First, imagine that you live in a house made of cement bricks. Now imagine that somewhere in the house there are gaps where there is direct contact with outside air (i.e. a gap between the walls and the roof or a HUGE space between the door and the floor where air and dust creep in.
Now imagine that it's....oooooh between 38-41 degrees fahrenheit. (When I originally looked up the temp is said 55 but I'm pretty sure the ground and plants don't freeze at 55 degrees fahrenheit....I'm just sayin)
Now let's add the most important detail of all-there is no central heating (or heating of any sort for that matter) and NO insulation.
Let's recap:
Cement block walls + gaps where outside air can seep (or flow) in + no central heating.
What does that translate to?
Looking like this INSIDE the house between the hours of 4pm to 10am.
I'm talking a heavy jacket, long-underwear, long socks, a hat and a scarf.
And of course less time spent here... 
showering.
Yep you heard right. Sometimes I won't shower aaaaaaall week.
Now you might think that's appalling. Under normal circumstances, I would tend to agree. BUT when it's so cold that you can't possibly sweat and you refuse to work out both because you're almost at 8,000 feet (aka the air is too thin to inhale once walking velocity has reached faster than a stroll) and because Guatemala is extremely-extremely mountainous (where 80% of the time you honestly do walk uphill both ways)...are my failure to exercise excuses sounding valid? In any case, the main point is that the reasons for showering have also declined.
There. My secret's out. I don't shower in the winter.
But think it through. Most of you have no idea what it's like to actually live in a cement building with cement floors and gaps in the walls. Now picture trying to strip down like your clothes are infested with fireants and jump into your cement shower before the freezing air can touch your ashy skin (again a product of the intense, indoor cold).
Trying not to convulse too violently, (lest you chip a beautiful tooth) you soap down. Finally the bathroom is heating up to a bearable temperature but you're already thinking about how you dread shutting off the hot water.
Although you know that running the shower directly affects your electricity bill, you say "screw it, it's too cold to get out" and bask in the warmness/continue to worry about how your this will aversly affect your electricity bill. BUT you remember that this is your first shower all week and it's Thursday and take those few extra minutes to enjoy those minutes of bearable temperature that you so desperately need.
The "fireants in your clothes" speed returns for steps 1-3 (dry off, put on lotion, put on clothes) and finally you're back to the status quo-two jackets, scarf, hat and visible breathe.
Aaaaaaah winter in Guatemala : )
I completely understand...it´s the same here. I shower every other day however because sometimes we get some sun and during those few hours I hurry up and shower! :) Hope you´re enjoying the holidays!
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm about to be a PCV in Guatemala and packing right now. This may be a stupid question after your frigid post, but do you think I should bring a down winter jacket? None of the packing lists suggest such a heavy coat but it sounds like it may be useful. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHey,
ReplyDeleteI'm a PCV out here close to Yuna. It's a personal choice and I think depends on your cold tolerance, but if you have a down winter jacket or even vest, I'd say bring it. Down is good warmth for the size it packs down to and can be used at moderate temperatures, too, without being too heavy. It'll be cold at night in the first month or two of training - although where Yuna and I live is colder, the temperature can drop at night out near Antigua, too, and it seems to be an unusually cold winter. And if you end up in a site near Yuna and I - or colder - a good part of the year you won't regret having brought it.
That said don't go out of your way to buy one in the US if you don't already have one - odds are better you'll be in a temperate or cold site, but you may end up in a warm site and use it only a few times, meanwhile if you're in a really cold site you can get those sorts of coats in the paca (used clothes market) fairly cheap - and long underwear, a fleece or two, wool socks, gloves, and a hat are warm enough in most areas of the Highlands, most of the year.
Looking forward to meeting you!
Steph
Congrats on coming to PCGuatemala! It's a great place. I agree with Steph...vests are great BUT you can find ANYTHING and at relatively cheap prices at the PACAS (and we're NOT talking old crappy stuff with holes : ) Like she said though bring a heavy sweatshirt at least bc during training IT IS COLD!
ReplyDeleteKeeping in mind that you'll be cold at night during training and that you can find anything you need at PACA for cheap, you might also be placed on the coast where you will have absolutely NO need for jackets.
My suggestion...bring a sweatshirt and hat for training and buy what you need here when you see where you're headed!
Email me if you have more questions thammon.09@gmail.com and GET EXCITED!! Three weeks till lift off : )