This week in Barcelona, the weather has suddenly plummeted. We had near 100 degrees and 80% humidity last week, then this week started with chilly winds and rain. Of course, this means half my office has decided they’re sick.
What happened? Well, the Spanish are convinced that you get colds because of actually being cold.
I was always taught that colds are called “colds”, but have nothing to do with the cold – it’s a virus instead, right?
Spain disagrees.
Here’s a small sampling of “reasons I’m sick” I’ve heard from the Spanish:
- They spend their mornings in an air-conditioned office and their evenings in the summer heat.
- They forgot to wear a scarf.
- Or they didn’t keep their chest covered well enough.
- They slept with the window open.
- The temperature changed.
- “I spent a lot of time naked this weekend. Long story.”
Of course, I think some of these are pretty funny, but the Spanish think my attitude towards colds is pretty funny too. To them, wandering around without a scarf is simply careless. My insistence that the cold weather doesn’t matter makes them snicker and shake their heads gently. And the vitamin C powder I gulp down is beyond absurd to them.
But maybe they’re right – it’s been cold this week, and funnily enough I’m feeling the sniffles coming on. I’ve been wearing a scarf just to be safe…
<– Sensibly scarved up.
Besos!
-Jess
In Texas, the temperature changes quite drastically. As a result, a lot of students and teachers get sick because of the sudden change in weather. (Like 30-40 degree difference within in days…Texas is weird like that. lol) Anyway, yeah it can work. And scarves, amazingly really do help keep you warm which I didn’t believe until I got to Korea.
Wow, 30-40 is a lot! I think the Spanish might be more right than I initially thought, but it still makes me laugh. But it’s okay because they laugh at my virus theory too. 🙂
Oh scarves! I love scarves because they really do keep your neck warm! In the winter in NY (and in Spain), I always wear them outside!
And yeah I’ve always been told cold weather doesn’t make you catch a cold which I think is true. However I remember my freshman year of high school (I went to a private school), I went on one of those stupid overnight field trips so our class could “bond” together. We went to this summer camp where we had to sleep in those raised platform tents. Luckily it was only for a night. I think my school was trying to torture us honestly. It was end of September-beginning of October and we were essentially sleeping outside with bugs crawling into the gaps of the tent (couldn’t even get a summer camp with actual camp cabins… ugh) It got SO COLD that night. I did have a thick sleeping bag and was wearing a heavy sweatshirt and a scarf. But my head was exposed to the cold all night (not a good thing) and I woke up the following morning with a really bad cold. So now I’m not so sure…
Wear socks or you’ll catch a cold!!
While on the other hand, Americans insist that wet hair on a cold day, or in “olden times,” going down to the river at night, would make you sick. This is funny though, because French people have definitely accused me of causing my own sickness by
a) not having a scarf on (even indoors, at work)
b) drinking and/or eating hot and cold food together
c) Having the windows CLOSED. Windows are opened in between classes even in like -10 degree weather. Bizarro.
Haha yup, that’s what I’m saying – we all believe weird things, and it’s funny to exchange them with somebody with a completely different perspective.
I’ve heard similar things from the Spanish too. But hey, as long as I don’t get sick I’m not complaining. 🙂
I think they’re may be some slight truth to the Spanish idea of changes in temperature. I remember being in Liverpool in November and it was super cold. I was not wearing a scarf and it was the only part of my body not covered and I came down with a bad sore throat for several days- now when ever it’s really cold, I swear by scarves!
You still wearing your scarf with the temperature change?
I’m slowly coming around to the idea haha. As long as I don’t get sick, I’m not complaining!
I did wear my scarf until my sniffles went away, and next time the temperature drops I may have to do an experiment.
Drives me crazy!
It does have a nugget of truth. Cold does NOT cause a virus to invade your body, but being cold can lower your immune system’s ability to function and fight off infection. Also, sometimes a virus can lie dormant in your body, and when your defenses are lowered (because of cold or whatever else), it can cause sickness. But still. Drives me nuts.
YES, that’s what I tried to explain to a Spanish friend. The response was “Soo…you DO get sick because of the cold then?”
Those long naked weekends can really cause difficulties…
Haha evidently so!