Korean Job Discussion Forums

[stunnershades]

This may have been asked before but I don't care because the Dave's search engine is annoying to use: Has anyone, (especially asthmatics) had real trouble breathing during this storm? I did a bit of research on the web and supposedly the pollution index is off the charts during the season. I lived in Taiwan for a year with asthma and had no trouble but I don't know what to expect with this scary yellow dust.

[justaguy]

If you have a respiratory problem, I strongly suggest you buy an air purifier that is good for removing suspended particulate. Yellow dust sucks big time.

[MrRogers]

wear a mask

and check out vanislander's referenced website for air quality:

http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/

(click on the map after opening site - see types of particles, etc.)

[moosehead]

yes, you may very well have trouble.

I visited Beijing in early January and did some research beforehand. What I learned was there is a serious issue regarding the encroaching desert to Bejing due to the loss of trees, topsoil, water, and just about everything else. China has been planting trees like mad but experts say there needs to be grasses planted, not just trees, because they hold the soil better. In the meantime, the sand is coming in and if it continues the way it is, Bejing will be covered in about 10 years. Seriously, it's unbelievable there, very dusty all the time.

Now, between here and there are also supposed to be a lot of factories, industries, etc. which contribute toxic metals to the dust.

After you've been here a while you'll learn K loves to blame everyone else for their problems, and this is no exception. It will all be China's fault about the yellow dust - but who can sit here and say that K has made any kind of attempt to thwart the incoming desert by planting grasses/trees along the northwestern region? All I ever see are more of those hideous monstrosities of apt bldgs going up - sucking up more resources, o2 and never green space to compensate.

not to mention all these gas guzzling cars - where are the electric cars in K?

but back to your q, outdoor activity is highly discouraged during yellow dust alerts - wear a mask - yes seriously - if you have asthma. schools generally shut the windows which makes it awful inside - you should make sure you have an inhaler and use it as necessary.

if you don't have a humidifier in your home, you might want to get one, it will also help but empty it daily and let it dry so as not to build up mildew inside.

[Viaje]

Where are you, is this all over the country? I am definitely concerned about pollution when I come to Korea, are there areas which are much cleaner? Does it help to be on the coast? If you are in a rural area that might not always help, if they use a lot of pesticides on the farms. Who can recommend the better areas, and which ones to avoid?

[dean_burrito]

You can't hide from it. The yellow dust makes its way to Japan as well.

[Thewhiteyalbum]

Yes I have asthma and it is hell.
I am taking preventative medication and had to get an inhaler which I carry with me everywhere, but I am constantly wheezing (especially at night) during this time of year.

check out Van Islanders chart cos there are some places which aren't affected as badly.

[Fredbob]

I've been in Korea for a little more than 3 years, first year in Seoul, then further south in Bundang for a year and now Yongin, where the air is supposedly "cleaner". It's not clean, yellow dust is extremely bad for people with asthma or allergies, it can become almost debilitating as it also can lead to sever sinusitus (sp?). The first two years I got nailed with sinusitus, we're talking fever, nausea and flu like symptoms for a few days.

If you are "lucky" like me and you have allergies, it does not only affect you during the particular 'yellow dust' or 'hwang sa' season, it can affect you year round. I'm not talking about hayfever or mold allergies, I'm talking about stuff you don't know you are allergic to because you've never been exposed to high levels of it. In particular, I am allergic to sulfur, which is in the dust, sometimes there are days when I'm outside and it seems nice and sunny, but after an hour or two I start to get sick and often even get migraines from it if for some reason I haven't remembered to bring my medication along with me. On just a light day, my forehead, nose and cheeks start to turn red, on a bad day, it spreads down my neck to my chest.

Prior to leaving the US, my only allergy was to sulfur, which I discovered because of reactions I had to lighting cigarettes with matches and some flea powder. After a year and a half in Korea, I went for an allergy scratch test, out of ten, I scored positive for 9.

Also, if you happen to enjoy fresh air in your home, you like to keep a window open when you sleep, etc.. well, that can really mess you up. You wake up feeling like somebody pounded you all over your body with a hammer.

All that being said, I spend a few month in a very rural area in a training facility on a mountain, 4 hours east of Seoul and about 100km from the ocean and still had problems at times. I actually think you might be better off in Seoul because instead of waiting for the bus, you go down into the subway and I'd guess, at least in hagwons, they are often in office buildings with HVAC and sealed windows.

[Sapa]

i just did a quick search for yellow dust images, it doesn't actually get like this in Seoul does it!!??

http://english.triptokorea.com/english/UserFiles/Image/Community/Now%20Korea/yellow%20dust.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Baesen/various/DustInSeoul.jpg

I have been in Seoul since last July and haven't seen anything like that, just smoggy, hazy grey.

[Straphanger]

[Css]

[VanIslander]

those pictures are accurate... it can get THAT BAD for a week or two, though last year wasn't as bad as the year before

it is like being in a sandstorm without the wind: your neck coated with grains

the best time to take a holiday from here is mid-March to mid-April

[justaguy]

[man_of_words]

some got in my eye

[simIAN]

I am going home for the month of April, is the dust really the worst in April here? If so than lucky me!