I usually don’t deal with such topics as weather in my blog but let’s make an exception since it extends beyond the topic. The news has reached Novokuznetsk about the ‘life-threatening’ and extreme cold weather in US. CNN reports that car driving is forbidden in some places if not absolutely needed. People should stay at home since it is cold outside and so on. Pray for those who are affected by -20 degrees Celsius…
It might of course be a problem if people and infrastructure is not prepared and/or don’t think or are homeless or so. But still. We have -26 Celsius here in Novokuznetsk at the moment and nobody is worried or acting in a different way just because it was -5 yesterday and -26 today. It is colder sometimes and warmer sometimes, so what? Take an extra pullover and make sure you have proper shoes when going out etc. People still go skiing down to -30 and the infrastructure works normally.
My point is not that Americans are weak and Russians strong. What is considered normal in one place is not necessarily normal in another place, and the differences do include other things than weather as well. There are many things which are different in Russia compared to US and Europe. When coming from Europe or US it is easy to come with a “western mind”, even when trying not to, when one is observing and discussing with people. Note to myself; try harder.