Let there be some breeze

After two weeks in Coimbatore and Pondicherry, I seriously don’t have to come back to this heat. It is so annoying, I tell you. Over there in Coimbatore and Pondy, especially in Pondy, the heat wave was so bad that it literally drained me out every single day. Mr M thinks that I have got a good sheen of tan, even though I am already wheatish. Imagine that! What I think he meant was that I look roasted. I don’t care about my tan or my colour, but I definitely care for some good breeze. As long as there is some breeze I can withstand the heat. I always get grumpy when it is hot.

I am sitting in my home, with the fan switched on for almost the whole day. Right from 9 am to almost 5 pm I don’t move anywhere and even if I do I drag the fan with me. Who says climate change is a hoax. If this kind of weather is gonna be a norm in this country, there are a few things that need changing.

All the houses (and apartments) need to be fitted with ceiling fans, just like India. It should be a mandatory thing that the owners should provide the tenants. That definitely helps during the heat. Trust me, we have survived worse temperatures without an A/c but couldn’t have done that without the fan.

I know a glass of cold beer would be very good during the heat, but for people who don’t drink or can’t for that matter, options are very limited. Lemon juice with mint and ginger would be very good for the heat. I have seen people sell fresh orange juices, but this one is much cheaper, cools you down very soon and it is very healthy too.  No ice, please. That isn’t gonna help with the heat.

People might have to start thinking of conserving water or at least how to use it effectively, store the excess after rains so that the same can be used during summer. Let’s hope that we don’t get into any drought scenarios as it happened in California, USA. It is very easy to lose track of these changes that are happening slowly and steadily and then when it hits the peak, we start to panic. There was this scene in Cork, Republic of Ireland, where we were hearing about the water shortage only within two weeks of summer. Historically there hadn’t been any need for these countries to save and store water as they have excess rains and such. But when these kinds of drastic climate changes happen, then everything becomes a chaos. Let us hope that we plan well ahead.

I seriously hope there is some respite in the near future to this heat and dry weather.

 

 

Wow!

One whole year of teaching completed successfully and by the look of things that happened on the last day of school, I think I did a pretty decent job. To top it all, I haven’t had a single day off. Granted I got enough holidays during half terms and term breaks but even when I was sick with cold, flu, acute sinus and other such common ailments, I managed to go and teach. I didn’t feel like sitting at home and nursing myself back to health.

I loved going to work and enjoyed all the chaos and confusions and the frustrations that came along with it. Some kids made it worth the while and that is all that mattered. I wasn’t there to change the life of those kids, neither was I there to ensure that they are well equipped to take over the ever-digitizing world, all I wanted to ensure was they know the myths and the facts of the world of computer science and make the decisions for themselves.

Given the range of “Thank You” cards (and loads of chocolate), I have received I guess I did make a teeny tiny impact 😉 My trick of playing some annoying subject related rap-songs (especially in Maths) might have something to do with it too 😀 It felt so good to hear from those leaving the school to pursue their education elsewhere that they were going to miss my lessons and miss arguing with me about the various technologies. Even though I wasn’t there to witness it, I was told that some of those kids thanked me during their graduation ceremony. It was so sweet of them. In return, I learnt the “floss dance” and did it along with them on the last day 😉

All in all, it was a very well spent and very satisfying year. I hope this continues for as long as I am teaching and I plan on teaching for a long time. 

Some respite…

Finally, after almost a week of gruelling heat (close to 33 degrees for 5 days continuously), there was some wind today. Every single person I have met so far did not fail to tell me how they absolutely loved the Sun and the weather. When I tell them that I haven’t and how I wish that it wasn’t so hot, they are surprised. Surprised that coming from a tropical place I find the heat unwelcoming. The summer heat here is different to the summer heat in India. I feel like I am much closer to the Sun here in this part of the world when compared to the Asian peninsula. I have never liked the summer heat anywhere. In India, I used to have fans in all the rooms and they used to be switched on non-stop. There aren’t any fans here. We got one for our flat, but there isn’t any in the school and it isn’t air conditioned. The staff room was like a furnace this week. Being on the top floor did not do us any favour. Wasn’t I glad to see some clouds and the wind along with some warmth today. I don’t mind the Sun, as long as it comes with some wind. People keep telling me that I should enjoy the Sun in this country when it is out and about since it is quite rare. But I have been here almost 6 months and I am kind of OK with the weather. Makes for a nice change with the slight chill in the air all the time when compared to the Bangalore weather. It does hurt my sinus sometimes but with the heat comes the hay fever and that doesn’t help me either. Someone said that the winter is better because you can add layers of clothes to feel warm. In the case of summer, you can only not wear so many clothes. You would end up still feeling all hot, humid and irritated. I totally agree. Hopefully, the rain that is predicted for the weekend will cool down the temperatures a bit.

K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge: Three faces of summer

“Indian summer.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer.
School’s out for summer.
As hot as hell.

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.
The English summer: three fine days and a thunderstorm.

The silly season.”

• Cliches

Let’s add long days and very short short nights too… 😏

Wanna join in? Here is how:

Create a post with ‘K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge’ in the title. This week, the prompt is : Three faces of Summer. Post a photo to your blog, pingback to either Dale’s or K’lee’s post and don’t forget to add the tag #CosPhoChal to your post’s tags and you’re done!

I am a tourist.

The theme for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday is ‘Summer’. Summer is almost over for us Indians. The peak of it is in May and the only thing that I associate with summer is ‘vacation‘. For 4 years, I have managed to go somewhere for my two week vacation and enjoy myself. I hope it continues going forward. My song for this week is something related to vacation. It is called ‘You are a Tourist’ by Death Cab for Cutie. This is another song that I got from my friend’s (alternative songs) playlist. It is a very simple one, but tells you how a lot of us feel from time to time, the feeling to just get away even if it is for a short while.

Lyrics from MetroLyrics

This fire grows higher
This fire grows higher
This fire grows higher
This fire grows higher

When there’s a burning in your heart
An endless yearning in your heart
Build it bigger than the sun
Let it grow, let it grow
When there’s a burning in your heart
Don’t be alarmed

This fire grows higher

When there’s a doubt within your mind
Because you’re thinking all the time
Framing rights into wrongs
Move along, move along
When there’s a doubt within your mind

When there’s a burning in your heart
And you think it’ll burst apart
Oh there’s nothing to fear
Save the tears, save the tears
When there’s a burning in your heart

And if you feel just like a tourist
In the city you were born
Then it’s time to go
And define your destination
There’s so many different places to call home
Cause when you find yourself the villain
In the story you have written
It’s plain to see
That sometimes the best intentions
Are in need of redemption
Would you agree?
If so please show me

This fire grows higher
When there’s a burning in your heart

Posting it for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday.