As fall freezes into winter, the chilly air slowly penetrates the thick cement walls of our apartment. You may know that here in China getting warm isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. The government sets certain day for the start of the central heating and until then we all learn how to bundle up! With several weeks between today and the day the central heat starts, we must use our imaginations to create ways of warming up. For instance I am normally irritated by wearing socks without shoes on, however now that winter’s on it’s way I wear them ALL the time! You are probably familiar with my addiction to tea; well in addition to the usual 2 cups a day, I drink at least 2 more in the winter! Though these are excellent ways of warming up, the best way to keep warm is to use water/corn pouches! Yep, that’s what I said! We have a few material pouches filled with corn and when we warm it in the microwave it stays hot for at least an hour and a half. Additionaly, my Mom recently bought us rubber pouches that can be filled with hot water that stay warm for almost as long. (Plus, the water pouches have adorable animal covers!) This is just one more way that we adapt to our surroundings 😀 ~