It’s been a month and a half since I left my home in Abu Dhabi for university in Boston, MA.
This afternoon as I was walking down the street, I noticed the fall weather had painted the leaves dark pink, burned orange, and lemon yellow. The air by Starbucks smelt like pumpkin spiced latte and there was a slight chill in the air, but the sun was still shining –psychologically, keeping me warm enough.
However, while I was enjoying this picturesque New England November moment with a Duffy song playing in my earphones, a glimpse of the near future crossed my mind. It was me looking twice my size in an oversized winter coat, walking down the same street. I couldn’t smell the pumpkin spice in the air – only because I couldn’t smell anything (my nose was frozen). I couldn’t enjoy the nature because the trees were stripped bare of their leaves. And forget about the sun; it set while I was in my 3pm history class!
While I used to complain about Abu Dhabi not having seasons except for summer and “winter”, I would do anything to study in Boston during the summer months and then holiday in Abu Dhabi during its wonderfully warm winter months.
Before I moved to the American northeast, I could count the number of times I had worn jeans. I used to waltz around in dresses and skirts back home but now, not only do I own drawers of pants in different colors, fittings and textures, I’m in them almost every day! Also, back in AD, I used to curse at the desert when sand used to get in my slippers but now when I’m walking in the snow and step into a puddle of melted ice that completely drenches my winter boots; I miss the feeling of warm sand in between my toes.
And then I get to the car. Hot cars used to drive me mad. I mean who doesn’t get hot and bothered by the smell of overheated leather, the sting of burning seatbelts and having to roll down the window for a few minutes because some chain email said that the car’s air contains cancer-causing Benzene.
Well, on a typical Bostonian winters day when it’s below 0°C, I get into the car hoping it would be much warmer than the outside. Truth is, you’re trapped in a metal box with the same freezing outside temperature until the heat kicks in. And then once the heat does warm you up, you get too hot because you’re still in your coat, scarf and gloves.
When the proud Bostonians say that they love their winter and can’t stand anything above 50°F (that’s 10°C!), they obviously have no idea what they’re missing. As much as I love everything else about my historic New England city, the winter is not my cup of tea! And I’m honestly not so into the whole “white Christmas” scene –give me Christmas in the desert any day!
Very soon I’ll back home in Abu Dhabi!
By Rhea Oommen
