Is It Winter Yet?

I arrived in Russia in late summer, and was expecting a reasonably steady decline of the temperatures into winter. Actually, I was expecting the daytime temperature to plunge sometime in mid- late-November, with nights progressively getting colder. So much for expectations, here’s reality: the weather fluctuated between hot, cool, and mild until mid October. Then cool was the norm. The locals asked me if I was cold (no). I wore the lightweight jacket most of the time.
Three weeks ago, on Freedom Day (commemorating kicking the Poles out of Moscow in 1612), I stepped out the door to go to the movies, and it snowed! We got 2cm over the next 24 hours. The temperature had dropped to -2C. Kazan was white, and I appreciated the central heating and other small amenities. But it didn’t last, and the temperature rose to +5C, the snow evaporated, and we had a couple of weeks of mild weather. The locals asked me if I was cold (still no). I started wearing the heavy jacket I bought at the market.
Now, these questions as to my being cold arise from one of my (bad) habits – I’m a smoker. I smoke a pipe. As Galina doesn’t smoke, I figured it was fair and reasonable to go outside to light up. The alternative, sending her out when I smoked, just didn’t seem fair. So I lurk outside, smoke a pipe, read my book, and chat to the locals. This is what prompts the “Cold?” questions. I wear a hat, my jacket, and stand out of the weather and near a street light. Previously they asked if I had enough light (yes).
When the temperature dropped to -2C, I was about ready to give up smoking. I remembered snow, but had forgotten how arse-numbingly cold continental winters can get. And this was only (hah, only) -2C. Breathe in, nostrils freeze, breathe out, nostrils thaw, breathe in, nostrils freeze – Mission Control, we have a problem. But I must have gotten accustomed to the cold, because my fingers still worked, and my feet weren’t blocks of ice.
Following the first snow, and subsequent Eskimo summer, the temperature hovered close to, but above, freezing. My ears got used to cold. At first I wanted to charge off to the market and buy an ushanka – one of those lovely, warm sheepskin hats everybody wears in Hollywood films set in Russia. They have fold-down flaps to keep the ears warm. But then, once I leave Kazan, where and when would I wear it? We pretend Aukalofa gets winter, but really, is it THAT cold?
This week we got another dumping of snow. They’d been predicting lots for Thursday and wet snow on Friday. They were three quarter right – we got some snow Thursday, hardly worth mentioning, and then the wet stuff arrived Friday. It looked like snow, it fell like snow, it landed like rain. It was raining, I mean snowing, quite hard when I went to KGU. My hat got soaked. The ground was covered in white slush. Puddles formed. My favourite shortcut turned into a half-frozen swamp (an old house burnt down, they tore out the remains, and tracked dirt everywhere). People shuffled down the street, skidding on the white muck underfoot. I hate wet snow. I now know what galoshes are really for.
I have a new phrase I listen for on the weather forecast – mokriy sneg (мокрый снег). It translates into wet shoes, wet socks, cold feet, and grumpy Russians. But because the temperature was +3C, the snow soon melted and everything dried out, sort of. It is close to freezing, after all. But for a while the statue of young Lenin looked like it had been the target of a large flock of west-bound pigeons. Kind of appropriate, considering what he did to the country.
And then Saturday and Sunday the temperature climbed again. It hit +8C on Sunday, which is positively tropical. I wore lightweight socks, a summer shirt, and even considered putting the summer jacket back on. I began to wonder why I packed the really heavy winter socks – the ones that come up to my nads and contain half a sheep each.
But now we look like getting winter for real. The forecast for the next few days is for temperatures to drop below zero, even during the day, and more snow. Maybe I’ll wear my gloves, my scarf. The heavy jacket has an extra lining, which I’ve taken out. I’ve worn it with the lining – breathing makes me sweat.
However, the one downside (I don’t mind the cold), is that I have to wear one hell of a lot more to KGU. Once inside the door, I then strip down to my undies to climb the stairs. There are five lifts that work, and they only stop at selected floors. There are 50,000 students all pushing and shoving to get in them. As my lessons are on the 13th floor, I work up a decent thermal output by the time I arrive by foot. It’s also quicker than waiting for the lifts. But I have to carry the pack, my jacket, sweatshirt and any other clothes I’ve decided might prove useful today. Still, it warms me up.
Next post: Visas.