An excellent phenomenon starts going on about this time of year. The weather feels like spring, the sun is out, the birds are chirping, and we, thrilled at signs of Spring, put on shorts and t-shirts in celebration of this long overdue temperature change.
But... looking around, no one else is dressed like us. They're all wearing pants, many are still wearing winter jackets, the babies are bundled to the MAX, and yesterday, I even saw a woman wearing pants that were puffy and thick like a snowsuit! Really? (I mean, this crazy, too-many-clothes thing is not going down inside climate controlled homes; no, everyone is walking around under the furiously shining sun.)
Well, I think people here are even more amazed at our lack of clothes than we are at the excess of theirs. More people than usual (which is quite a lot) stop to stare at our partially bare arms and legs. Then you hear them talking about us, "很健康” which means "So healthy!"
Yes, if you wear less than, oh, I'd say two or three layers of clothing this time of year, you could very well be marveled at. I often walk into class and remove my coat only to be greeted with a collective gasp of "ooooh!" and "eh-sku-sah-me, are you cold?" When I smile and respond, "No, not at all," there are always several who sigh in admiration, "Oh, you are so healssy!"
And now, the featured photos for this entry. Number one is a picture of Austin with some people we visited recently. You'll note the contrast in wardrobe:
But... looking around, no one else is dressed like us. They're all wearing pants, many are still wearing winter jackets, the babies are bundled to the MAX, and yesterday, I even saw a woman wearing pants that were puffy and thick like a snowsuit! Really? (I mean, this crazy, too-many-clothes thing is not going down inside climate controlled homes; no, everyone is walking around under the furiously shining sun.)
Well, I think people here are even more amazed at our lack of clothes than we are at the excess of theirs. More people than usual (which is quite a lot) stop to stare at our partially bare arms and legs. Then you hear them talking about us, "很健康” which means "So healthy!"
Yes, if you wear less than, oh, I'd say two or three layers of clothing this time of year, you could very well be marveled at. I often walk into class and remove my coat only to be greeted with a collective gasp of "ooooh!" and "eh-sku-sah-me, are you cold?" When I smile and respond, "No, not at all," there are always several who sigh in admiration, "Oh, you are so healssy!"
And now, the featured photos for this entry. Number one is a picture of Austin with some people we visited recently. You'll note the contrast in wardrobe:
And the second picture. This is what an infant or toddler looks like from winter all the way into the spring season. These kids are bundled up!
