Paris in the Spring, Autumn in New York...

Winter in Mito...aaaah. Sure, it's frigid. Sure, when I remark that it's cold, people laugh diabolically and tell me it will only get worse. But, in the words of Monty Python, always look on the bright side of life. So here are some great things about winter in Mito:

--learning new Japanese phrases: we recently learned how to say "I can see my breath!" while standing in our friend Mariko's kitchen. Yeah, we were in her kitchen. And we can practice our newly learned Japanese phrase every morning when we're in OUR kitchen too. Because, every morning, "iki ga shiroi" (I think) in there.
--making new friends: more specifically, our neighborhood-restaurant owners. When your "iki ga shiroi" in your own kitchen, eating out sounds like a great option.
--developing "international understanding": teachers often ask me how the weather in Mito compares with the weather in Oklahoma. I tell them the weather outside is the same, but the weather indoors is very different. That leads to a discussion of central heating, why U.S. buildings and schools have it and Japanese ones don't. That, in turn, leads to a discussion of energy sources and economics. Just call us unofficial embassadors for international understanding.
--shorter showers: speaking of energy conservation...when your shower room has a hole to the outside, taking a shower is more about some fast cleaning and less about warming up. We could be helping cut down on global warming with our impressive decrease in gas consumption.
--Mark feels vindicated: several people (including me) scoffed at Mark's plans to vacuum pack our down comforter and bring it to Japan. Boy, am I glad he doesn't make a habit of taking my advice (or his mother's)! I love our down comforter.
--loving 80's fashion: and to think that I used to think that leg warmers a mere remnant of days past. Now, they're a part of my everyday wardrobe, and for once in my life, I can say that folks in the 80's were really on to something.
--cardio workout: recess is no longer a time to wander around and talk to kids. Everybody needs to keep moving to keep warm, so after a winter of playing soccer, dodgeball and jump rope, we should be in tip top shape.
--up-to-date weather information: now, I thought Oklahoma was the home of up-to-the-minute weather updates. At my school (Mark's school doesn't have this system), teachers may only turn on the room heaters when the temperature is under 10 degrees Celsius. An official reading is taken at 7:55 and posted in the teachers' room, with additional readings at 10:10 and 12:00. I have a better feel for how Celsius works now, I always know what the temp is, and I've developed an opinion on what temperature is ideal for turning on the stoves. Unfortunately, the administration and I don't see eye to eye on that one...:)
--toughening up: despite what this upbeat post might have you believe, most of the time, we hide under our warm comforter and complain about the cold. However, today, I walked in to school and was changing my shoes when a fellow teacher walked in. She said "Kelly, you must be freezing! I can't believe you ride your bike to school every day! You're tough." I don't think that's true at all, but it's the first time in my life I've been called tough. Wow.

So there you have it. You're probably all jealous now, sitting in your warm, centrally heated homes, wishing that you could experience a Mito winter. Well, feel free to come visit us and experience it...we'll let you snuggle under the covers with us, and you may learn a new Japanese phrase or two.