much! It was beautiful... but my Korean friends told  me, nice to see, not nice to go out!

So we went home after we were known that the road is not in good situation to drive.

View from our car - hard to drive, hard to walk.

And on the way home, we were stucked at a turning place - and I took this  photo inside the car - even walking is a tough job!
It took us 2 hours plus to arrive Guri from Guui area, Seoul which normally only takes 15 minutes.

Can you see the thickness of the snow on the road - after car passed by, and the snow gathered besides the tree?
From the news, this year the snow was abnormal, and 10 years only once... 10 inches (26 cm)!!!
Gimpo and Incheon International Airport was forced to stop the flight in the morning... and even the subway had the same situation in the morning 7 sth (Line 1 and 2). There are someone who was unconscious in the subway too.

Playing with the snow - kids,
cleaning the snow - shop owners, road keepers, apartment councils... they had to sweep away the snow
and... the kids also helped to clean the parents' car (actually just a reason playing with  the snow).

have you tried something like her?
the snow is so soft!!!

 When we reached home about 4pm, it was terrible!
Erm... we stay at Namyangju area, more snow than Seoul.
We stucked at a little slope when we turned in a little junction. It was because there was a man who walked in the middle of the road and didn't stay aside when we drove through the road. When you drive slow, it will only makes the car stuck in the snow. It was scary for me... the car's tyres couldn't move forward. There was a car parked besides the road too.
Thanks God that there was a good Samaritan - he taught us and helped us to move the car slowly. He and his wife, and I pushed the car while husband slowly drove forward. I'm thankful also because our car is Tico, the smallest car.

And then it was a problem to park the car too. It was because the parking was full of snow. Hubby wiped away the snow. Later, with the help of our neighbour hubby parked the car safely. Phew....

 You will not miss stepping in  the snow, right?
It was a smart choice that I wore my boots out today. :P

The snow doesn't look nice here...

Anyway, for your information, it will not be safe to drive today and tomorrow. Take care for those who stays at Korea!

I said, "It must be lucky if someone travel to Korea at this time!"
Hubby said, "Ya, it is  lucky because he or she cannot go anyway!"
:O

Freezing Winter

This is the first week of our winter holiday, we finished final examination!!!

Yesterday and this morning, the temperature was -9 degree, and tomorrow morning will be -13!

Our water pipe actually was frozen 3 weeks before.... and it cost us 30,000 won to call the pipeman to fix it back. It  also made us live for 3 days without water - no cooking, no water flushing, no water to wash face and hands.... yucky! So... (not we don't save water) but... we have to let the water pipe flow out of water all the time... so that it will not freeze again.

Running nose... coz of the weather change too fast. I keep myself drinking water and eat lots  of fruits and vegetables to absorb vitamin c as much as possible. Just try not to consult doctor and keep out of public. No flu please...

How do you have prevention on winter?