It’s been a month and my skin is almost still recovering from the unintentional tan that I got during the summer vacation. My vacation was generous with lots of sun, heat, and humidity here in Jeju and I had to take advantage of it by trying out water sports. I started off with an easy activity of Kayaking to soak in the sun, and slowly digest the epic view of the sea through slow rowing at Hado beach. I lost my hat in the ocean, but by then, the sun was great. My second activity was a lot more difficult; paddle boarding. As much as there is a language barrier between the instructor and I - he managed to explain how difficult it can be. It sure was, I couldn't even come back to shore, and decided to take a shorter route which was a bad idea as I ended up having to walk on tar road back to the water sports facility. I think- this was the point I realized how hot it actually was. My last activity was snorkelling, which was such a treat, but again. It was extremely hot. I took another one-day trip to Udo Island which is a fifteen-minute Ferry ride from Jeju Island and found out just when I got there that there was a heatwave that day. My point is, summer was very hot.

Coming from an African country, many would assume that South Africans are comfortable with the heat. My assumption was that - Jeju Island will never get as hot as South Africa, but it sure does! It gets quite humid too, so preparing for the weather is very important. Summer is synonymous with heat and sun, but another important factor that needs to be considered with the weather on Jeju Island is the rain. Oh, it POURS! I use public transport which is extremely efficient, so every time it rains, I need to make sure I am geared up.

In keeping up with summer, I would recommend the following: 

• Always wear a hat and sunscreen.
• It gets humid, so keep your apartment ventilated.
• Get a mask that is not too tight as your face gets humid too, but always make sure it is the correct mask.
• Take an umbrella, just in case the weather changes. This happens quite often.

I like using a raincoat and wearing rain boots because it gets quite windy too. 

Here are some tips to get you by:  

• It gets slippery, so get some boots that have a grip and won’t soak in any water.
• Get gloves, a beanie, heat pads, and a big jacket. Unlike South African winter, you will need the ‘winter accessories.’
• Keep a lookout for bus schedule changes. The snowfall can interrupt the bus schedule. So make sure you always stay informed. 

Lastly, stay positive! The shock of how different the weather is can be overwhelming but you just have to understand it, be ready, and embrace it.