Latinos Dealing with Cold in Latin America

Just the other day about a week or two ago in Mexico City…

Before I moved to my latest new apartment about last week ago…

I had to go get some more water for my apartment.

I usually go through this 20 liter container of water every 4 days or so as I go through a lot of black tea each week.

Anyway, it’s about 7 AM more or less and I had been working all night on different projects of mine.

From this website with writing my 1000^th article to other things I had to focus on.

So I get some clothes on and head out outside to go buy this water.

All I had on was some shorts and a short sleeve shirt.

As Mexico City hasn’t really ever been too cold during my time down here.

Anyway, I go outside to get the water when I happen to pass by what I assume was a Mexican.

This young looking person who had a huge ass winter coat on, a scarf, a hat I think and whatever else.

In short, this person was quite well prepared for a heavy winters day in Alaska.

But yet was seen walking in such clothing in the morning of Mexico City.

Where we never get snow.

And the most upsetting cold of the year happens to be a little bit of a breeze during December.

While we are getting close to April now.

So, suffice to say, I found it humorous that I saw someone wear so much heavy winter clothing for basically nothing.

I mean…

With all the clothing this person was wearing, you’d think they heard news about a heavy snow storm heading our way or something.

But nope!

Life is pretty chill here in Mexico City.

Not chill in a cold way but you know what I mean.

Anyway, that’s not the first time I ever saw this happen.

I remember going way back when I was about to go on a year long trip through South America…

The Argentine Host Mom Ready for Insane Snow

Before I did take on such a trip though…

I was talking with some American chick who went to the same college as I did during those days.

She had just gotten back from Buenos Aires, Argentina actually and was just talking with me about it.

One thing in particular that she found very funny was how she had an Argentine host mom who went just as ridiculous on the winter clothing.

In one specific incident, she remembered how she and the host mom were about to go grocery shopping at some nearby market…

Before going outside though, the host mom had to make sure that she was well adjusted for any surprise snow storms.

So apparently the host mom was just the same!

All ready in a big ass winter coat, a huge ass, a scarf and everything else.

At any rate, the American chick I was talking to apparently busted into laugher when she saw that.

She honestly couldn’t believe how overdressed the host mom was for the occasion.

“Why do you need the winter coat?!” she thought.

Well, the host mom preferred it that way.

Who knows – maybe that snow storm is coming with a host of Antarctic animals coming their way!

At any rate, I remember one other similar incident that happened just a few years ago…

“Buy the Winter Coat, Matt!”

Back when I was dating my last girlfriend…

Whose name was Brenda.

I remember we were both living near Metro Cuatro Caminos area of Mexico City.

Near that area, they have some mall that is quite nice actually.

Even has an Olive Garden if I remember right!

Which is quite nice to say the least.

Though, in my experience, the Olive Gardens in Mexico City are not quite as nice as though in Iowa as the bread is usually quite stale…

But that’s a side point.

Back to the story….

We were walking around this mall later into the night at probably around December time.

And Brenda saw some clothing store that we were about to past.

She became hellbent on making sure I bought a winter coat.

How come?

“Because I don’t want you to get sick!!” she insisted.

She was so concerned that the cold weather outside would make me sick.

Even though I hadn’t been sick before with her.

And even though the cold outside was nothing more than a very slight breeze.

The slight breeze convinced her it would be deadly for me to go outside without having a winter coat.

Anyway, for those who don’t know, I was quite broke at that time when I lived near Metro Cuatro Caminos.

So I simply didn’t feel comfortable throwing down 50 bucks or whatever for a winter coat.

Nowadays, it wouldn’t be an issue.

But I still wouldn’t buy it because it would simply be a waste of money.

You seriously do not need a winter coat in Mexico City ever.

As I might have said earlier, the worst cold I ever felt down here was just a slight cold.

If you need anything more, just get a light jacket and you are fine.

But yet I have seen a handful of Mexicans wear winter coats down here.

Especially in Roma Norte area.

I had a neighbour in my last apartment actually who always wrote a winter coat outside.

But why does it seem like Latinos are more sensitive to the cold in Latin America?

A Theory

First, it should be said that obviously some parts of Latin America probably have folks who are more reasonable when it comes to when to put on a winter coat.

I imagine in southern Chile or Argentina in the Patagonia region where they have a lot more snow…

Well, in that case, I could see people being more accustomed to real cold.

Anyway, I posted a Tweet on my Twitter that you can find here some few weeks ago about this…

And one Mexican guy posted on there with the idea that Mexicans specifically are just taught from an early age to always overdress by their moms.

That the habits stick basically due to overconcerned moms at an early age.

Fair enough.

I have no idea if that is true.

Or if it equally applies to other Latin countries also.

If you are Latino or have a similar or different theory…

Comment away below.

Share your thoughts on this one.

Comments always appreciated.

Anyway, there’s only one more thing to say….

New Adjustment to Cold

To be fair, I see it in myself also.

After about 6 years down here in Latin America, my sense of what is cold has adjusted a little bit also.

That slight wind in Mexico City feels colder to me nowadays than what it would before I started living down here.

Especially being from Iowa where winters can be rough.

Hopefully I never get to the point of needing a winter coat for it though or else I’d die from the cold if I ever returned to Iowa…

At any rate, that’s all I got to say.

Again, leave any comments or questions below.

And follow my Twitter here.

Thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Matt