Thaw

As briefly alluded to at the end of the last post, Soviet spring began March 1st. While I appreciate the simplicity of dividing the seasons by months, I'm not sure why the decision was made to move the dates in the first place. If the seasons were split based on religious dates, then maybe, but they begin and end on the solstices, which are just astronomical placemarkers. I thought the Soviets were all about science. Maybe they were also all about being contrarian for its own sake. It does make it easier for my students to say, "Spring months are March, April, May," rather than delving into the intricacies of "21st" or "equinox."

On cue, it warmed up here this week; apparently the weather, unlike the proletariat, will conform itself to Marxist theory. After weeks of cold and snow, I'm delighted to be able to roll up my sleeves in my own bedroom, but after last year's rainy, cloudy hell that lasted until May, I'm suspicious that this weather change may be transient. In addition, there's a few more pros and cons...

Pro: No more long underwear

Con: Will have to start taking more than one shower per week

Pro: Can unpack suitcase full of spring clothes, most of which were purchased at the Mall of America in August

Con: Unpacking of spring suitcase will necessarily trigger snap cold front

Pro: Temperature upstairs has reached 57 degrees, which is warm enough that I can work up there now instead of downstairs in front of the Latin American soap operas

Con: Can no longer use room as a refrigerator for storage of things I don't want to share with my host family, such as American cheese and olive oil; ironic, considering that the last bottle of olive oil I stored in my room froze solid and was rendered unusable

Pro: Begin wearing year-old blue spring jacket, rather than 5-year-old fake suede formerly-black winter coat with avocado stain from Quizno's Turkey Bacon Guacamole sub in 2004

Con: Sandal season won't begin until May, since my neighbors are convinced that 70 degrees in March will give you the cold through your feet, but 70 degrees in May is safe; argument went as such last year-- "But it's 70 degrees!" "But it's March!" "But it's 70 degrees!" "But it's March!"

Pro: Sunny weather will revive my faith in teaching, and I'll be inspired to write detailed, entertaining lesson plans with innovative activities for every class

Con: Sunny weather will revive students' indefatigable love of skipping school, now with the excuse that it's too nice outside to go to school, since they can no longer say that it's too cold to come to school; may perhaps find two weeks of good attendance between cold- and warmth-based truancy

Pro: We're that much closer to July 17th

Con: We're that much closer to my unemployment