Preview: What I'm In For

Weather in China feels more immediate than that in America. Air conditioning is a rare luxury, and central heating only exists north of the Yangtze River, making Harbin's Siberian winter easier to deal with than Hunan's moist chilliness. How does Nanjing's summer compare to those of Harbin and Hunan?

Well, Harbin is hot but fairly dry - evenings can get humid, but it only thunders once a week or so, and there's a breeze. It's not always ideal, but is absolutely bearable and the rain's kind of fun. Until it floods your street. Although that can still be fun.

Hunan summer.

Harbin summer.

Summer in Hunan is hairier - really hot, and REALLY wet. It rained almost every day. I woke up before dawn all June and July because it was simply too hot in my non-air-conditioned apartment... my students fell asleep in class, particularly after lunch, because they were running on even less sleep from being crammed four deep in their tiny dorms.

Guess which one Nanjing resembles?

It's a testament to my crazy, or maybe to my giddiness about my university and program, that I'm actually excited to leave behind cool breezes and clear blue skies and re-enter the muggy, godforsaken fray.