Blessings of "double insulation".

Having lived in Canada for 4 years, I find it hard somehow to acclimatize to the hot, humid weather in Singapore, even though I was born and raised in Penang! I took to the cold like a duck to water! I arrived Canada in time for the autumn semester. I remember waiting anxiously for my first touch of snow. One morning, the first snow did come down, and my landlord, who was a medical doctor on duty, knocked on my door at 4.00a.m. to wake me up to feel my first snowflakes!

An avid skier, Dr. Smith taught me to downhill ski and ride a snowmobile. The very first time I put on my ski boots I felt as if my legs had disappeared! After falling for the umpteenth time, I finally managed to learn how to ski. Skidooing is much easier for it is like riding a motocycle.

As I stayed at the students' hostel called HUB the building was connected to all my classes and lecture halls. Every morning after a hot cup of coffee, I would run all the way to my classes and upon reaching, would have to wipe off beads of perspiration, much to the puzzlement of the students who would be still be clothed in their jackets. I had never owned a pair of long pants or jeans....even in Winter, I would be zipping around in blouse and skirt! I did not realise I appeared freakish until my flatmate told me that her friends asked her where I came from! They thought I had hailed from Alaska, and was surprised I came from Malaysia! After having been used to minus 20 to 30 degree celcius, I could go around without my jacket when the temperature was at 0 degree celcius!


When I went to Israel and China for vacation in December, I would end up lending my jackets to the members in my group who could not take the cold. I would go around in my usual skirt and blouse, and my perpetually warm hands would always be the target of ladies with cold hands as they tried to receive some warmth.

I always tell my friends that I have been blessed with double insulation... like the penguins, the Creator has given me a special layer of fat that keeps me warm most of the time!