The Battle

I will preface this post, this may not be my most hopeful, funny or pleasant post.

Well, it finally got cold here in Ulsan.  Its normal temperature these days is about 32 degrees F.  I guess theres still a lot of moisture in the air, its supposed to be really dry.  I think its getting there but not quite.  Most of you know by now that i have mold in my apt.  I've also had sinus issues for about a month now.  Praise God the doctors are good here and its cheap to get medicine and treatment.  And really fast!

So there was mold when i moved in, but it was in one corner and it didn't really look like much.  I cleaned it before the year started and then totally forgot about it.  Maybe every once in awhile i look at it and think, "Hm, thats not good."  And then continue to make my dinner.  Then one day about two weeks or so ago it was a really warm day, so i thought id wear some TOMS rather than really warm boots.  I open my cabinet and to my surprise there was mold covering half of my shoes.  I know my shoes are the cleanest things, but i never expected mold.  So i found a clean pair, and then headed out.  I had to clean when i got back home.  Once i started cleaning i found that the entire cupboard had mold all over!!  I was frustrated, scared, pissed, and had no idea what to do.  So i researched, and got ready to clean.  Once i finally got everything done it, it was about an hour or two later.  luckily, i can wash my TOMS, but leather shoes were a little more tricky.  I guess im learning that superficial things dont matter, even if i really really like them.  After i cleaned and took out the garbage i scour the rest of my tiny box of an apt to look for more.  So far it was mostly free.  The bathroom has its problems but thats a different story.  Much easier to clean.  You just scrub and it all goes down the drain.  Theres no tub, just a tiled room with a sink attached with a shower head, toilet, and small. cabinet.

Well, about a week later, another wall in my room blossomed over night into utter chaos.  I usually have my closet door open and it leans against the wall.  Well, i close that wall one day and BOOM!  Explosion of new fungus is greeting me.  I may have cursed a bit and pouted a little.  I then searched my apt again and there was some trying to peak through the wall paper near the bathroom.  Cool.

I told Joanne (she lives next door to me, and is like my co teacher at school.  She is the go to person for stuff like this.)  She sets up a time for the landlord to come over.  The landlord comes over and she sees everything.  She wasn't worried about the spot near the cabinet, even though it looks the worst.  She was more worried about the wall in my room.  She kept making concerned noises, but we couldn't talk to another due to not know the same language.  I had Joanne call her everyday day for like 5 days and the landlord never called her back.  Then one morning while i was getting ready for school she stops by with a man who takes care of this stuff i guess.  By this time i had cleaned the walls as best i could so it wouldnt grow anymore, i also didnt think it was the best idea to be inhaling all of it either.  THe other guy seemed a little upset. Like, "you woke my up for this.  This girl doesn't know how to live."  At one time, i think they were trying to tell my to keep my window open when i have my heat on.  (Many Koreans believe that you should do this.  I think its stupid.)  She was also surprised to see that half of the visible mold was gone.  There is still stuff underneath that is visible, but it doesnt look as bad now.  They left and the landlord said she'd call Joanne.

Joanne hasn't gotten a call yet.  Joanne also has a lot of her plate right now.  Yes, its her job to take care of me, but i have to come to her is a polite and un-nagging manner.  This mold thing is not the first thing on her mind.

Ok, so a couple days goes by and i have now gotten into a routine of washing my floors once a week.  Well, it was going well.  Theres always a ton of condensation on the windows and especially the sliding glass door where my refrigerator and washing machine are.  So i noticed the windows sills have a puddle of water at the bottom.  I clean it up and to my right is the frige, and there is about an inch gap between it and the wall.  The texture of the wall looked super weird.  So i grab my little flashlight and shine my light in there and guess what i find?!  Water dripping down the entire wall!!!!!!!! The wall is tiled and probably only has cement behind that.  And probably no insulation of any kind.  Not only was the water on that wall, but some of it was frozen!  I dont know how many people can say they have had icicles INSIDE their house, but i can now say that.  But not proudly.  So, since theres a crap ton of water sitting here, this must mean that something else must be hiding.  I pull out my refrigerator from its little nook and what do i find but a hug puddle in the corner that was probably water and is now mold.  I guess it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it does.  My frustration and anger is a bit more heightened at this point.  I just stared at it, hoping i had some kind of super hero power to kill it with.  Nothing.  Then i stood there annoyed, tired, super frustrated, and overwhelmed.  So now my landlandy is going to have fun with this one.  I put the refrigerator back, it was about midnight at this time i wasnt ready to tackle this one, and i want her to see all the stupid problems this place has.

With all this to say, im tired.  Im tired of this stupid battle.  Im tired of not really sleeping and im tired of it all taking a toll on my health and emotions.  It really sucks.  I dont really know what lesson i am going to learn from this, other than how to clean up mold.  I guess we shall see in time.  And on top of it all i can't even talk to the landlord.  I really wouldnt mind talking to her, but i cant.  I feel helpless.  I have to wait to for someone else too.  Things feel like they take twice as long.  I don't think Korea sees mold as big of an issue as Americans do.  Only if its exposed.  But its like a cancer, it could be there hiding for years and no one really knows, except you may feel just a little less than normal but after awhile that becomes your normal.  Then one day, all hell breaks loose.  And the war begins.

Ive taken pictures of it all, but i rather not scare anyone.  Maybe ill make a drawing of my apt and show you the problem areas.

I pray I will beat the fungus.