First Sight of Snow

It's been really hot here these past few weeks. I don't know how I feel about a HOT January, but I suppose for one year, I can handle it. I took in a picture of snow this week to show my students, to explain that I'm certainly not used to this heat in January. And boy oh boy, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Most of them had never even seen a picture before, so this was revolutionary. While I was busy telling stories about shoveling, snow plows, sledding, snow men, and catching snowflakes on my tongue, the students were asking the craziest questions....

"How do you stay warm?"

"Do you go outside in the snow?"

"What about babies? That must be dangerous for them."

"How long does it stay on the ground?"

"How do you sleep when it's so cold?"

and my personal favorite, from my top Form 4 girl:

"If a Tanzanian goes to America when it's snowing, they will die, won't they?"

I tried to give them as realistic impression of snow as possible, but some of them were still convinced that they would die if they ever experienced snow. This is when it hit me: I really am on the other side of the world, and we couldn't be more different! For me, it's totally normal to need to wake up early before school to shovel snow, which they have no concept of this besides the one picture I've shown them. And here, they have to wake up early to milk cows, sweep dirt, and walk 8 kilometres to school, which I can't even imagine... 

Life sure is crazy sometimes.