We were talking with my parents on webcam yesterday, and my dad laughed at something I said: "It's getting hot here. Last week we broke 100 degrees. I think we'll be turning our AC on soon." He said, "It broke 100 degrees and you still haven't turned on your AC?!" I know it sounds crazy, but so far, we haven't gotten hot enough to turn it on. I think some of the reasons are that our flat is nice and cool. The houses here are designed to keep relatively cool during the (early) dry hot season. The ceiling fans are impressive! I always cringe when designers on home improvement shows look at a room and say, "Okay the ceiling fan is the first thing to go." Fans can go a long way (well...to a point) for cooling the room, and thus conserving energy used on air conditioners.
Also, dry heat is a lot different than humid heat. (That's not to say that 115 degrees in dry season isn't hot - because it is!) And finally, I think you get used to the heat. It is rare to find central air conditioning here, even in shops or malls. So unless you stand directly under the wall unit AC, the room is still pretty warm. Not to mention that auto rickshaws don't have air conditioners, and car AC's don't really help out so much in 115 degree weather anyway. And then add in the near daily power outages where you go about an hour without electricity, the heat just becomes a way of life.
Last week, we went on one of our evening walks. The weather was probably around 90 degrees, if I had to guess. (it could have been warmer - like I said, you get used to it, so I am not a good gauge at all!) We had baby in just a onesie, and we saw our neighbor walking. He stopped us and told us we should put socks on her so her feet wouldn't get cold! And as I type, I just returned from taking a mid-day grocery shopping trip with baby; it's 99 degrees outside. A man stopped me and said, "Madame, you need to cover the baby's head so she won't be cold." So although it sure feels like summer outside, I guess it's still not considered hot yet to many of fellow capital city dwellers.
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4 comments:
haha! yeah, we've had some of those lectures too :) haha! I think it was 103 yesterday :) We're sleeping with our AC though... I can't stand to sweat when I sleep :) I think i'm just hotter when I sleep b/c during the day I'm totally fine ;)
ANYWAY :) haha!
Wow! I wish we could say that. I guess you could say I have gotten used to the cold. We had about 2 weeks of temps in the 60's-70's. I thought it was amazing. I went running every day in short and a tshirt and had little babushkas yelling at me. It was so funny. I was wearing dresses and long shorts to work and everyone was asking if I was cold! They were still in fur coats. Those crazy Russians! But this week its in the 40's and raining so I would rather have your temps! I can't wait to go home for a warm summer!
Wow, I can't imagine not turning my air for 100 degree temps. Just think of the money you'll save when you're home and never have to use your a/c. Oh, except when I come over!
Oh. My. Gosh.
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