No Gas

November 1-3, 2007

There are many things that I like about living in the south of Kazakstan, tons of super friendly Kazaks, fun cities, and for the most part, the weather. I say the most part, because while it does not get down to 40 below zero like it does in some parts of the North, it does get pretty cold here, given that we are on the same latitude as New York. The problem in the fall and early winter though is not so much the cold, but rather the lack of heat. Unlike Aktobe where they have had the heat going for almost three weeks already, many villages and towns in the south will not turn on the heat for another two weeks. At least in the north when it is -20 degrees outside you can escape to a house that is sixty degrees; in the south when it is 10 degrees outside, it is also 10 degrees inside. As a result I have lately taken to wearing a sweatshirt and then a Kazakhstani track-suit I recently purchased, as well as a thick pair of socks to bed, though I do have to admit that I have been sleeping better since it got colder. Sleep is not the only aspect of life that is affected by the cold however; cleanliness is also an area of concern. While it is true that I sweat less when it is cold and so do not get quite as dirty, it is correspondingly much more difficult to bathe. Sure, I can still heat up water on the stove when I want to have a little mid week rinse between monshas, but it really sucks to wash my hair when the room I am using is so cold that I might as well be outside. I might catch cold in my own room if I do not dry myself off fast enough. Still, I think that I would rather have a couple of weeks of mild discomfort, but the temperature is still above zero, than central heating in a place where it is well below zero for almost two months a year. In the meantime, I just wrap myself up, pretend I am in Hawaii, and chalk it up to part of the Peace Corps experience. After all, at least there is heat when we really do need it, which is something many people cannot say.