It's official: winter is here and it is just the beginning. I have been told that it is not cold yet...nevermind the fact that the average daily temperature is already significantly colder than the average winter day at home. I'm adjusting, but still a little nervous for the -30F days to come.
The first snow fell in late October just after I got back from the dacha. It flurried for a hot second and then a few days later the ground was covered. The early arrival of winter is a little confusing for me. It felt like December in October. So it has taken some getting used to, but snowy Tyumen is really beautiful. I am really looking forward to going sledding and ice skating and maybe even skiing!
I came to Tyumen with heavy duty winter boots, but I needed something for every day use. Everyone seemed to be concerned that I was still wearing my "summer" shoes. Starting to get concerned myself, I asked Svetlana for a recommendation on where to look for boots, she immediately handed me a discount card and in less than a minute rounded up two of my students, Dasha and Marina, to take me shopping. It was only my second day of really looking for winter boots (lined with fur), but I managed to find something. Good thing and just in time for it to snow for about 4 days in a row and absolutely freezing temperatures. It has since warmed up a little (high 20s low 30s), but hasn't gone much above freezing.
There seems to be a winter uniform here: black down parkas with fur trimmed hoods, which is what I have, and lots and lots of fur. So far I am happy to report that my coat (I picked the WARMEST one I could find before I left) is in fact keeping me really toasty. It also has another great purpose: cushioning my body when I fall. I was so proud of myself for not falling for over a month, but on Friday that came to an end. What I thought was a patch of pavement where I could get my footing was in fact a sheet of black ice. Oops. No injuries thanks to my fluffy coat! I should add that it has been very difficult to walk since the snow arrived. While they do plow the streets, I haven't seen salt trucks, and it doesn't just melt a few days later. So the ground has remained mostly snow covered, especially on my street, and the marble steps outside the university are a danger zone. Since I haven't exercised really since arriving in Tyumen, not falling has been my new workout.
The first snow fell in late October just after I got back from the dacha. It flurried for a hot second and then a few days later the ground was covered. The early arrival of winter is a little confusing for me. It felt like December in October. So it has taken some getting used to, but snowy Tyumen is really beautiful. I am really looking forward to going sledding and ice skating and maybe even skiing!
I came to Tyumen with heavy duty winter boots, but I needed something for every day use. Everyone seemed to be concerned that I was still wearing my "summer" shoes. Starting to get concerned myself, I asked Svetlana for a recommendation on where to look for boots, she immediately handed me a discount card and in less than a minute rounded up two of my students, Dasha and Marina, to take me shopping. It was only my second day of really looking for winter boots (lined with fur), but I managed to find something. Good thing and just in time for it to snow for about 4 days in a row and absolutely freezing temperatures. It has since warmed up a little (high 20s low 30s), but hasn't gone much above freezing.
There seems to be a winter uniform here: black down parkas with fur trimmed hoods, which is what I have, and lots and lots of fur. So far I am happy to report that my coat (I picked the WARMEST one I could find before I left) is in fact keeping me really toasty. It also has another great purpose: cushioning my body when I fall. I was so proud of myself for not falling for over a month, but on Friday that came to an end. What I thought was a patch of pavement where I could get my footing was in fact a sheet of black ice. Oops. No injuries thanks to my fluffy coat! I should add that it has been very difficult to walk since the snow arrived. While they do plow the streets, I haven't seen salt trucks, and it doesn't just melt a few days later. So the ground has remained mostly snow covered, especially on my street, and the marble steps outside the university are a danger zone. Since I haven't exercised really since arriving in Tyumen, not falling has been my new workout.
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