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Yawarakaijin · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 504 Location: Middle of Nagano

I couldnt agree more about the comment regarding paying whatever you have to to be comfortable. My aircon unit at home finally went on the fritz for good and I have been miserable for weeks. As they say though, every cloud has a silver lining. I finally convinced my landlord that it did'nt need repairing, it needed to be REPLACED and he finally relented.

If you have even wondered what the most heavenly experience in Japan is, I now have the answer. It is having one of those brand spanking new air con units installed in your home. My old one worked ok (when it worked) but this one now, its just amazing. From the second you hit the little button it is blowing out freezing cold air. I can stand 6 or 7 metres away and still feel it's cold refreshing breath. Im sure I will be spending a fortune in the upcoming months but its all worth it. Truly my own little piece of heaven in my own little corner of the world. For any of you who have an old crappy unit...spend the cash, get a brand new one. It is surely worth the money!

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

18 deg C! To me that is an unbearably cold temperature to be working in. I can understand that 28 is too warm for many people, although I don't mind it at all, but 18 deg seems to me to be going too far in the other direction- I would be miserable trying to learn or teach in that temperature.

I considered going back to English teaching part-time recently, but decided against it even though I was offered the job- one of the reasons being that the place where I had the interview was freezing cold.

I believe that it's unhealthy to be going from one extreme of temperature to another, particularly in summer when you sweat and then walk into a fridge-like office and that sweat chills straight away, so I try to acclimatise myself as much as possible and keep air-con temps natural in my house- 18 deg isn't a summer temp really.

In NZ our climate is a lot less extreme than here, but the majority of homes and schools in my city aren't air-conditioned or central heated- people just seem to deal with it. People arriving from the States or Europe are usually really surprised by this, but it's something I never thought about while growing up.

I don't think there's a way to keep everyone happy really- put two people in one office, one who thinks 18 deg is a comfortable temp for air-con, and another who prefers 26 deg- there will always be air-con wars!

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 3:05 pm Post subject:

I can't stand the heat. I mean I'm like Jim, if there's ac in the room---it's gonna be used. There's no a/c in my school and they have these little mini-fans they only seem to turn on when someone looks like they may pass out. I spent all of July in deathly hot yochien classroom. It ws so hot all the kiddies had their shirts off and I swear the temp inside read 30 degrees. I brought popsciles one day for everyone against my boss' wishes. I just don't get it..the school spends a fortune on new shoe holders for every room but no air con?????? Shocked

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 3:07 pm Post subject:

and some weirdo mother at my school said "Japanese don't like to use the aircon cause it causes asthma." Yeah, right. Rolling Eyes

luckbox · Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 180

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

nawlinsgurl posted

Nagoyaguy · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 425 Location: Aichi, Japan

I think that being comfortable in Japan is viewed by the locals with suspicion. Much like "enjoying your spare time", or "enjoying your job". There is an attitude that things have to be endured as some kind of masochistic exercise in character construction. If you are happy and cozy, something is wrong. Is this some kind of Bushido throwback from the days when men stood naked under waterfalls in the winter or something?

It's crap.

I also get told that too much AC is bad. I sleep at home with the AC on all night at a relatively comfy 25 degrees. This elicits gasps of disbelief in my coworkers, who are convinced I will get pneumonia or lung cancer for this egregious sin. Hasn't happened yet, though.

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject:

Yeah I have seen the kids in their tiny shorts!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!! The taiso teacher actually said some broken english like "Kids fight strong weather"---NO JOKE!!! And I was like "Yeah...right..." Rolling Eyes

And sometimes the teachers wouldn't turn the heaters on it the classroom...a few of the half-Japanese kids' parents seem to get it right by puting leggins and warmers under their kids shorts--but most of the parents let their kids go to school in those tiny things and I was cold looking at them!! Crazy!

I actually taught my class in a full puffy coat with a scarf and didn't care if they thought that I was crazy. And my husband and I sleep with the A/C on at night too. In fact, I don't think we've turned it off since summer started...which brings about a good question: If Japan is such a technologically advanced country, why hasn't anyone introduced "central heating and air" like we have in the States? Confused

luckbox · Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 180

dudelebow · Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 42

Air Con wars. Seems the staff at my school don't mind if we suffer. But luckily I work in a place where the students are paying customers. And I always tell my staff that the student wants the room to cool down a bit. They always oblige in that case.

Anyway, yeah...I don't understand why they don't introduce central heating and cooling here. There is nothing worse than cold or hot air blowing in your face leaving you parched after every class.

Nagoyaguy · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 425 Location: Aichi, Japan

Building houses with central air and heat is out of the question in Japan. It would require the construction industry to use something other than cardboard and plaster in the construction process. It would be a heresy on the level of kids actually using soap or disinfectant when they clean their schools every day. Nah, just have them slop some water on a biohazard rag and push it around for a while...

Plus, the Japanese love 'fresh air'. Haven't you been told that yet? Cool

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I'm assuming that the people talking about the kids in shorts in winter didn't grow up in countries like the UK or NZ, where the winters can be chilly, but shorts form a part of many school uniforms for boys year-round, and knee-length skirts for girls- at least the girls can wear tights though!

For decades it has been considered that this builds character- same as here in Japan. Boys whinging that they were cold in their shorts in NZ would be looked down upon, especially by their peers.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Our school cranks the AC like it's going out of style.
Never use it at home or in the car, myself. Use fans and cool baths.

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:30 am Post subject:

Nagoyaguy: You had me laughing like crazy!

I endured 14 years of brutal Catholic school plaid skirts and when it cold my mom made sure I piled on tights, legwarmers, and sometimes even sweatpants. I had to peel all those layers off before I could go in Sister Margaret Mary's classroom too. So the uniform or uniform rules have nothing to do with it. I think there are just smart parents and dumb parents, and silly Japanese. And most of the parents at my school fall under the last two categories. Cool

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:34 am Post subject:

Another crazy thing at my school...the kids all brush their teeth after lunch as required but they don't get any toothpaste!!!! The just brush with water!! What's up with that?????

And I truly believe the teachers used the same kitchen sponge for washing dishes since the school opened 50 years ago. I think I was the first to replace it with a new one! Rolling Eyes