The Mechanics of Cold

"We Chileans are enchanted by states of emergency... In summer we die of the heat and in winter of the cold, but no one has air conditioning or decent heating, because that would be tantamount to admitting that the climate isn't as good as they say it is." (From "My Invented Country" by Isabel Allende)

Sweeting warned me weeks ago that he could see his breath in his apartment and apologized in advance. Frankly, I only half believed him. I had been monitoring Santiago weather for weeks and as far as I was concerned it looked to be about like San Francisco weather is right now; 60 something during the day, maybe 40 something at worst by night. Well. That has turned out to be true. But what I did not take seriously enough was the fact that INSIDE the buildings would be colder than OUTSIDE the buildings. Literally the temperature drops about 10 degrees from the time I get the first door unlocked to the time I get inside and up one flight of stairs to the apartment. After an inevitable five to ten minutes of wrestling with the three locks on the door, one of which is particularly tricky, my hands are freezing, goosebumps invade my body, and I can see my breath with every sigh of frustration at my inability to figure out something as simple as how to open a door.

Inside the apartment is no refuge. We sleep with five layers of blankets and comforters and a "hot water bottle" in the form of a nalgene that is now better used as a heat source than a water source. I realize what a gringa I am every time I turn on the water faucet to wash my face, sure I will coax hot water from the red side of the handle. Alas, for a few seconds of hot water, one must cross the apartment into the laundry room, ensure the gas switch is flipped to "on", double back into the kitchen to punch the nozzle of the beast of a contraption in until it snaps on and a few flames begin to light up in the little window, then go back to the bathroom and turn the faucet on with enough gusto to incite the hot water to flow enough to please the waiting beneficiary. Then, everything back to the off positions. How are there not more gas explosions in this country?

I am sure I sound spoiled and complaining. But actually I am more fascinated than anything else. The Chileans are all so comfortable with the process and I'm near-terrified to even flip the gas switch. As I write this now, I can see my breath in the air and know it is time to get out of bed and get outside... I'll warm up out there.