Have you ever stepped outside and felt the liquid surrounding your eyes, lips, and inside of your nose freeze instantly? At least if you’re from New York you probably have not.
I grew up in New York but traveled to Russia often to visit my family, naturally we always went in the summer as any sensible person would. As I’ve spent many of my childhood summers there I know Moscow well, so this past winter break I decided to conquer the city during the winter for the first time, (as though I haven’t paid attention in history class). This would be my first time traveling alone and in the winter, but I was excited to get to spend the holidays with my family in Russia for the first time. I had heard stories of Russian winters but never thought much of them, so its cold…big deal, I thought. Also, with global warming and all, the weather there hadn’t been all too different from the weather we have had here, so I thought it wouldn’t be much of a challenge. My mom however warned me, sternly, many times saying,“You have no idea what the winters there can be like…you’ll see”. I scoffed and waved off the warnings and thought I knew better than she, as do we all.
So, I got on the plane and made it to Moscow, stepped outside, and… it was exactly the same. Ok, not exactly the same, but it was just cold, as expected. My family asked if it felt any different and I said no, it is just as cold as you would think, not too bad. Let’s just say, I spoke too soon. A day or two later while watching the news we were informed that this year, the week before and week after Christmas, Russia would experience what they like to call “Christmas Frosts” or roughly translated the traditional cold around Christmas. Russian Orthodox Christmas is January 7th, I came January 2nd and was to leave January 15th. How perfect right? The two weeks I would be there these “Christmas Frosts” would strike. Everyone began making jokes saying that just for me, the 2 weeks I happen to visit, Russia would show me a winter I couldn’t imagine. Bring it on, I thought.
Well, it brought it.The following days the news announced record breaking cold temperatures, ones that even Russia hadn’t seen in years. So, I did my girl version of bundling up, which was half zippering my coat and wrapping a scarf loosely around my neck, as more of a fashion statement and less as what it was intended for, which I would soon find out would be my second layer of skin. As I stepped outside and took what I thought would be a deep breath of fresh air, I was stopped by the ice crystals that had somehow instantaneously emerged inside my nose. My face felt like it was on fire, which didn’t make sense because it was supposed to be cold…and my neck felt painfully betrayed by the scarf that so beautifully and uselessly fluttered in the wind. I took one look around, walked back inside, adjusted both my clothing and my attitude, and walked back outside a human burrito.
How I can best describe such cold is…painful. If not properly insulated, or sometimes even with layers of covering, your hands feel as if your palms have just been beat with a hammer and your fingers either cut off or broken. Just say goodbye to your toes because as long as you are outside you will not feel them; I was in thick UGG adirondack style boots up to the knee and the first things I lost feeling of every time I went outside were my toes. It’s scary to be honest, because several times I actually considered what would happen if they never thawed and I would have to accept not having toes any longer. Your face always feels on fire. You’re cheeks are a beautiful crimson, maybe even purplish-blue color if you stayed outside for any longer than 30 minutes, and your eyelashes and hair begin to turn white and freeze together. (Pictures below if you don’t believe) After a while to be honest, you give up your pride and sort of accept that you will not be feeling any part of your body anytime soon, and conceptualize yourself as this floating entity that may, or may not, still have a drop of warmth left only in its heart. (I know that was cute) That painful satire aside, the cold weather was something I was able to get used to thanks only to the presence of my family. Being around them all the time with their happiness and love, even in -30C/-22F, how could I not have stayed warm?
Want to know what thawing feels like after having been a human popsicle? No, you don’t. I will spare you. Stay warm for the rest of the winter, and if you ever travel, listen carefully to what people tell you about the weather!