Strategies Against Cold Rooms

By Student Services - February 10, 2011

As most people know the temperature in Kathmandu can be a bit chilly during the months of December and January. Although it is mostly warm and sunny during the day, the temperature during the night can approach the freezing point. The houses have no insulation and most of the windows are well suited for the rapid exchange of air between inside and outside.

I can say that I have been enjoying a rather cool climate in my room over the last weeks, which benefited me in many ways. Although I don’t have a fridge I was able to keep cheese and other types of perishable food without any problems at all. I furthermore found out that the mind is very clear at lower temperatures and my studies processed unusually well. Many Tibetan words that I have not managed to memorize for quite some time all of a sudden stayed in my mind as if it were too cold for them to remain outside.

Needless to say, a cold room can sometimes also be annoying. I would therefore like to share some strategies to deal with cold hours with you.

a) I always wear long thermos underwear (for which I am most grateful to my mother). It not only keeps me really warm but also dries at amazing speed after having been washed.

b) I sleep in my army sleeping bag instead of under blankets.

c) Before going to sleep I wrap a well filled rubber hot-water bottle into a pullover and put it inside the sleeping back. The bottle stays warm for 24 hours. It also keeps me warm and, as a bonus, with the bottle on my side I don’t feel lonely at all!

d) In the morning getting out of the pleasant sleeping bag is kind of a challenge, but I always put the long underwear that I am going to wear inside my sleeping bag the night before, so it is really warm when I put it on.

e) I have scheduled my first language partner class from 6-7 a.m. At that time I am still so tired that I hardly feel any cold. After that I warm myself up with a cup of ginger tea and enjoy the tender rays of the morning sun.

If you have any further useful ideas please let me know. Although it is getting rapidly warmer now, the next winter will again bring some cold weeks for sure …