It's c-c-c-c-cold!

So, I live in sunny Guizhou province. It's a beautiful, temperate, sub-tropical environment. Or not. It's really cold here. Right now it 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I know it's not as cold as Russia (27 degrees) or even Western NY (16 degrees), but it's still cold!

See, there's no central heating in China south of the Yangtze River - that's me! Most people use coal to warm stoves. But that's messy and a little dangerous. So I use electric heaters, which are dangerous in their own right. Running too many electrical appliances runs the risk of burning wires.

Burning wires vs. Burning coal and smoke - what a choice! I just keep an eye on things and don't run more than two heaters at a time. Also, I have smoke alarms.

The students don't even have heat in their dorms. They rely on body heat to keep themselves warm - ten students share a room.

There is no heat in the classroom buildings. Everyone wears their coats during class. In fact, it's rude and a little scandalous to take off your coat during class (as I discovered last week!).

I bought a heater Tuesday that blows hot air. It's mounted on my wall and keeps my living room pretty warm. Think of it as a huge blow-dryer, but quieter.

I close all the doors in my apartment, and just heat the living room. I have taped all the windows shut with packing tape. Believe it or not, it makes it warmer! I don't even go into the study anymore - I moved the computer to the living room. My bedroom is cold, but I move a heater into it when I go to bed at night, and I have an electric blanket. My kitchen is cold until I start cooking, then it heats up some. But my back hallway is freezing! It is all windows and when I do the dishes I can see my own breath! Brrrr!! Thankfully I have a heat lamp in my bathroom for when I take showers. It doesn't make it *warm* but it keeps it from being too cold.

I'm sure I'll survive the winter, but I was not in for this shock! I wear long underwear every day. And in one month I'm going on vacation to Cambodia and Laos. It should be warm there!!