Baby its cold outside....

Tights, long johns, more tights, a pair of jeans, three pairs of socks, sneakers. Long johns, two sweaters, a small jacket under a big jacket. A hat, a scarf, and fingerless gloves that, in the classroom double as an eraser. Its winter in Wuhan. Most places here, including our classrooms, are not heated. With drafty windows and a constant flow of teachers and students in and out all day, the heater in the English office doesn't always cut it either. These days, I look more like Randy from A Christmas Story than I do a teacher.

On several occasions, the school has lost power. Its happened on at least five or six separate days. And I'm guessing it happens on a semi-regular basis....or at least often enough for them to have a metal bell hanging from a tree. Before the end and beginning of each class the gate guard walks to the bell and hits it with a mini sledge hammer to remind us to switch periods. On these days I've realized how precious the little heat we have in our office really is. So this is what it must feel like to work outside.