the leak

I'm glad my new studio has an air conditioner; I'd be dead without it. Once I got that thing going two nights ago, it hasn't stopped. I had originally left it at its default setting of 18ºC, but have since upped the temperature to a more reasonable 24º.

This is Korea, however, so every yang has its yin. Sometime yesterday afternoon, there was a knock on my door. I opened it, and there stood a friendly-looking older gent who, without preamble, asked me whether I was using my A/C. I said I was; he said that water was leaking downstairs. Can't say I was entirely surprised, but I apologized profusely while the gent waved his hand dismissively: No apology needed, the gesture said. These things happen. He examined my A/C unit (which showed no signs of dripping; the drainage tube was apparently built right into the wall), finally identified himself as the building's landlord, showed me how to change the pass code on my door's keyless lock, and went on his way. Not once did he tell me what I needed to do to stop the leakage. I assume, therefore, that Mr. Landlord is taking care of things on his end.

I recall idly wondering, when I first beheld my new A/C, just where the water went. A/Cs normally have drainage tubes, but on my unit, none is visible. The landlord's appearance at least partially solved that mystery: my unit does have a drainage tube, and the water does go somewhere.

Today is August 16th. Most of my future colleagues are scheduled to arrive in Hayang Town today. Some of those colleagues will doubtless be housed in this building. I have to wonder what's going to happen when all of my colleagues crank up their A/Cs.


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