The weather

I don't know how else to say it other than it's cold.  Colder than anything I have ever experienced, including UGA's meat locker during Career Development Events with FFA or standing in water up to my waist at 5AM waiting for ducks to fly in on a January morning.  However, it's not cold like I would describe cold back home.  I have a new definition for the word.  Maybe a new appreciation would be more appropriate.

The lowest temperature that I've experienced here was somewhere around -30 degrees Fahrenheit.  I don't think I've experienced below zero before, let alone 30 past it.  We're talking instant ice.  When you breathe in and exhale, the water vapor from your breath freezes somewhere along your face as it rises.  I can't walk outside without getting ice in my mustache, instantly.  Instantly is probably the key word here.  It's not as if I have to go on a long walk to feel the effects, it's instant.  One of the other students had his eyelashes freeze together the other day.  That's cold.

We've run into the problem with the soles of your shoes.  Depending on the type of sole you have, the rubber freezes and therefore doesn't give you any traction when you're walking on the snow/ice.  Luckily my boots have held up to the temperatures but one of the American student's army issued boots have caused a couple of adventurous walks outside.

Today it got up to 9 degrees and I went out in the lightest clothing I have worn since I have been here.  I had on an undershirt, a 3/4 length t-shirt and my UGA zip-up fleece.  I wouldn't wear that at home if it were 40 degrees outside but I've somehow built up a tolerance (understandably temporary) and it actually felt nice outside today.  It's crazy.

Tomorrow it's supposed to get up around 30 for the high.  We'll probably be sunbathing over here in Moscow.  We're actually going on a field trip to an agricultural manufacturing facility.  From what I understand it has a little of everything.  There's a dairy, a plant nursery, etc...  I expect we'll be outside a lot so the warmer weather is welcomed.

By no means am I complaining about the weather here.  It has caused us to stay inside a few days when we would obviously prefer to get out and experience Russia but the weather in a sense is Russia.  It's an experience, and as awkward as it is to say, a welcomed one (to some extent).  I'm not complaining about the weather yet, but one thing is for certain, I will never, ever complain about the weather back home being "cold".  Stay warm!