Let's Talk About the Weather

(Disclaimer:  Having grown up on the Canadian/U.S. border in the 80’s, I talk about temperature in Fahrenheit.  My apologies to the rest of the world.)

Everyone loves a nice pumpkin space latté (decaf with soy milk for me, please) to ring in the fall.  Wishful thinking.  We all know that pumpkin spice lattés only happen when the leaves turn crunchy, you’re wearing a sweater, and the air turns sweet and crisp.  So, what happens if you live in the tropics and it’s still 90 degrees half-way through October?  No pumpkin spice lattés here!  If you’re a Canadian transplant, you rent a boat for your October 18th birthday and spend the day splashing in the water and basking in the sun with friends.  If you’re a local, you put on your parka and batten down the hatches; you’re in for a long winter.

I guess tolerance of hot and cold weather largely depends on where you’ve grown up and what you’re acclimatized to.  Quite a few years ago, I spent a snowy, beautiful winter in Québec.  (I won’t say how many years ago because, with my birthday tomorrow, I’m feeling quite old!)  Even though there was more snow piled on my lawn than I’d seen in my whole life leading up to that winter, I didn’t feel particularly cold because I was very used to freezing winters, with the bitter lake-effect of the Great Lakes.  My roommate, on the other hand, was from temperate Vancouver Island.  When discussing our experience with Canadian winters, she famously stated about Vancouver Island that “a puddle froze once”.  A few years later (ok, it was a decade later!), I fell toque over boots for the North American west coast and moved to Vancouver Island.  I found I didn’t need a coat all winter (in fact, I hadn’t even bothered to bring one).  Meanwhile, the islanders flocked to the grocery store in droves to stock up on toilet paper and canned beans if there was even mention that the mercury would dip below 40 degrees.  You can never be too prepared.

In Hong Kong, it’s a different story altogether and I must admit that I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around some of it.  Differing tolerances and ideas of hot and cold go so far beyond the outdoor temperature. 

  

Let’s start with summer.  The temperature here is unrecognizabley hot.  I’m not sure how hot it gets but with the humidity (which must be pushing 90%) and air pollution, I basically feel like I’m swimming in a cauldron of creamy soup from around May till, let’s say, two days ago.  Now that the temperature has dropped to a more comfortable 88 degrees, the doorman in my building has started wearing a jacket and my students turn into little icicles if I so much as turn on the ceiling fan.  Not to be unsympathetic, but I told them they need to bring their sweaters to class because if I have to teach in a sauna, I will melt into a puddle of Miss Stephanie.  And puddles can’t teach phonics.

The other problem with summer is that the second I sneeze, people around me clamour to turn off the air conditioners and fans.  I sneeze a lot!  I have a dust allergy!  Even if I did have a cold, I wish cab drivers, shop owners and my co-workers would all realize that being cold doesn’t CAUSE a cold.  The fear of cold air and drafts is unfounded.  All turning off the air does is make me get super hot and miserable.  A few weeks back, I was co-teaching a class.  I started the class with a sneeze and this set into motion a 75 minute comedy routine between the other teacher and myself whereby we would take turns walking across the room to turn on (in my case) or off the ceiling fan and air conditioner.

Then there’s winter.  Yes, we actually do have a winter here… it gets down to about 50.  That’s quite pleasant but not when you work an 8 hour day with every window wide open!  This time, at least, the reason does make sense (I think).  Rather than be cooped up with everyone’s germs, you get a constant flow of fresh air.  This is great in theory, and I think it works in my much more rural school, but the people who work in the densely populated areas can’t actually be getting fresh air by this method.  It doesn’t bother me at all…. I get to wear my cute winter toques and countdown to my next warm vacation. (53 days until Cambodia!)

The air in Hong Kong is dirty.  So dirty, in fact, that it has taken me two years to adjust to breathing it.  I can’t count the amount of times I’ve been sick since I’ve been here!  Surely, more times than in my entire life leading up to our move here.  I guess they expect people to have trouble adjusting because English teachers here get more paid sick days than we could ever possibly need.  I’m fairly sure my being sick is from the air quality and just being around so many children.  My co-workers are convinced it’s because I eat cold salad for lunch.  This is the same theory as with the air conditioning… cold begets colds.  I'm going to stick with my beliefs that raw veggies are good for me and just learn to accept the looks of "She sneezed earlier and now she's eating a carrot... she has it coming."     

P.S.  I know it’s not real fall here, but if anyone can tell me where to get a pumpkin spice latté in Hong Kong, I’d be eternally grateful.