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It’s hot here in Spain today. It’s actually been hot here for the past month, with little relief. As I sit inside my dark house this afternoon, trying to keep it cool, I remembered the story I wrote two years ago.
Unfortunately, nothing has changed. Sadly, people are still dying from the heatwave blazing across Europe this summer, causing wildfires and other heat-related illness. On July 14, 2022, it reached 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Pinhão, Portugal. Across Europe, nearly 12,000 people have died from heat stroke during these past months. (Wikipedia)
July 27, 2020
Today, I’m sitting in my house in Spain. It’s predicted to be 42 degrees Celsius today at the peak hour. That’s 107.6 degrees Farenheit! If you live in Arizona, that might not sound like a big deal. However, imagine living in Arizona without central AC!
Our entire family has gathered in the living room. It’s dark. All the shutters are closed. The windows are closed. The fans are blowing loudly.
We are living in a cave—once again.
We have a pool outside. It feels like a jacuzzi—not exactly refreshing.
Today, I sit once again and ponder. You may wonder too . . . what it is like to live in Europe, in the blazing heat, without central air conditioning?
Miserable . . . just like last summer in France, just like this year in Spain.
Here’s the story of my experience in France last year. It sounds oh so familiar today!
July 1, 2019
What do you do when it’s 45.9 degrees C (114.6 degrees F) outside—with a heat index of 48 degrees C (118 degrees F)—and you don’t have air conditioning?
You have no choice. Just like everyone else in France, we are all going into “cave mode.”
“Cave mode” is when you are obliged to keep all of your exterior window shutters closed from sun up to sun down.
Close It Up!
On hot days, Vincent’s mother would always open the windows early in the morning to let the cool night air inside the house. However, by 10 a.m., everything would be closed up—and dark.
The house becomes a “cave,” as you attempt to protect yourself and to prevent the heat from penetrating your living environment.
If you are one who needs light in their home, or if you are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency, “cave mode” is extremely difficult. The house—the rooms—are dark and uninviting.
However, at the end of the day, when you can finally open those window shutters to invite the cooler evening air inside . . . you will be glad that you sat in the dark all day. It will be well worth it.
Crawling Out of Your Cave
When evening comes, you can finally crawl out of your cave.
According to the Washington Post, Europe’s recent heatwave, or canicule as we say in French, hit a record high. Temperatures have been 20 to 30 degrees higher than normal for this time of year. It has been dangerously hot!
We heard on the news that a carpenter working on a roof had collapsed dead from the heat. On Saturday, our friend returned from a bike race that had to be cancelled due to a cyclist falling over dead. Another cyclist in another region of France also collapsed and died that same day.
Heat takes a real toll on one’s body, and some people cannot handle it. According to Boroondara, here are some signs of heat stroke and how to avoid it.
The 2003 National Crisis
In 2003’s record-breaking heatwave in France, there were 14,802 heat-related deaths. Some elderly who were isolated and living alone were discovered dead in their homes months later. No one was in contact with them. These older men and woman had died of heat in their very own houses and apartments.
Everywhere, during the past few days, signs warned us to stay in our homes—especially young children and the elderly. They encouraged us to drink lots of water and to avoid going outside during the peak hours of the day.
However, even inside our homes, it was hot . . . because most homes in Europe don’t have air conditioning.
How is that Possible?!
This may be shocking, but it is true! Watch this video to learn more.
“Until now, fewer than 5 percent of all European households have been air-conditioned, compared with 90 percent in the United States. But Europe’s air-conditioner stock is estimated to roughly double within the next two decades, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), as record heat becomes more frequent and prolonged because of climate change.”
Washington Post
It is predicted that the European Union’s stock of air conditioners will more than double in the next 30 years.
Until that day, however, we will close our window shutters, turn on fans, take cold showers, and go into “cave mode”!
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Do you have air conditioning in your home—in your part of the world? If not, what do you do to stay cool on hot summer days and nights?
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.
I’m in cave mode this week too! Not quite as hot where you are, only getting up to 103 by the end of the week. My poor cat has been laying as flat as a pancake on the floor to stay as cool as possible.