I am currently home on my lunch break from work where, when I left, the situation was slightly chaotic.
Due to very cold temperatures (-13 being 'very' cold, for Korea) many buildings have recently lost their access to water as the pipes have frozen. Some of our co-workers, who live in apartments above the school, in the same building, have not had water for over 24 hours.
The school, which has about 70 kindergarten children attending each morning and many more students in the afternoon, is running with ONE bathroom ( that's one toilet, one sink, one room) for all students and staff. The water filtration system (most people do not drink tap water, including us) is also frozen, meaning there is no drinking water.
Just to make it an 'eventful' day, this morning, the pipes must have burst because the front stairway at the school (4 flights) is covered and dripping with water. Combine this with the fact that all windows and doors are left open to the cold outside and I fear that the school may be the sight of a Home Alone frozen staircase scene.
And the school is still.......open. Education must prevail. Even if you are 5.
I usually am pretty pleased with the nature of Korea as not being overly cautious when compared to Canada (for example, peanut butter is allowed EVERY WHERE) but I think today was a bit too far on the other end of the spectrum of caution.
Though I'm praying for an afternoon off due to unhygienic, unsafe building conditions... I won't hold my breath.
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| can't stop. won't stop. |
post script: In running news, I have registered for the Daegu International Marathon 10km event on April 10th. 11.5 weeks to get in breaking 40:00 shape..... yikes.
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