Each year before summer arrives, every Taiwanese person acts like air conditioning murdered their whole family. AC is almost a dirty word as people act like they never use it, whether it be for saving money, protecting the environment, or just because they are super strong. Then summer arrives and those very same people are running their AC all day long and refuse to go outside as its too hot. Almost as if they are doing a summer hibernation.
Well this year I decided not to use the AC at all. Mainly to cut back on my expenses, but also because I want to see if I can do it. And honestly part of it is so I can see how those friends who say they "never" use AC really handle no AC. Hint, they can't handle it at all.
Now to deal with this I have two fans. I usually have them set up in the living room, most of the time one is focused on me, and the other focused on my dog. I do have windows, but as my apartment only has windows on one side of my apartment, i never get a cross breeze so air never really comes in.
Meaning that it gets darn hot in my apartment. The temperature gauge on my AC above is the equivalent of 88 degrees Fahrenheit. So far this is the hottest it has gotten, but since it is this temperature most of the day, i'm guessing that the sensor doesn't go above that temperature.
Regardless, it's hot in my apartment. The worst is when you open the door to come in. The heat really kicks you in the face, and it feels like you are stepping into another dimension. No friend has been able to handle it, as they just start sweating profusely and one friend even started crying cause it was so hot. so for my friends, I will turn on the AC, which honestly is quite uncomfortable.
Yep both my dog and I have adapted to the heat. It took a few days, and i used to sweat a lot, and she used to pant a lot, however both of us don't do this anymore. even when I'm in an area without the fans, like the kitchen or bathroom, I feel fine. So when the AC comes on we both feel rather cold, and she will actually get up and go to hide in the bedroom.
So if you'd like to be strong and not use AC, here are some tips to help you. But be warned, it takes about a week and a half to get used to it, and that week and a half you will a nasty, sticky, sweaty, stinky mess.
1. When sleeping, have the fan pointed right at you. I know a lot of people think you have to let it rotate or else it will dry you out, but trust me, your nose will get used to it much faster than it takes you to get used to the heat.
2. If possible, wear the same shirt when going out. Yes I know this is nasty and doesn't seem to make sense, but it really helps. You basically want a shirt that is the same feeling as your skin. You will be sweating a lot and as soon as you put on fresh shirt you will sweat through it and that just feels nasty. But using the same shirt means one that has been soaked and then dried, so for some reason it's in this middle ground where it isn't wet but isn't dry, so it's more comfortable to put on and wear. Granted this only works if you really don't have to be anywhere that people have to smell you.
3. Don't be naked. Many people like to say "oh if it's super hot at my house than I will just be naked." if somebody says this, than you know that they have never been in a truly hot house. You know that trick of jumping in a cold shower and then not drying off, just letting it air dry so you stay cool for a bit? well that only lasts a minute at most if your house is hot. Instead, what you want to do is take that cold shower with your clothes on. Your clothes are going to take longer to get dry, so it gives you extra time to feel nice and cool. You don't have to worry about furniture or anything getting wet, (i once poured a glass of water on my floor to show a friend how fast it would dry up) cause the water that touches it will be gone in seconds.
If you follow these hints, and you have the fortification to go through a week or two of suffering, you too can become used to the heat. So much so that your dog will enjoy sunbathing in the light that comes in the window, while you enjoy a nice hot bowl of oatmeal for your tea time. With an added bonus of spending more time outside, as no matter how hot it gets, it will feel like spring time compared to your apartment, and you won't even sweat when outside.
Just make sure to record some videos of your friends crying when they come over to visit. Their tears are the fuel that keeps you going.
