Ho Chi Minh City, December 16, 2004, 7:30 a.m.

Very little rain falls in Ho Chi Minh City from October through March. So, I was surprised yesterday morning to find some sort of thick white fog or rain blanketing the city. I soon realized that it was actually haze from air pollution. The lack of rain during this time of year means that the air is hardly ever cleared of the exhaust from motor vehicles, fumes from factories, and smoke from open fires.

I have never seen smog this bad before and have certainly never swam in the middle of it. In the mornings, Marv and I have been coughing and wheezing. I also feel tired and have a slight headache but that could be partially explained by jet lag, coming back to warm weather from cold, and post-vacation blues. For now, Stephen and I won’t be going out in the morning, which is a shame because it’s actually a little cooler than during rainy season.

Unlike most locals, we’re able to stay in an air conditioned environment all day long even though we’re probably breathing in indoor air pollution. (Remember the apartment painting incident in June?) Using air conditioning also makes me feel guilty because I know it directly contributes to air pollution. Anyway, because we won’t be living here permanently, we can hopefully avoid the long-term health effects of severe air pollution — chronic respiratory disease like asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and damage to the brain, nervous system, liver, or kidneys.

It’s impossible to escape bad air completely. Air quality is a concern everywhere.

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