2009: An Asian Odyssey

Yellow Dust March 22, 2009

Yellow dust (also Asian dust, yellow sand, yellow wind, or China dust storms) is a seasonal meteorological phenomenon which affects much of East Asia sporadically during the springtime months. The dust originates in the deserts of Mongolia and northern China and Kazakhstan where high-speed surface winds and intense dust storms kick up dense clouds of fine, dry soil particles. These clouds are then carried eastward by prevailing winds and pass over China, North and South Korea, and Japan, as well as parts of the Russian Far East.

As you can see from the picture above (click to enlarge), the dust clouds are visible using satellite photography as they leave mainland China en route towards Korea and Japan. Areas affected by the dust experience decreased visibility and the dust is known to cause a variety of health problems, not limited to sore throat and asthma in otherwise healthy people. Often, people are advised to avoid or minimize outdoor activities, depending on severity of storms. For those already with asthma or respiratory infections, it can be fatal.

Hooray!! Spring is finally here. Now get our your SARS masks and don’t go outside.

We knew air quality was going to be less than desirable but we certainly didn’t expect it to be this bad. We were fine for the first couple weeks but just this past week as the weather became gorgeous, we both started getting mild soar throats. Mine went away within a day or so but Katie has turned into Darth Vader. She can’t breath out of her nose at all and has a really bad cough and soar throat. We got her some allergy medicine but it’s not really doing the trick. She’s reached the point where she’s considering wearing a mask when we’re outside. I don’t really notice it at all as it just smells like we’re living in a big city with a bit more fish, but I did become a little bit more concerned when half my class showed up on Tuesday wearing masks because of a dust storm advisory.

Now consider for a moment that you can buy cigarettes for only $2.50 per pack, and that you can smoke in bars and restaurants and you start to wonder how there isn’t a lung cancer epidemic. Maybe there is for all I know. What is does explain is why it’s culturally acceptable to hock a loogie wherever and whenever you want. You won’t go more than 10 minutes walking outside without seeing or hearing someone let one fly. You actually have to watch where you’re walking as these saliva/mucus landmines are everywhere. Katie absolutely hates it (I find it mildly entertaining) but even when she succumbed to a coughing fit and came close to coughing up a phlegm wad, her class didn’t bat an eye and carried on as if she had sneezed or something.

If you don’t like fresh air and you like dust, smoking and spitting mucus, this is the country for you.

May the force be with us.