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Pollution
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Pootie



Joined: 02 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:14 am    Post subject: Pollution Reply with quote

For those of you who have not been to Seoul, I have lived in some big cities, but this is by far the most heavily polluted cityI have ever lived in, including New York City, believe it or not. I go around constantly with a nasal drip and a soar throat. Has anyone been in the back seat of a taxi with the front window open while you are driving through the city? I swear, the other night it was almost enough to make me vomit (no soju in my system either, mind you). Also, I've noticed, even when it's "A sunny day" it's not really sunny, I mean you can barely even see the sun through all the smog. That all said, from what I've heard, I'd still rather be in Seoul...I just hope I start feeling better...I heard getting a cold is inevidable, but how long did it take you before your body got used to the surroundings and you started feeling better?
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cubase



Joined: 28 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I go around constantly with a nasal drip and a soar throat.


This must be exceedingly attractive at the bar when picking up women.

Anyway, the answer is yes - the air does lead to more sore throats, eye infections, etc... it's quite normal for new arrivals (that'd be you) to get sick in the first month. Go easy.
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PatrickSiheung



Joined: 21 May 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been here for almost 8 months and I can't take the pollution anymore. I'm not even living in Seoul. I'm living in Siheung Si, which is pretty close to Bucheon. From the very beginning I've dealt with sore throats but about 7 weeks ago I got a cough... I still have it. I cough all the time. I get nasty wicked headaches and I feel generally weak. (haven't been to the gym for 7 weeks)
The doctors here are morons and don't know what's going on. They just give you pills that make you spend 1/2 your time in the bathroom, if you know what I mean. I love Korea but I think it's given me Asthma.
Leaving my job early Sad Going home in a few weeks. I hope it's nothing serious.
Anyway, I hope you don't get it as bad as I have.
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captain kirk



Joined: 29 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hey, patrick. i was in bucheon for awhile. that place is polluted because it's close to the industrial works/factories of incheon just a hop away.
but, pootie, i was in seoul and got 'pollution sickness'. i'd heard about it before i got it and figured 'weird'. because i'd heard it can put you in bed for a week, but your body becomes accustomed to the pollution. maybe it's like being a non-smoker and going from zero cigarettes a day to a pack a day; wham! sick as a dog. but after a week the body 'catches up' and makes friends with the poison; built up a tolerance.
i was in a suburb of seoul, and got this 'pollution sickness'. so did another newly arrived teacher. the boss whisked us off to a nearby doctor who gave us an intravenous injection -a shot into a vein- of some clear, oily liquid. one shot was all it took for me. i think the other teacher went back for another.
the doctor looked down my throat, saw the 'sore throat' from pollution. then the shot. five minutes. i have no idea what was in this injection. but it cured me instantly, and the only side effect was that i wud sufffer frum bouts of sloppppytspellingansd grammatiacal disorienatation sgfjiit
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Bulsajo



Joined: 16 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:39 am    Post subject: Re: Pollution Reply with quote

Pootie wrote:
For those of you who have not been to Seoul, I have lived in some big cities, but this is by far the most heavily polluted cityI have ever lived in, including New York City, believe it or not.

Those big cities would be North American cities?
I've found that the more you travel, the more you realize that conditions in North America are the exception rather than the rule.
Seoul is polluted, but for its size and geography it could be a lot worse.

I found it wierd that many Koreans I saw on the street were big-time litter bugs, that people burned garbage (including plastic and styrofoam) in order to save on garbage bags, that McDonald's would put your take-out meal in a biodegradable paper bag AND THEN place that bag in a plastic sack, and yet in spite of all that it could still have a more advanced recycling program than that of Ottawa- a city famous for its greenspaces and visual beauty.
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PatrickSiheung



Joined: 21 May 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm from Ottawa. I miss the clean air there Sad I haven't taken a deep breath since I've been in this country LOL I almost forget what it feels like.
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One thing about living in Seoul for a prolonged period is how nice it is to travel to Kangneung or somewhere rural with cleaner air for a few days. It's so weird to actually be enjoying AIR.

I'm sure that Seoul air takes its toll both physically and mentally.
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Trinny



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PatrickSiheung,

I am blessed to live in ottawa AND by the river and a park. I can't even describe the feeling I have when I jog along the bike path: the fresh air, and scent from the trees and flowers. And I've planted trees, shrubs and perennuals to do my share in keeping the city green. I love every bit and piece of the city.


Last edited by Trinny on Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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merrilee



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the topic of pollution, which is better in this regard? Changwon or Sokcho?
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do they even have pollution in those places? I'd imagine they're both quite clean. Nothing like walking down the street through Chong-no.
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Trinny



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, yeah,

The city of Ottawa is getting more concerend about the smog coming from Toronto. We used to have very few hazy, smogy days in summer. But, as the smog from Toronto is stretching beyond southern Ontario and to eastern Ontario, we get more Ozone warnings in Ottawa and Kingston.
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Korea Newfie



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Newfoundland and Labrador

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember once, about 15 years or so ago, some relatives from a small bay community came to visit my family in Grand Falls-Windsor. We drove into town, and they were hacking because of the smoke from the one smoke stack at the paper mill (this town having a population of about 15000 or so, and being located smack in the middle of a literal island of trees!). Of course, I was used to it, and didn't notice it. I wonder how they'd react if they visited me in Incheon. Rolling Eyes
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blackbird



Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Location: Songtan

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I could not find the link but I saw a few weeks ago a government site that said Seoul has the dirtiest air in the WORLD. I was surprised at the time because I thought many third world countries would be worse. The study ranked 3 things, air particles, toxic fumes and something else that I can't remember. Seoul was first place in 2 of the 3 categories. I guess Korea really is unique! I don't think any North Amercian city was in the top 10. I think the number 2 city was Moscow but I could be wrong. Anyone have a first hand account of Moscow to share?
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mokpochica



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:31 pm    Post subject: Most polluted cities Reply with quote

Here are some documents about pollution that I found on the web:

Air pollution is higher in cities of developing countries. (See page 2 of document.)

I've always heard that Mexico City is the world's most polluted city. This article supports that and lists the cities as:
1. Mexico City, Mexico
2. Sao Paulo, Brazil
3. Cairo, Egypt
4. New Delhi, India
5. Shanghai, China
6. Beijing, China

I'm sure that Seoul is somewhere on the list of polluted cities in the world, but I don't think that it's near the top. Not these days anyway. Of course that doesn't mean that it doesn't have a problem with pollution.
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em



Joined: 15 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For those who have been there, how about Japan? More or less polluted than Korea?
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