11 days. It has rained for 11 days in a row now, and it is not going to stop for quite some time. Monsoon season has hit Asia and we are here in the middle of it. We both were born and raised in tornado alley, where heavy rainfall and intense storms are no big deal. However, neither of us were prepared for the downpours that have now flooded our city in Korea.
The monsoon season, or Jangma, is an important part of the Korean climate and umbrella economy. Unlike Oklahoma, the trees here stay green all summer due to the amount of rainfall. The steady, constant rain started filling the once-dry ditch behind our house into a river about four feet deep.
The Anyang River likewise has since overflowed due to the rains. We used to be able to cross the river on stepping stones which have now all vanished beneath the high waters.
There are not many activities to enjoy during the rainy season, so this past weekend Ryan and I camped out at a local cafe. The staff made sure we were well taken care of. They brought us lots of free drinks and were even using Google Translator to make sure we were satisfied with their music selection, which had conveniently began playing America’s Top 40.
The monsoons usually last until late July, but can sometimes continue into August. We are certainly glad we came prepared with rainboots and jackets!
[…] Also right behind our apartment is the Anyang River. We have shown you pictures of it before in some of our previous posts. It is a distributary of the Han River in Seoul. It is about 32 km long and has bike and walking trails alongside it. In the spring it is lined with cherry blossom trees and yellow forsythia bushes. Recently with all the rains, it has been flooding. […]