Friday, October 09, 2009

Weather I like it or not

After 12th standard in school, I went around announcing to friends and relatives that I would be going to Singapore for undergrad studies. Those who knew a thing or two about Singapore gave me a pat on the back and wished me good luck. While all the rest who didn't know much about Singapore's location on the globe assumed that since I am going to "foreign", I am going to need winter clothes!

After I reached Singapore, the only thing that seemed "foreign" to me was the well ordered traffic and the manicured lawns of my campus. Otherwise it just didn't feel like being in a different country. And apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt that way! Loads of us had come to associate being outside India with a nice, chilly weather, perhaps a bit of snow every now and then, but not heat, humidity and thunderstorms! Clueless and I often used to comment on the waste that it was being in "foreign" country which didn't even have seasons!

After undergrad, when I decided I would pursue my Ph.D in Dallas, everybody couldn't help but to comment on how unlucky I was. I also felt the same. For pete's sake, I was going to the US of A!!! And I end up in one of the warmest and driest cities of the country! It snows once a year but the snow is gone before you know it (so I have heard). Poor MG! Going to a foreign country that's warm. How nice.

Coming to the US has been quite a roller coaster ride for me. I have had to get used to many things. Much to the amusement of the people around me, I have developed a habit of diving for my phone to get the units converter. Pounds to kilos, Fahrenheit to Celsius, mph to kmph... you get the point.

Today was kinda chilly. Actually, it was extremely chilly (for somebody who has lived in a tropical, coastal climate for all her life). Everybody here has their ears tuned to the weather channel, so have I. And as usual, I reached for my phone... once again (damn! when am I going to get used to conversions?!).

Predicted temperature for tonight in Dallas - 47 degrees Farenheit.

That's friggin' 8.3 degrees Celsius!!!

Being in "foreign" has finally caught up with me! I need to go shopping for winter clothes. For the first time in my life!

Icing on the cake? I miss warm weather already! :P

4 comments:

soleil said...

Enjoy shopping GG! :D

doublehead said...

The first snow fall is the most exciting experience one can have in life (along the lines of first CRUSH, first LOVE :) ). Having lived all my life in Southern India, when I landed in Canada for the first time in 1982 I was very excited and eagerly waited for the first snow fall. First two winters came and went, I could witness only some frost on the roof tops, no snow on the ground. I was so impatient and disappointed. When the third winter came along, my Lord, the weather took a revenge by dumping several meters of snow!! First it was so much fun to see everything turn "WHITE" overnight. Going for a walk during a snow fall is most memorable experience. Then after few days it was hell walking on slush and snow, especially when one did not have a snow boot.

Enjoy the weather in the "BIG STATE", may the weather Lord bless you with lots of snow!!!! in the first year.

Secret Commenter said...

*Everyone* is weather mad really? And diving for the phone? Hmm

Anusha said...

I'm still amused at the fact that we are programmed to think that "foreign" = snowy, chilly weather! How village-y of us. ;)

I've decided that whenever I do come to visit you, I'm going to come in December so I can experience the winter!