The Cold...and the Cold

The weather here in Beijing has been nice by U.S. standards. Since I have arrived, the high temperatures have been more or less in the high 40's to mid 50's but I am still going to complain about the cold. Why you ask... it is because it feels so much colder here than it does at home. Outside it is nice, but when it is 50 you can still only spend so much time outdoors. The rest of your time is spent indoors. In the U.S. we heat our homes, restaurants, have heat in our cars...pretty much we are warm whenever we are not outside. Here in China, I am never warm. Usually the only time I am warm during the day is when I am in the shower. Other than that, inside is not really heated here. It is, but not as warm as I am used to. In my room I would say it is about 60 degrees all the time...though that may be a little on the warm side. Classrooms are cold, there is no heating on the bus or subway beyond the body heat generated and when you eat in a restaurant it is not advisable to usually take off your coat. All of this, combined with an assumed deficiency in Vitamin C has led to a cold. A wonderful reality here in China that I have been warned may not go away as long as I am here. Lets hope that this is not the case as teaching was interesting today given how I feel.

Even with all of these complaints about the cold, Spring is just around the corner and with it the warm temperatures. Therefore, be prepared for me to complain about how warm it is in just a few weeks as air conditioning is expensive and cannot be turned on until May 1st in the school. With a group of middle schoolers in a country that does not use deodorant...that may get interesting. All the best.