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[Hod]

I visited a friend last week in Poland. It was -10�C at midday and was dark by two-thirty. Yes, I was a numpty to visit in mid-winter, but anyone who goes to teach there, or any cold place, is bonkers. I prefer the tropics but appreciate it�s too hot for many. Somewhere like Spain must be a good bet. People from temperate climates going to teach in an even colder place�how do you explain it?

Anyway, we met up with some other sorts for a pub crawl. How they recognised each other under all those clothes I�ll never know. I�m impressed I could walk with four pairs of jeans on, though. I couldn�t get out of those arctic winds and into the first bar quick enough. Lucky I wasn�t up for a beer because my lips had stuck together. But after I�d taken off all four gloves, scarf, three coats and hat, I was OK. One beer later, we were off. On again went the four gloves, three coats, scarf and hat. Outside it was even colder than before. The next bar was only two minutes walk, but we jumped on a passing bus. Now, how is it possible to have a ticket inspector on such a short trip? I had a ticket, of course, but which pocket was it in? And in which coat? Off came the gloves and the first coat, everyone else had long since got off and was halfway through their first pint before I found my ticket.

Although it felt like ages, I was probably only on that bus for a couple of minutes. But in that time, I heard so many sneezes and coughs, I thought bird flu had arrived. I was well ready for a beer, after I�d thrown off gloves, coats, scarf and hat.

To finish, a nightclub. The cloakroom queue was huge. The nightclub was Poland�s largest, the size of two football pitches � but that was just the cloakroom. All those dripping arctic layers take quite some space. All in all, it was a good night. I even warmed up a bit during the walk home. Hypothermia does that.

So, I got to wondering why people do it. When you factor in the cost of all those coats, gloves, etc, plus all the Lemsips and other potions you�re gonna need, it�s not cheap. And then, add on your bills for gas and electricity for lights to see you through the 19 hours of darkness every day, and hey, you could afford to fly business class to Bangkok once a fortnight.

Studies show that people in cold countries live an average 12 years less than those in warmer climes, even allowing for the alcohol abuse prevalent in such places. In a test conducted by the University of Southampton in 1999, a bus driver kept in a room at a controlled temperature of -10�C for one hour, then attempted to drive his bus through a gap some 36 inches narrower. Many scoff at such studies, some even think I made them up, but Seasonally Affected Disorder SAD is a problem for all.

I could go on, but my fingers have turned black. It�s a question for teachers in places like Northern Europe and parts of China. Why did you go there? It�s too cold.

[denise]

Funny, I am in Peru now, damn near the equator, and laugh at the people here who think 17 degrees in the winter is "cold." After spending two years, including two cold, snowy winters, in Prague, and then two years in a snowy area of Japan, I now understand the appeal. Having the same season for 12 months is boring! And snow is so soft and pretty and fun. And it`s far easier to dress for cold weather--just keep adding layers, as already discussed--than for warm weather. There comes a point at which you run out of clothes to take off, and even if you`re sitting around your house naked, you still sweat!

I will survive one year in Peru, but after that, I need a bit more seasonal variety! And I am originally from southern California and was terrified of winter until I actually experienced it.

d

[Glenski]

[Guy Courchesne]

Mexico City surprises the uninitiated with cool winter temps down to freezing at night. Temps here are usually springlike during the day, all year long..

I lived in Acapulco for a time and the worst thing about that place for me was the heat and humidity. Ok for a weekend trip but two years and I couldn't take it anymore.

[Hod]

[Justin Trullinger]

What kind of an idiot consented to sitting in a -10 degree room for an hour? I'm from Iowa, where winter temps below -25 aren't unheard of. And that's FARENHEIT. But we don't sit around in it. We wrap up. And when it's too cold, we sit inside, close to fires, and drink hot chocolate and mulled wine...if it's too cold for even that, we go to bed and ...hmmmm...sometimes I miss cold winters.

Justin

[denise]

I think we will just have to disagree, then. I do love basking in the sun (and apparently I need to, after a friend told me that I look "como leche"), but winter has its appeal. Snowboarding, sitting in front of a crackling fireplace, snowboarding, mulled wine, snowmen, snowboarding, heated toilet seats in Japan, individually heated tram seats in Prague, snowboarding, seeing an entire town (especially an ugly one!) blanketed in snow, etc. And snowboarding.

d

[ls650]

Well, Hod, I'm with you on this one. You'd have to pay me a hell of a lot of money to go teach anywhere with a cold winter.

[Hod]

[SueH]

Hod,

Having been to uni in Southampton, my guess it was probably due to the medical students feeding the driver chilled vodka.

I'm with Denise though - give me seasons and snow - although in my case it will be (when the flaming appartment is sorted out) in the Italian mountains. Nothing to do with the food or wine, of course.

[Sweetsee]

Cold weather:


Never need to worry about leaving doggy bags in the car.

Makes you appreciate simple things.

Makes you feel alive.

Shivering is the most exercise some people get.

You can hark back to the past.

Good for your skin.

Mind over matter.

Won't be standing around on street corners.

Won't take the warmth of our sun for granted.

etc.

[khmerhit]

one word----saunas

[Sweetsee]

Good one, Khmerhit!

I know that living here in Japan has made me really appreciate the benefits of a hot bath, I sometimes even take two a day, something I never did when living in milder climes. In fact, I can't even start the day without one in the winter and would never go to play tennis without first having one.

Ahh, a sauna really sounds good or maybe a steam, get in there and lay down, breath in the hot moist air and feel the strains of life melt away.


Enjoy,
s

[bdawg]

Why people choose to teach in hot, muggy places is beyond me.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

-10C isn't that cold! Why were people (or was it just you?) wearing four pairs of jeans to a pub crawl? Are you sure it wasn't some traditional birth control method?

It's warm inside, cold outside. Boohoo.

That's better than where I am now, where it's often -3C outside and +3C inside because there isn't any insulation. But even then there are benefits, like you never have to worry about your beer getting warm and skunky, and you don't have to worry about where to dump your coat.