there's a pile of manure outside my window
Yesterday was Arbour Day in Korea. This year, the government decided that Arbour Day wasn't worth the day off, so it's no longer a national holiday. Basically, everyone goes to work and school. It's really quite annoying because now there's no holiday in April. There wasn't a holiday in February, but there was one in March, thankfully landing on a weekday, though not close enough to the weekend to make it long. The next holiday will be May 5, Children's Day. Of course, Buddha's Birthday which is a lunar holiday, happens to land this year on the same day as Children's Day, so no extra holiday for us. Koreans work too much and go to school too much as it is. I really wish they'd follow what Canada, and I'm sure other countries, does which is float the holidays so that we get long weekends. Now I know there are certain holidays that are anniversaries of significant events in Korean history, such as the latest, March 1 holiday, Independence Movement Day. I don't dare suggest we move this. Something like Children's Day, however, has no need to be on May 5 particularly. In fact, this year it lands on a Friday which is good news for anyone who works a respectable five-day work week but utter crap for the kids who have to go to school the next day! That's no Children's Day. I firmly believe that they should make Children's Day to be the first Monday in May, so that even those people who are required to work or study on Saturday can at least enjoy the two days in a row with their families. Constitution Day can be moved. Nobody remembers when it was created, just make it a long weekend! Hell, we move Queen Victoria's Birthday every year so that everyone can go the cottage and drink beer! I'm not just being a selfish foreigner in Korea who misses his long weekends... well, not totally. Koreans work very hard (usually) and they need a break. We need some more movements!
As for the pile of manure... someone thought it necessary to fertilize the scant shrubbery areas around the entire apartment complex with real manure. It truly truly stinks.