So, it's cold. My friends from warmer parts of the world find it amusing that I can't tolerate this cold. I had previously heard about some kind damp, wet, biting coldness that gets under your skin. Those reports have proven a bit over-dramatic, after-all. But in all fairness, it feels about the same outside as it does back home at this time of the year. But, the problem is that buildings here lack indoor heating. They have heat... but, not to a North American. It's really just reverse cycle air conditioning which does not warm up the air the same way as radiator or baseboard heating. What that means, is that your body never really warms up. So back home, we'd brave the elements outside and then get inside to thaw out and get cozy. Here, we come inside and remain cold. I've had my heat going since I got back from my trip but when I touch the concrete walls, they are still cold. I currently have three, (yes, 3) blankets on the bed.
That said, I can find warmth in my apartment but school is another. It is cold everywhere, and I mean everywhere in school. First of all, our school is built for a much warmer climate. High ceilings, lots of glass doors and walls, drafty corridors. Really, what were they thinking? It is almost abuse to use the facilities.
I checked AccuWeather and tomorrow is predicted to be 1 degree Celsius.
Now, the American has not quite gotten Celsius/Farenheit conversions down yet. BUT I know this is not good news.
'Til later and warmer....
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3 comments:
1°C is just one step away from freezing ;-). Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
Celsius is way easy in winter - it's in summer that the numbers seem goofy, as they're not very high.
And I can totally sympathize with the teaching in the cold thing. At least your school has some decent expectations on it. When I was teaching ESL at local primary schools I routinely taught in full winter gear (coat, scarf and sometimes fingerless gloves - it was all very Dickensian!)
Get yourself a electric bed-warming mat. They're like 50 RMB and you just turn them on 20 minutes before bed and it makes everything nice and cozy.
Hey, just found your blog via Ryan. Welcome, and I hope the school got you a decent, warm apartment.
Ryan makes a good suggestion about the bed warming mat, though in NZ we call it an electric blanket.. careful though, a teacher at your school set fire to her apartment with one last year.
Oh, an having read some back posts, I can totally sympathize with the whole "wow I live in China" emotions.. i still get em nearly four years into my stint here..
But still no snow!!!
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