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Thermal shock—it’s a part of culture shock!
When you arrive in a new country, everything is different—different language, different culture, different dress style, different food, different music, different lifestyle, different school system, different climate . . .
Our family is once again finding ourselves in thermal shock.
A few years ago, we moved from southwestern France to Pennsylvania, USA. In our region of France, we enjoyed a pleasant, temperate climate with sunny days and mild weather. We would occasionally have a dusting of snow in the winter—paralyzing the city completely—but it was rare.
We arrived in bitter cold, snowy Pennsylvania. Entering a “hibernating culture,” we were forced to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Our family was in thermal shock!
Thermal Shock Again!
Today, we find ourselves in the center of Spain, and it is blazing hot! We arrived in the middle of a major heat wave—temps hitting 41 degrees Celsius and beyond (104 degrees Farenheit)—and no air-conditioning. We may eventually see a dusting of snow coming down from the mountains during the winter months, but that type of cold seems quite faraway right now.
Our bodies are in turmoil as they radically adjust to increased temperatures.
This kind of heat affects every part of our being—physically, emotionally, mentally. We find ourselves cranky, irritable, and uncomfortable as our bodies sweat profusely. We live all day in a dark “cave,” with the windows and shutters closed tightly. The only relief is a cold shower before plopping yourself down in front of a roaring fan. Relief lasts momentarily.
We are in thermal shock—a part of culture shock!
Hotter Than North Africa!
We have lived in North Africa before—the beautiful land of Morocco. It was definitely hot there!
The difference is that we lived in a coastal town where there was always an ocean breeze. It was often a “warm” ocean breeze, but there was almost always some air movement. We could open up our doors and windows and create a nice cross breeze—often resulting in slamming doors throughout the house.
The refreshing ocean waters also invited us—just 100 meters from our front door. We could quickly and easily find relief from the heat!
Many of the homes also had marble interiors which were designed to keep the houses cool. Air conditioners were rare and luxurious—usually only found in fancy hotels and restaurants. In any case, we never discussed needing one during our years in North Africa.
While living in Morocco, I don’t recall complaining about the heat like we have been here in Spain during these “days of firsts.”
Perhaps our bodies acclimated to the heat after some time. It seems that they did. Ever since living in dry, hot North Africa, every place we go feels cold in comparison.
Well, every place except the middle of Spain.
There is very little breeze throughout the house, and there is certainly no ocean breeze. We are landlocked in hot, dry, arid Spain.
Imagine living in Arizona with no air-conditioning. That’s what it’s like!
Call Us Wimps!
After several nights of losing sleep, tossing and turning in a pool of sweat, with no relief from the distant ceiling fan . . . we broke down.
Yes, you can call us “wimps.” We don’t care.
We drove to the nearest hardware store and found the cheapest, mobile air conditioning units we could find for each of the bedrooms. If we could cool down the rooms at night—enough to sleep well—it could change everything.
We have concluded that air conditioning is well worth every centimo! Air conditioning in Spain is no luxury. In our opinion, it is a necessity!
We have now discovered relief at night, and we are now in the process of finding a solution for relief during the heat of day.
A swimming pool!
The liner is laid, the frame is going up, and we are nearing the point of “filling” the bright blue rectangle.
Pierre—and the rest of us—can’t wait to dive into the cool, refreshing water.
Thermal shock—it’s definitely a part of culture shock.
Does buying air conditioners and putting up a swimming pool count as cultural adaptation. 🙂 In my opinion—YES!
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Have you ever traveled or moved to a new country and entered “thermal shock”? Did you have to adjust to an extremely different climate? How did you do it? How long did it take you to adapt?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
