One of the new teachers fans himself with an uchiwa, a flat fan.
Thursday July 12, 1990
It's hot here, but not as hot as in Austin. In Beppu, it's only in the nineties. But the humidity is 100% and there is no air conditioning. I sit at my desk in the staff room, my clothes soaked in sweat. All the students are too lethargic to do anything but sleep in class. Between classes, or at lunch, I disappear home, take off all my clothes, and dip cold water out of the bath, and pour it over me.
I was in the office after 6PM one evening and was shocked when someone turned on the air conditioning. I didn't even know the staff room had air-conditioning. Turns out that after koucho-sensei (the principal, who is married into the owner's family) leaves for the day, the other teachers take advantage of his absence to cool down. Apparently the whole school is on the same main, so no one is able trace the surge in energy use to the high school.
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens
July 12, 2005
Share Your Thoughts
Keeping cool any way we can.