Frigid Winter will Get Easier
So you just got here in US. A part of US with snowy winter. A snowy winter that lasted longer than it should. Plus. You never care about weather reports since it never matters before. You ask. Why are they not displayed in Celcius. Everything in Farenheit. And in inches instead of centimeters. And miles instead of kilometers.
What should you do you ask. By the way you arrived in June.This blog post is for you. Once you read toward the end you will see. What does it take to survive first winter. Go grab a bottle of Fanta before continue. Open and drink it. Trust me. It had helped me.
Find out from locals how cold the winter can be.
Locals means somebody living there for at least 20 years. That way you got a sample of at least 20 winters. It might involve blizzard. Super fun if you don’t need to go anywhere. Super not fun if you have to shovel piles of snow.
Find the equivalent of that number in Celcius.
They or we (I’m local too, obviously) use Farenheit for everything. Check the cookbooks. Check the fridge. Check the car (when it’s on). Check anything you can think of which in using it you need to care about temperature. There.
Take a sip. It is crazy isn’t it?
You can’t find Fanta? I figured. It is sold in other part of US though. US is a big country. Next choice is soda with sugar. Take more sip. Probably what you’re having now is sweetened with corn syrup. It’s ok. Now you know corn syrup is a common sweetener. It’s everywhere. Cane sugar is expensive here.
Find a place (or places) to get winter coats and plan to go there.
Try Target. Macy. Or other big clothing stores. I would not advice doing this online. Down coat is a good choice. Wool is a good material.
Find 2 of each of these: Coat, mittens/gloves, hat, boots.
Find coat covering as far as your knees. Down coat is a plus. Mittens will divide your fingers into two: Thumb and the rest. Gloves will make your fingers looks more identifiable. Fitting well is important.
Find hats that can cover your ears. A hat with pom pom like on the top is also nice. Boots with good soles. You will need it when you walk outside. Ice is slippery to walk on. Also boots going up to your knee if possible. You might need to shovel snow too when the time comes.
One for not so cold and one for very cold.
Very cold is when there is a strong recommendation to cover any skin surface from cold exposure. Not so cold is when there is no such strong recommendation.
Celcius vs Farenheit
Keep in mind about these numbers next to your knowledge you got from home:
Normal body temperature
What 100 Farenheit means
A temperature you’re comfortable with
Fridge and freezer temperatures
There is hope. You will get used to it. It took 10 years for me to juggle different measurement systems and not losing my mind. Maybe you will bookmark this blog or make a note of my emails to write me about you having fun snow shoeing, making snow creatures, ice skating, skiing or other fun outdoor things you enjoy in winter.
I hope this helps. Feel free to share this to other people struggling with similar issues.