Wintertime in Guilin
Living in Guilin during the wintertime is no joke. While last week Guilin was sunny and refreshingly warm, this week it’s wet and bitterly cold. The temperature doesn’t usually drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but don’t let the numbers fool you – Guilin’s winter is far less tolerable than Boston’s.
If you read any number of articles online about Guilin’s weather, you’re bound to think that you’ve encountered a climatological paradise on earth. Most of the trees in Guilin don’t lose their leaves, many flowers have already begun to bloom, and the surrounding peaks are shrouded in mist. Unlike in the American Northeast, however, Guilin’s apartments simply do not have central heating. Space heaters and wall units are available, but buildings are not well-insulated. No schools, including private ones and universities, are heated. Stores and restaurants often keep their front doors open, allowing occasional gusts of wind to rip through. While in Boston the heat is set on permanent blast from November through April, in Guilin most people don’t use heat at all.
I don’t know about you, but I always thought it was hard enough paying attention at school even when my appendages were intact. Now, I’m wearing fingerless gloves and wool socks to class – not to mention a pair of leggings, jeans, a shirt, a sweatshirt, a coat, a scarf, a warm pair of boots, and occasionally, a hat. It’s a good day when my finger joints aren’t too stiff to write. On top of that, my only modes of transportation in Guilin are by foot, bike, or electric scooter, all of which directly expose me to Guilin’s best and worst weather. Not to fret, though! As the Chinese believe, living under such conditions builds strength and character, as well as health.
So while all of you are working and studying in your comfortable, well-heated offices and classrooms, I’ll be teaching and studying while wearing as much clothing as is physically possible. Lucky for me, in a few weeks Guilin should be warm again – and by warm, I mean hot, and then I’ll wish that I had better access to air conditioning!
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