The Cold Manifesto

In Okinawa, it's 20 C, or for the people in America, 68 F. People are wearing long pants, jackets, and talking about how cold it is.

Right now in Tokyo, it's about 8 C, or 46 F. People are wearing long pants, jackets, and talking about how cold it is.

Well, with both temperatures being above freezing and having a difference of about 20 degrees, I've decided that not only is Okinawa NOT cold, but neither is Tokyo. Sorry.

I think about an English teacher here who is from Alaska. She told me how at her university, the heaters would stop working at -10 F. She said it would suck cause it would be too cold to think, and you couldn't do your homework. That's cold.

So I have come up with one rule for determining if it is cold or not. If this rule does not apply, you are not allow to say it is cold. The rule is: the temperature has to be at or below freezing.

Just because the sun is behind a cloud doesn't mean it's cold...Okinawa people.

My Okinawan kids know this. They know the words hot, warm, cool, and cold. But they are most familiar with hot and cold. Everyday I ask, "How is the weather?" Everyday (even this month), they responded, "It's hot!". And they're saying this while wearing Florida winter clothes: jacket, shorts, and sandals.

Just because you want to wear a jacket doesn't mean it's cold...Tokyo people.

If it's COOL enough to wear a jacket, but I'm sweating after walking a block, then it's not cold. And what's with blasting the heater on the trains and in the stores? People are coming from outside wearing jackets, hats, and gloves, and then they end up sweating like a pig after standing inside for 5 minutes.

Cold weather was last night when it was -3 C and raining. When I couldn't warm myself up by walking. I met a man from Singapore named Sean (who introduced himself as Sean Connery) at my hostel. I told him it was 20 C in Okinawa and he asked me if he could fly there for under $500. He just wanted out of the weather. I told him Okinawans find 20 C cold and he told me they're crazy.

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Tokyo has been a blast. After my first day of confusion, I quickly readjusted to a non-rural life. Been hanging out with people who went to UF and have made some new friends. I've decided that if you are a lone tourist, there really aren't that many interesting attractions. The fun has been in the abundance of places to go to to socialize.

My mom and sister arrive this afternoon. We'll take it easy this evening and begin our tourist adventures tomorrow, starting with the Tsukiji fish market!