Monday, June 23, 2008

the sweet sunny south(ern hemisphere)

It’s well and truly midwinter. The few decorative European import trees have dropped a few brownish leaves, the temperature has plummeted to a frigid 50s-70s during the day and 40s at night, and it’s drizzled a bit. Today is 55 degrees and sunny. This is dire weather, let me tell you. Hand-rubbing hunched-shoulder bundled (‘rugged up’) people at the university clutching their steamy cappuccinos discuss how hard it is to get up from the warmth of their beds in the face of such a chill. I kid you not. Walking outside requires some combination of scarves, hats, gloves, multiple sweaters for most residents. The radiators at the uni are cranked up, plus space heaters have appeared, and the preferred seats during class are those right next to the heaters. When I show up in a t-shirt and jeans and ask if I can open a window (who can hold a class in a sauna?), they think I’m off my rocker. I think I’ll keep the fact that we haven’t turned on the heat at our apartment to myself.

And I'm happy to say: two papers down, one to go! I'll be rejoining the living in four days.