Let me just bitch about the weather here for a second.

I know I am from the Philippines, tropical islands with considearble amount of humidity- hence the younger looking Filipinos compared to people from temperate countries. Being a Filipino, I thought that I can endure any heat that Korea has to offer. Everybody thought so too. All winter, I had waited and anticipated the arrival of summer. I was glad to hear that summer will be this year . The longer the better.

But I wasn't ready for the hell that was about to break loose for this year's Korean Summer.

BAck home, sure i've had instances when I would start sweating just sa soon as I stepped out of the shower. And there have been times when I woke up and my pillow was wet from all the sweat.

But I've never had a hard time sleeping and staying up till sunrise because of the fucking heat. I've never had a wet shirt after 5 minutes of walking. And weirdest of all, I've never actually seen humidity. That's right. humidity is so thick here in Korea this year that you'd think it's smog. But you'll know it is not because you can feel it wrap you like a blanket, then you'll start breathing in gasps, and droplets of sweat start forming on your forehead, the back of your neck, your chest, your back, and even your legs and groin.

I have never experienced a worse summer. I can actually blame the weather for me missing some classes, losing my temper on some people, and even my health.

But how do I fight the heat? Most Koreans would advice " Iyeol-chiyeol" or fighting fire with fire. On hot days, Koreans would eat steaming chicken stuffed with rice. Hot and spicy food also experience an increase in sales. Korean's believe that if you're body is hotter than the temperature around you, you won't feel so hot.

That may make sense, and since I am a fairly open minded person, I'll respect that belief. But I won't necessarily practice it. I like the idea of sweating your toxins out and I'm sure that also has its health benefits. But I wouldn't risk getting dehydrated and end up in the outrageously expensive Korean Hospitals.

Besides, no matter how hot it gets, no matter how much I bitch about it, I still love summer. How do I get over the heat? I just think of the horrible time's I've had in winter, when I had to be wrapped up like a dumpling before I could go anywhere. When the a trip to the bathroom was agony. When waiting for the bus was like waiting for the death coach.

Never mind the leaves changing in the fall( it actually means that icy cold days are just around the corner), which Korean's exalt to unbearble cheesiness, or the flowers starting to bloom in the spring( I actually like this season because it preempts the advent of my favorite time of the year.Despite its unforgiving scorching wrath, summer is still still my season.