Ode to Air Conditioning

One thing that has fascinated me since I arrived here a month ago is the European attitude towards air conditioning. I guess I have never experienced Europe in the deep summer before, so I didn’t realize how scarce air conditioning was. It never occurred to me that not everyone in first world countries had it, I just assumed it.

I feel like I’m at a disadvantage here for two reasons: First, in America, everyone has air conditioning, and uses it liberally. Cold classrooms, restaurants, and stores have often been the bane of my existence. Not to mention that my dad is basically a polar bear and keeps our house so cold that you could probably get frostbite in the summer. So basically, air conditioning is often overused, and this is what I’m used to. Also, I’m six months pregnant and it’s August, which makes me greatly appreciate air conditioning.

HOWEVER. I am the only one on this continent that shares this sentiment. Many apartments here don’t even have air conditioning, which I didn’t know. My apartment in Pavia is unfortunately included in this.. I spent the first two weeks here sitting in front of a fan. The problem is, when you go outside (walking everywhere, of course), it’s really hot. Then you go home, and it’s really hot. So it’s easier to never even leave the house, because at least there is the fan there. I can’t wait for the weather to get cooler, so I can go out and do things, without almost passing out from heatstroke.

The second super weird thing about air conditioning here is that those who have it don’t use it very often. I’m at the beach now, at Paolo’s parent’s beach house, which is air conditioned ( thank God!). I was so relieved when we got here! HOWEVER. The air conditioning is only to be used when everyone agrees that it’s too unbearably hot, and usually at night. It is NOT to be used when anyone is even slightly wet, because don’t you know, wet hair + air conditioning = certain death by cold. This is difficult, since we’re at the beach, someone is almost always wet.

Several days ago, we had friends visiting, and everyone went out to the beach for a few hours, then came back to eat pizzas. I came back early to help get the table ready for everyone and such, and turned on the air conditioning, as there were going to be 9 people in a small living room eating. Sidenote: everyone had been at the beach for a few hours, obviously we weren’t smelling great. Naturally, to me, this meant air conditioning time, because a lot of people + small space = lots of stink and heat. Of course, as soon as everyone walked in the door, the first thing they all said was “Che freddo!!” (how cold!) So I was once again outvoted, and the air conditioning was turned off. I just don’t understand! It was so hot, so stinky, how can Europeans stand that? I have always been the one that was cold before, but here I’m always the one wanting more air conditioning. Needless to say, I’m ready for fall. You can always put more clothes on, but you can only take so much off and it still be socially acceptable.

Ciao for now!

Kathleen