Survival Skills

When I was starting to consider my post – college life- I was first considering doing the PeaceCorp. I then decided on Asia and finally Japan to teach since I wasn't sure if I was a strong enough person to survive third world country conditions. I decided Japan would still be a huge challenge and teach me a lot while having all the luxuries that I do back at home.

One thing, and I write about it a lot – is how easy I had it back at home. I know that I had a privileged life back in America. So privileged that I can opt to not eat something because I don't want to. I never had to worry that there might not be food for dinner. Other things included, shelter, running water, a car, Internet, computer, phones, etc. I am still privileged here – but learning how to do other things on my own. In the past, if I needed or wanted something – but didn't know how – I could always ask someone else to help me. A lot of things here – I do ask for help with – but other things I am learning to do for the first time.

One thing that I took for granted at home was heat. There is only one part of Japan that has central heat in their houses. That part is on the same latitude line as New York. My prefecture is equivalent to Washington DC. Meaning – it's not as cold as New York but still not exactly warm in the winter. It has snowed, there is frost on my car windows in the morning, and I wouldn't consider leaving home without my Columbia jacket. However, I do not have heat. As a result, I have to really live a new lifestyle.

At Plattsburgh, the dorms were so hot – I could walk around naked and still sweat. Now, to sit in my house, I am wearing fleece pants, a thermal, a t shirt, and a sweatshirt. I have on socks and slippers and often wear outside hats inside. I sleep in all that – and my sleeping bag that is good to 30 degrees. On top of my bag and me is a down comforter and two more blankets. I also received an electric blanket for Christmas from my adult conversation class.

I set my alarm for 6am so I can turn my space heater on atleast an hour before I have to get out of bed. My space heater only heats one room – the room I have been living out of. If it is below freezing – my room still isn't warm even after an hour of the space heater being on. If it's a bit warmer of a day – the heater does it's job by helping me get out of bed. Usually, the night before I place my space halogen heater into my shower area. After crawling out of bed – I run to the shower area – where I turn on my shower to heat up the shower room for 5 minutes before getting in. I place the clothes I will be wearing after the shower in front of my halogen heater. I shower – usually really cold – even after the hot water has heated up the shower room for 5 minutes. I count to 5 and then force myself to turn the hot water off, and step out of the tub. My bathroom floor is tile – so I bought these rubber squares at a dollar store that allow me to walk on a non freezing tile floor to the small room with my halogen heater warming up my clothes. I quickly change and start drying my hair. After, my hair is dry – I am usually quite warm. However, it is right at that point that I have to walk into my cold kitchen. I carry my halogen heater with me – placing it directly to the side of me. I make either tea or coffee to keep me warm during breakfast. While eating, the side that the heater is on me is very warm and the other side is freezing. Sometimes, I see my breathe when eating breakfast.

After breakfast, I have to walk around my freezing house gathering stuff I will need for the rest of the day. It is usually at this point, that I leave my house and walk outside and realize it's warmer outside than it is inside my house.

Since it gets below freezing at night – I have to take preventive measures to make sure stuff doesn't freeze on me. My contacts and solution, toothpaste, shower gel, olive oil, and anything else that may freeze go into my refrigerator since it is warmer in my fridge than in my house. Additionally, when I cook something in the morning for lunch or make dinner, I don't even bother putting it into my fridge because just leaving it out in my kitchen – will be cold enough. I don't have to dirty Tupperware that way. Last week, after breakfast, I forgot to put away my milk. I didn't throw the milk away because it was cold that day.

There is no insulation in these houses. Additionally, if you recall the tour of my house – you will remember that the entire side of my house is all glass windows. 4 sliding glass doors all on one side of my house. That used to give me an awesome summer breeze; now it steals all the heat out of my room that is being heated by a space heater. I have purchased a lot of bubble wrap and spent an afternoon bubble wrapping my windows. It didn't make much of a difference and it eventually fell down. I haven't bothered to hang it back up since I didn't feel much of a difference. I have really confined myself to my living room. I close all the doors that go to the other parts of my house. I only quickly go into my bedroom to get clothes and other things. My study – i always quickly run in and out to gather materials I need for teaching. But – for the most part – I am live in my living room and spend time in my kitchen. It's like I am camping – every day of my life.

It's not just my house that doesn't have heat – but not many buildings are actually heated. My school – for example, has heat in the classrooms – but not in the hallways. And – sometimes, the classrooms are really cold. The gym where I work out at – does not have heat. I am usually fine because I am running – but after getting sweaty and then trying to do things like sit ups and free weights – I am freezing. The locker room of the gym has no heat – so I am always freezing while changing. You get the idea.

I am told it gets more cold than it is now – that soon, I will have to leave my water running a bit to prevent my pipes from freezing and bursting. I am okay – living out of one room – my electric bill tripled this month so I'm not freezing myself. It's been fine, not exactly comfortable – but I do welcome a challenge to my life. With each new thing here that is more of a challenge than that I had at home – only makes me a more resilient and strong woman. No heat in a freezing winter is the name of the game.