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Hello! I'm editing this post
in front the fan.
During my yearlong sojourn in Neiva (I've always wanted to write that),
I used to complain about the sweltering heat, a lot. And, like most foreigners
faced with a less than ideal situation, I compared my host country to my
homeland. I swore up and down that Trinidad was never this hot, and that the
breeze usually quelled the heat. Most times, I would end up giving a monologue
about, "The Perks of Living on an Island".
Over the past few weeks, except during those rare occasions of
torrential rainfall, I've come to the conclusion that I treated Neiva unfairly.
I was wrong, and I'm sorry! You see, I've been experiencing a level of heat
(not sexual) that is on par with (does this make my apology moot?), and
sometimes, surpasses (better?) that of Neiva, and lies somewhere between the
temperature on the sun’s surface and the deepest pits of Hell. The intensity of
the sun’s rays coupled with the absence of clouds in the sky has been an
inconvenience, making my existence an uncomfortable one. Before you think me dramatic,
allow me to explain.
I went to school and actually paid attention to my Integrated Science
teacher, so I’m aware of the importance of sweating. Quite frankly, I could
care less about regulating my body temperature when there are rivulets of sweat,
cascading from my hairline down the side of my face; or when I have pit stains,
and feel sweat on my butt after sitting for five minutes. I go through all this
and more whenever I leave my humble abode, which is annoying. I have to wipe my
face at regular intervals. I feel uncomfortable talking to people when I look
like a fried bake. I’m afraid to raise my hands, pass a certain point, to wave
to people; I end up doing that awkward and ridiculous "throw your head
back in greeting" thing. So stupid!
Between the hours of 9 AM and
2 PM, my fan is rendered useless as it recycles the hot air. This doesn't bode
well for me for a number of reasons. Firstly, I’m fascinated by the art of
sleeping, and I enjoy perfecting my skill. It’s quite difficult to do so when
the fan doesn't keep you cool. Have you ever had sweat behind your knees and/or
neck? Trust me (because I'm an authority on sleeping), it can make sleeping
during the day a nightmare.
If the fan keeps recycling the hot air, one would assume that an easy
fix would be to put up the curtains and open the windows, right? Wrong! This
brings me to my second point. I enjoy having my curtains down; it gives the
room a nice cozy feeling, makes me feel like a sexy, hibernating bear, and
keeps Ms. Murray’s wandering eye away after bath-time. I lose all these perks
when I have to put up my curtains and open the windows. And, to make matters
worse, the sun ends up coming through the open window in all its blazing glory
on my bed. Everything I've just mentioned (moves hands emphatically hysterically),
has interrupted my daytime sleeping in ways I can't even begin to enumerate.
The bane of my very existence!
Travelling has become a task in itself. Lately, I've had to either deal
with the pungent odour of perfume/cologne mingled with sweat or had to sit next
to sweaty people, who disregard the considerate notion of “personal space”. To
my chagrin, it doesn't stop there. I've become obsessed with the directionality
of the sun in relation to where I sit, when travelling. For example, I know
that, when leaving Grande before midday, I have to sit on the right-hand side
of the maxi to avoid the sun, and vice-versa. Thus, I get very upset and/or
nervous when I enter a maxi with no seats in my desired position. Sometimes, when
it becomes too much and I have time to kill, which is almost never; I wait for
the next one.
Honourable Mentions: The heat has made my skin overly sensitive, so much
so that I can’t wear certain fabrics. At home, I always want to walk around
naked, but I can’t. I've actually thought of going to the beach to escape the
heat, and I hate the beach.
So, there you have it! It’s been really hot, and I hate it.
Unfortunately, there’s not much I can do, except write a blog post, because I
live here.
Until the next post!
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