I’m not from these parts, & I suppose that’s an obvious fact.
When I moved here I knew there would be a lot of adjustment before I could fit in with the locals, but I never expected that I would have so much work to do with my own psyche, and you see, I’m the sort of guy who hates spending currency.
I try to keep my daily bills as low as possible because I don’t like to see currency flying out of my bank account. This is one of the reasons that I appreciated the winter here – it’s relatively warm, so you can get away with using a small portable heating unit or even a fireplace to survive the cold season. This was a brand modern experience for me, as someone who grew up in the freezing northeast. The problem is… that same utility bill savings does not apply to the sizzling season here. The summers are brutally sizzling & humid, & they require advanced air conditioner every single day if you want to be comfortable. Hell, you have to run your A/C into the ground if you just want to avoid heat stroke. This was unexpected & frightening to me, as I watched my energy bill climb day after day with the cooling system operating at its lowest setting. I was covered in sweat through my shorts & the utilities were still higher than I had ever seen them. I started to panic about the daily indoor temperature control. It didn’t help when my A/C component broke down & I had to call for a professional cooling system repair service. Hundreds of dollars flowed out of my hands that day. Now, I’m considering what other options I have for next summer. I’m terrified to face the sizzling & balmy air all over again, but even more afraid of giving up my modern home. I was just starting to be accepted here.