Winter is Coming

My new look, the "starfish Ralphie."

I thought it was only in the movies where I would see someone so bundled up they could hardly move.  I can vividly recall the giggles I had over Ralphie in one of my favorite childhood classics, A Christmas Story....  Well, please look no further!

You will find me in my full regalia every winter day:  one full coverage hat, gloves, two to three pairs of long johns, two sweaters, and a full length downy feather coat... oh yeah, and two scarves, wrapped accordingly around my neck depending upon the wind that day.  One of the main reasons I look like the "Ralphie starfish"  is because I take my e-bike to work, so it usually makes the temperature drop by ten degrees.  OK, please don't judge me on how I cannot bear a 5 minute drive.  I on occasion will drive into town, which can be a 15-20 minute commute one way depending on where you want to go, and I have recess duty three times a day for 20 minutes each.  It can get chilly!

The other reason I layer is for comfort.  In any typical North American home, there are carpeted floors and central heating.  The walls are insulated with fiberglass and wood.

Not here.

The floor is covered in tile, and the walls are made of cement, which is nice in the summertime as it cools the place, but it carries no insulation to keep the heat in.  Since Kunshan falls south of the Qinling Mountain Range, it is considered a town that is "too warm" to need central heating.  Instead, you have wall A/Cs in each room, except in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry areas.

The A/C blows out warm air in the winter, but it rarely keeps the room warm enough.  In school, parents and students alike complain that the room is "too warm" in the winter, and ask teachers to turn off the A/C.  You'll find that most students never shed their winter coat during lessons, and you begin to join them.

I've gotten used to it, but it's taken some adjustment.  I am lucky my husband invested in foam door insulators.  We even purchased the cling-on wrap for the windows to help retain heat.  But Canadians, yes you, despite your colder climate back home, you will still freeze to death here.  Bring a jacket so you don't have to go searching for one when you reach.  :-)

On another note, I always welcome Springtime as the mothers of my students flock to me with such great appreciation for my ability to loose weight.  Little do they know I have no secret, because my weight is typically stays the same,  I just shed a few layers of coats!

Sometimes I feel like I am preparing to take on the Arctic!  I'm not sure I would survive on hour there.  

My casual inside house attire.

My pimped out ride - blanket and gloves.

The "Ralphie Starfish" look.  Coming to you soon!