いいてんきです。
Posted on: January 29, 2009
It’s January.
In New York, January’s one of the months of cold, snow, ice, and… well, just general unhappiness with the weather.
By the way people speak about the weather in Japan, you’d think it’d be the same there. People are always going around saying, “samui desu ne?!” and other variations of the phrase, meaning, “It’s cold, isn’t it?!”
If this is “cold,” I’ll take it! The weather has been in the 40s-50s F. Cue the snickering from anyone who’s from up north. But seriously, the Japanese people talk about how cold it is with such impassioned voices all the time, you’d really think you’d entered Siberia if you didn’t know better.
I met my speaking partner yesterday, and he was all bundled up in a jacket, looking freezing when we went outside. We were walking down the street to find a place to eat, and I saw he started shivering. “Samui desu ka?” I asked him. He responded with a big, emphatic, “YES!” and asked if it was the same for me. I explained that this was not cold AT ALL, this was very nice!
Honestly, I love this kind of weather. A few days ago, a few people and I ate breakfast outside together because it was so nice out.
Let me reiterate– it’s January.
This is like… spring weather for me, and it’s coming right in the middle of winter. Sorry, Canton, but I don’t miss you one bit. 😀
There’s no snow or ice in sight here. And yet, I’ve seen people taking out those little ‘hot hands’ packets when they go outside.
Some of the international students from more southern countries, or the south US, at least, also think it’s pretty cold here.
Seriously guys, visit northern New York one day. I suggest brining along some kind of portable heater.
Samantha in Japan 
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