A second first in China

Sunday the 21st was the Winter Solstice, which, according to Wikipedia, "is the instant when the sun's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane from the observer's hemisphere". It was also the shortest day of the year (or the longest night, whichever you want to call it). Although I recall studying this in Geography some 15 odd years ago, I'm still rather clueless about the whole mechanics of it, what with me not being very bright about things like these and all. The one thing that there is no mistaking, however, is how bitterly cold it can get. When I stepped into the office this morning, the first thing my colleague told me was that it was the official start of the winter. My eyes nearly popped out. I'd been piling on the layers and wrapping myself up in scarfs and gloves for over a month now.. all this while, all the cold, and it wasn't even winter yet? You have got to be kidding me!

A mere 5 minute walk from my flat to the school just across the street this morning left my ear stingingly numb (ha! an oxymoron, but is that really a word?) from being nipped by the frosty air. In the evening, while I was paying for my purchases at the supermarket, at the check out counter, which was near the entrance/exit but still within the building, my fingers turned red and started to swell and within minutes, I could barely feel them. I don't remember ever having to subject my poor almost frostbitten fingers to such torment, not even when I was in Tasmania during winter which, according to a friend, was the coldest part of Australia. Man.. this is the real thing.. real cold hard winter. It really bites! This ... is my first winter in China. It's just started and already I can't wait for it to be over.