Today was about the second or third time I saw blue sky in the last month. When the monsoon began in mid-June, the sun was banished, dry shoes became a thing of the past, and our best friend became our umbrella.If you are in certain areas of Seoul when a big shower hits the water will come up to your ankles as it patiently waits for it's turn to enter the sewer and no matter where you, your umbrella will do little to keep you dry. Those are only the major showers though, most of the time it was just a steady flow of rain. Some areas had some flooding, but here in Jeonju, among the mountains, we've been quite alright; though there was a time my co-teachers and I contemplated building an ark, but then we realized there is a church shaped like one across town, so if needed, we could just go there. However, as the rains subsides, there isn't much to celebrate: the "dog days" officially began on Thursday.
The dog days are "the hottest days" of the year. The first one, on July 14, is Chobok. The second, Chungbok is ten days later, and ten days after it, follows Molbok, which is the third. On Chobok, it is Korean custom to eat either dog soup or a spicy chicken soup (dakdorae tang) to help you prepare for and maintain your health during the hot weeks of August. Luckily, I was invited to the Hongs' and Mrs. Hong and I made dakdorae tang! We rubbed the chicken, onions, and potatoes with red pepper paste and more red pepper then added welsh onion, kimchi, and water and let it cook for about an hour. While it cooked we made some salad, cucumber kimchi, and got the soju and other side dishes ready. When it was perfectly done we had a feast under the fan, as we sweated the sweet spiciness in the heat. It was fantastic! Now there's not much to do, but wait as the last of the clouds are blown out and the heat, humidity, and cicadas of August settle in.
Outside of the weather, July has passed in a flurry of filling out applications, obtaining visas, and planning, planning, planning. School ended about a week ago and next week is summer camp. I've planned and (almost) fully prepared, a Harry Potter camp! Even though I have minimal knowledge of the wizard world, it was fun to plan and I think it's going to be a hit. We'll make wands, cast spells, stir up some potions, play some Hogwarts inspired games, and watch a movie. Then, at the end of the week, I'm off for the adventure of a life time! to India for a month :) I'll write more when I return. Take care and stay cool!
