Korean Expat Community for National Disasters

By Natnael Yosefe Desalegn Hello everyone, and welcome to my podcast. My name is Natnael Yosefe, and today I want to share a story about something that really surprised me this spring in South Korea, something beautifualso a little unsettling. It was April. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, soft, pink, delicate. People were out walking, smiling, taking pictures under the trees. It felt like spring had truly arriand ved. But then, almost overnight, everything changed. The temperature dropped. The wind picked up. In some places, it snowed. I remember standing outside, wearing my winter jacket again, thinking: “Wait... wasn’t it just warm last week?” That week, even Jeju Island known for its mild weather, issued wind warnings, and in the mounta,ins of Gangwon Province, up to 5 centimeters of snow covered the ground. It was so strange to see petals falling... and snowflakes too. At first, I thought it was just an odd weather event. But then I read the news: the Korea Meteorological Administration reported that the sudden cold snap came from a cutoff low-pressure system cold Arctic air trapped in the atmosphere. Some scientists say these kinds of extreme weather swings are happening more often because of climate change. This made me reflect deeply. I had always thought of climate change as something distant melting glaciers or rising sea levels. But here I was, watching spring and winter collide in real time. It made me think about how climate change isn’t always dramatic or loud. Sometimes, it’s quiet like cherry blossoms blooming too early, or frost appearing too late. It's in the confusion of seasons, in the sudden shifts, in the small disruptions we almost miss. And honestly, it made me feel responsible too. I asked myself, “What can I do differently?” Since then, I’ve been m,ore mindful. I use my tumbler instead of buying drinks in plastic cups. I avoid single-use bags. I recycle carefully. They’re small things but small things matter. South Korea has taught me that cimate awareness i,s part of daily life. People sort waste into five bins. There are public signs everywhere reminding you to reduce waste. I feel like the country is trying, and we all should. So here’s my message today: If you felt the cold this spring, or saw cherry blossoms fall beside snow, that’s not just weather. That’s a warning. Let’s listen. Let’s act. Climate change is not just a theory. It’s here and it’s blooming right in front of us. Thanks for listening. Until next time stay aware, and stay warm.