The number of Indian students going abroad, especially to USA, Canada, Uk and Europe are increasing. Apart from culture shock at many levels, the biggest challenge faced by them is the weather. An Indian, blessed with eternal sunshine and warm weather, might find the host countries quite unwelcome due to hostile weather. It is important for a student to be mentally prepared for long hauls of shivering cold and unpredictable rains during their stay in the countries located in the different hemisphere.
However all is not gloomy. If an entire populations live with difficult weathers since time immemorial, it must not be invincible. Human mind is ingenious and always overcomes the obstacles the nature poses by inventing newer ways to combat the same. Here we shall talk about the “layering” of cloths as one of the ways to adjust yourself to make your new home habitable, if you are going to live in Europe or America for the first time.
Indians often find it surprising that the westerners are having different ward robes for different seasons. For most Indians barring those in the very north, a muffler and a sweater would announce winter, or an occasional monkey cap. Due to uncertain weather, a westerner spends more time deciding what kind of outfit to wear when setting foot outside home. An Indian, while making the colder courtiers his or her new home, will have to imbibe this mentality for ease of living.
Layering the cloths in cold weather have three levels, all having different function supplementing each other. The winter cloths should be chosen in a way that they are body-hugging yet comfortable enough to allow air circulation. The layering is dynamic. One should add or remove layer according to the change in the intraday weather.
Out of the three, the base layer is meant to keep one dry. The mid layer functions to keep one warm and the outer layer would help one shield from rain or snow.
The base layer, which is in direct contact with the body, should be able to absorb the sweat so that skin stays dry and prevents the chill. The fabric options for the base layer are Polyester, Nylon, Silk and Merino wool. The regular shirts in your ward robes which can mop up sweat are good base layers too, however cotton should be avoided as it soaks in water and stay wet. Boxers and briefs also should be used as moisture soaking inners.
The mid layer is meant for insulating. Mid layer is the warm clothing that holds body heat. The polyester fleece is very popular and useful mid layer as it is warm yet warm yet breathable. More importantly, fleece preserves heat even when damp. One can choose appropriate thickness of fleece according to their individual comfort. Another mid layer is the down jacket, known more commonly as puffer. It is a quilted coat, insulated with either duck or goose feathers and air pockets created by the bulk of the feathers which help retain warm air. Down jackets not only help keeping in body heat but also resist wind and raindrops to certain extent. Synthetic-insulated jackets are also available in the market.
The outer layer protects you by keeping your body protected from water, wind flow or snow in some variants. It should be borne in mind while choosing the outer layer that it fits in comfortably with inner layer on. While water proof breathable coats, though a good investment, are expensive, there are water resistant breathable coats available made of nylon or polyester. They can effectively shelter you from drizzle and wind during high activity. These coats can work as combined mid layer and outer layer. Also, water proof nonbreathable kind of outer layer, made of coated nylon also works well on rainy days when you are not expected to indulge in intense activity outside.
While trying to protect yourself during chilly weather, one should take care of head, hands, feet and neck. One can use hat, ski-mask or monkey cap to protect your head. The hood over these accessories can add an extra protective layer. Gloves or mittens are extremely essential while dealing with cold weather according to the nature of activity you need to perform. Flannel-lined jeans are able to insulated the legs effectively.
Feet and neck are the most important to take care of when you are out during winter in Europe. Boots and thick wool socks or several socks together help. One should consider having an extra pair of shoes with larger size to accommodate the bulk. Neck should be most carefully attended to. Good quality woolen scarf or stole are essential. A shawl also can be of great use especially in the evenings in unheated closed environments.
Another important fact which should be borne in mind while living in Europe or UK is that one should not wear extra warm cloths once inside home. The body should be allowed to adjust with the climatic conditions in progressive manner. Also, keeping heaters inside home on high flames also goes against helping you cope up with the winter outside home.
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