Living in a desert country, where mid-day temperatures in September would reach close to 50 degrees Celsius, was not something easy to adjust to. There would be days after walking home from school, (which is only a 10 minute walk) with the sun bearing down on me, and not a speck of shade anywhere insight to run for cover; where I would have to check to see if my shoes had A) Burst into Flame B) Melted, or C) Reached their Boiling Point. I mean how else can one explain that kind of heat. Some of you who may think this would be a welcome change to the cold weather now back home; I assure you, that kind of heat is not pleasant.
The most disheartening thing is I seem to be the only one suffering. Others seem to be okay in the blaring rays of the sun; as I hug the concrete school walls outside during recess duty, in an attempt to get under what little shade exists. But this has now changed, with the coming of the ‘winter’ months, and I use the word ‘winter’ loosely here, the temperatures have finally begun to cool down.
On one beautifully cool morning in December, I walked to school in a short sleeve dress shirt to delight in the 17-degree weather we were experiencing that morning. Once I arrived at school I had to catch my jaw from hitting the floor, to my astonishment everybody was wearing their full winter entire; jackets, gloves, hats and scarves. There I was in short sleeves, while others were rubbing their hands together and stamping their feet in an attempt to get warm. I couldn’t comprehend what I was witnessing… How Can 17 Degrees Celsius be Cold!?
Everybody else thought I was crazy coming to school in short sleeves on such a cold morning; that’s adaptation for you! The scorching 50 degrees Celsius weather will return shortly and I don’t even want think about it. But until then, I will relish in the beautiful cool weather we are having.
Bryan The Camel says…
Where’s my parka?!?!
who is bryan anyways? and why bryan? why not stephen, ahmed, or suhail?
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