tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post2021530860369581529..comments2024-03-12T01:46:10.572+09:00Comments on Ask the Expat: Why do schools leave the windows open in winter?The Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-82962286980158750112021-06-29T05:35:01.500+09:002021-06-29T05:35:01.500+09:00I was diagnosed as HEPATITIS B carrier in 2013 wit...I was diagnosed as HEPATITIS B carrier in 2013 with fibrosis of the<br />liver already present. I started on antiviral medications which<br />reduced the viral load initially. After a couple of years the virus<br />became resistant. I started on HEPATITIS B Herbal treatment from<br />ULTIMATE LIFE CLINIC (www.ultimatelifeclinic.com) in March, 2020. Their<br />treatment totally reversed the virus. I did another blood test after<br />the 6 months long treatment and tested negative to the virus. Amazing<br />treatment! This treatment is a breakthrough for all HBV carriers.MATINAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03056834682621326306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-44053888228545176432012-01-27T11:08:23.607+09:002012-01-27T11:08:23.607+09:00Opening them windows and doors to let in the fresh...Opening them windows and doors to let in the fresh air is the healthiest thing they can do for those kids. Toxic cleaning products used by janitors, linger in an airtight school environment and THAT is unhealthy to breathe. I can remember breathing bleach fumes in the cafeteria when I was in school and wondered why I felt like dosing off in class afterwards. We didn't have windows open. A little fresh air, hot or cold, never hurt anyone. I've been surviving with my windows open ALL year round for 18 years now and I'm still alive and well to type this comment! The Korean people sure got the right idea... my kinda people! ;)Nadinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04751801759647935602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-89956893633250262362011-08-09T15:09:00.320+09:002011-08-09T15:09:00.320+09:00Everything is very open and very clear explanation...Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. <br /><a href="http://www.sampleletters.in/school-leave-application.html/" rel="nofollow">School Leave Application</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-25781051664912566392010-12-15T09:30:52.041+09:002010-12-15T09:30:52.041+09:00Okay, I talked to a Korean, since this question ha...Okay, I talked to a Korean, since this question has been bothering me for sometime. The answer: she didn't know. Her guess was that it had something to do with the use of non-ondol heating sources. Radiant heating is a pretty good way to heat a space with almost no adverse side effects. Central Heating, or any kind of heater that raises air temperature rapidly makes the air very dry, which is already a problem in Korea. On top of that, western style heaters usually use funs which stirs up other irritants. These things together make the Korean people prefer to "fresh the air" as they say because they find the things we view as a convenience somewhat irritating at times.morton16okhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14703458896869686424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-48034101578087031862009-11-24T17:00:44.790+09:002009-11-24T17:00:44.790+09:00I didn't mean to hijack the thread, so I just ...I didn't mean to hijack the thread, so I just answered this over at the link above. <br /><br />I did want to add that in modern times, I think the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning has gotten it drilled into a lot of people's heads that closed windows are a hazard. <br /><br />The kerosene smell will reinforce that notion. Even at the esteemed Yonsei University GSIS, ten years ago they were still in one of the colonial era buildings, which were heated with kerosene-powered stoves that created a horrible stink sometimes.kushibohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10306033998028548550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-46911674797519435362009-11-24T05:54:07.505+09:002009-11-24T05:54:07.505+09:00*that wold be "...from Korea to the US."...*that wold be "...from Korea to the US."The Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-65879536672619137832009-11-24T05:53:16.512+09:002009-11-24T05:53:16.512+09:00Kush:
There is more domestic travel between Hawai...Kush:<br /><br />There is more domestic travel between Hawaii and the Mainland than to Korea and the US. That example doesn't work.The Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-18850122303669226342009-11-23T22:00:49.134+09:002009-11-23T22:00:49.134+09:00I feel as though this would be a good question for...I feel as though this would be a good question for The Korean...<br /><br />All I know is, I'm sick of freezing my butt off (literally) every time I go to the bathroom...조안나https://www.blogger.com/profile/18436544214416169575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-32889321259418767222009-11-23T19:55:57.979+09:002009-11-23T19:55:57.979+09:00The Expat wrote:
I never mentioned swine flu or th...The Expat wrote:<br /><b>I never mentioned swine flu or the measures against it. Perhaps you meant to direct that at Chris?</b> <br /><br />It was indeed Christ who triggered my question, but I addressed it to you since this is "Ask The Expat." <br /><br /><b>I'll take a stab at the question though:<br /><br />US is closer to Mexico and transmission of the virus is much easier, than say, Korea. Countries closer to Mexico have higher rates of infection. I don't think it has much to do with the measures Korea is taking.</b> <br /><br />After I asked the question here, I decided to make <a href="http://kushibo.blogspot.com/2009/11/swine-flue-discrepancies.html" rel="nofollow">a whole post</a> out of this question. I had also considered proximity to Mexico as a possibility, too, but here in Hawaii, which is thousands of miles from Mexico and has virtually no direct contact, the same numbers as the Mainland apply. In fact, I think South Korea started getting infectious cases before Hawaii did, or around the same time. And around the same time for first fatalities.kushibohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10306033998028548550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-53816275043416435622009-11-23T19:35:08.703+09:002009-11-23T19:35:08.703+09:00I never mentioned swine flu or the measures agains...I never mentioned swine flu or the measures against it. Perhaps you meant to direct that at Chris?<br /><br />I'll take a stab at the question though:<br /><br />US is closer to Mexico and transmission of the virus is much easier, than say, Korea. Countries closer to Mexico have higher rates of infection. I don't think it has much to do with the measures Korea is taking.The Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-9558022204621432772009-11-23T17:45:06.909+09:002009-11-23T17:45:06.909+09:00I suspect it has a lot to do with the fact that un...I suspect it has a lot to do with the fact that until recently, very few non-residential buildings had interior heat. Most schools still don't, even today, and would have relied on propane gas space heaters. These gas heaters don't smell particularly pleasant (nor do they heat rooms efficiently or evenly, but oh well), particularly older models, and opening the windows to "fresh" the air would have helped clear out a lot of the noxious fumes. These heaters also provide one of the great delights of winter in Korean schools: 똥파이^^ Students mash up chocopie while still sealed in their foil wrappers, then put them on the heater to melt the chocolate and marshmellow, kind of like a very beaten-up s'more. Mmmm, ddong pie!<br />I know that at my school, one of the special winter punishments was to make students sit in the unseated hallways. Pretty miserable stuff.<br />Bad heat regulation, I suspect, has more to do with old and poorly run heating systems. Most thermostats are set to turn on at a base temperature and run until a target temperature has been reached. How well this works depends on where the sensor in question is, and what those ranges are - I suspect most Korean buildings have a low trigger point, and respond with too much heat until everyone is sweltering, before switching off and letting everybody slowly freeze. <br />I think the slippers work to a) keep the floor clean - although their efficiency is debatable. My boys certainly kept their highschool like a pigstye! and b) to symbolically mark the school as interior space, similar to a home.Gomushin Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06480861544911964833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-58258018555726866562009-11-23T17:13:45.237+09:002009-11-23T17:13:45.237+09:00Chris just reminded me of one of the big reasons w...Chris just reminded me of one of the big reasons why the air recirculation/refreshment is important: the many chemical agents used in Korean homes and buildings. Cleaning agents, building materials, etc. <br /><br />And before someone says, "Oh, yeah, well what about all the smoking," I'll just preemptively point out that (a) the people who are worried about their health aren't always smokers and (b) smokers are sometimes worried about other health problems even as they keep smoking (or can't quit). <br /><br />Not sure if it would make any difference with the swine flu, but the reason winter is flu season may have more to do with lots of people being in close proximity <i>indoors</i> than the actual cold. <br /><br />Here's a question for you, The Expat, if swine flu measures are such a waste of time and/or failure, as I keep reading in the K-blogs, why does the US have a per capita fatality rate some ten times higher than the ROK? I'm asking that as a sincere question, since swine flu was brought up.kushibohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10306033998028548550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-73761886750535290032009-11-23T17:06:31.428+09:002009-11-23T17:06:31.428+09:00There is something to be said about 'fresh'...There is something to be said about 'fresh' air, but seriously - it's freakin' cold outside people. I was told in a recent teachers meeting that we should 'fresh the air' (not REfresh the air) three times a day. Um, ok, sure - so for comic relief in one of my classes I went to the window, went ONE, TWO, THREE! and we're done :)<br /><br />I've also heard the theory that the swine flu germs will somehow get magically sucked into the outside, off top infect something - anything - else other than the school's precious kids. We also have this spray that smells much like 1 part bleach to 20 parts water to spray on the tables... Yeah... and our school closed for a few days earlier this month in the name of the swine flu... Guess it's not working - but HEY! let's keep doing it anyway!Chris in South Koreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07114300133329984235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-44124851922056347402009-11-23T17:03:43.231+09:002009-11-23T17:03:43.231+09:00Good point, but I still don't see the benefit ...Good point, but I still don't see the benefit of having open windows in winter forcing the kids to wear jackets in the classrooms.The Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-34336572519691873672009-11-23T16:58:55.253+09:002009-11-23T16:58:55.253+09:00The Expat wrote:
Seems like a drastic measure to c...The Expat wrote:<br /><b>Seems like a drastic measure to combat loitering.</b> <br /><br />More of a fringe benefit than the original intention. <br /><br />Seriously, though, Korean homes and family life are designed to be open air. Look at traditional homes, where they're for the rich or poor: wide open spaces in the summer, but even open courtyards are put to use in the winter. <br /><br />Here in Hawaii, I see the same thing: the lanai is an integral part of social structure. Frankly, I like it. I have come to hate air conditioning and my own apartment in central Seoul didn't have A/C until I left for Hawaii and figured my tenants would want it (turns out they don't). <br /><br />Of course, in the winter time, I prefer to have my home shut off from all drafts, but I enjoy the exhilarating feel of being out in the biting cold. I walk all over the place unless it gets into single digits Fahrenheit (about -12°C or lower).kushibohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10306033998028548550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-2463726602499328232009-11-23T16:23:29.094+09:002009-11-23T16:23:29.094+09:00Seems like a drastic measure to combat loitering.Seems like a drastic measure to combat loitering.The Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-74333550072350344442009-11-23T15:48:02.267+09:002009-11-23T15:48:02.267+09:00I always try to sit in the next-to-last row on the...I always try to sit in the next-to-last row on the bus, where there's an openable window, so I can slide it open when the bus gets hellishly warm!<br /><br />As for schools, I understand they want fresh air, but the fact is that buildings are made to 'breathe' even when all the windows and doors are closed tight in order to circulate air (about once every 2-3 hours is a recognized standard for indoor air quality). These schools, constructed many years ago, are no exception. I would guess that, if the windows and doors were closed, my school would change air completely once every hour. With the windows and doors open, it's probably every 5 minutes. It's only the halls too--if they are worried about air quality, why not open windows in the classroom, where there are 30 students sitting in a closed space for 45 minutes?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15623643915454458007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-44233197356689127452009-11-23T15:11:45.128+09:002009-11-23T15:11:45.128+09:00Air recirculation.
And maybe it prevents the kid...Air recirculation. <br /><br />And maybe it prevents the kids from loitering? (That's just a guess.)kushibohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10306033998028548550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-43567388948652753162009-11-23T14:44:55.536+09:002009-11-23T14:44:55.536+09:00Which is why I don't travel on the subway in t...Which is why I don't travel on the subway in the winter. It's so damn hot.The Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795876773477053551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-48525740711267750392009-11-23T14:10:52.925+09:002009-11-23T14:10:52.925+09:00My (Japanese) fiance is prone to bouts of window-o...My (Japanese) fiance is prone to bouts of window-opening as well. She says it's to change the air, and from what I've heard at schools the same motivation is found in Korea. I can appreciate that, though what drives me crazy is when they run the heater/AC on high AND open the windows.<br /><br />I'm not an anthropologist, so I'm sure it'll be a matter of time before Gomushin Girl tries to set me straight, but I attribute the inability to regulatte temperature to Koreans' tendency to extremes. The AC is either turn all the way on, or it's off. The heater is either making you sweat in winter, or it's off. Drivers accelerate until the second before the light then slam on the brakes.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07149708954524602455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417613683563024050.post-27534640076258565352009-11-23T14:08:57.445+09:002009-11-23T14:08:57.445+09:00My co-teacher is always cold, but she likes to ope...My co-teacher is always cold, but she likes to open the windows because otherwise the room gets "stuffy" (her word). In the mornings, we open the windows to "refresh the air" (again, her words). Makes perfect sense to me.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02951664447964631477noreply@blogger.com