My blog title is a bit of a misnomer, but it's all I could think of. I find myself opening the window often enough but only in moments of desperation when the still air of a climate uncontrolled room threatens my very sanity, when my pitiful fan doesn't do the trick, or when my students begin to nod off over their modal verbs assignment. It doesn't stay open long, either because of the noise, or the dirt, or the unpleasant smells that invariably waft in from below (usually the noise is the clincher, especially when the trash truck rumbles by at 5 am). But that is New York for you, in all of its noisy, dirty, smelly glory, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The first window I open every day is in my classroom. Before I even take anything out for class, I open the blinds, take a good long look at lower Manhattan to the south and the Hudson to the west, marvel at my good fortune for a moment, and then set about opening the windows to let some fresh air in before class. Even on the 12th floor the traffic from Canal Street (mostly trucks on their way to the Holland Tunnel) is distractingly loud, so the windows have to be closed during class to facilitate communication. Although they come from varying cultural backgrounds, my students all share a disdain for air conditioning, attributing the slightest sniffle to this modern convenience that, until a few months ago, I could not have imagined living without. To prevent them from shivering and sneezing, I asked to have the air in my room turned off, which requres the windows to be opened again after a few hours to ward of stuffiness.
If you stick with me, and if I stick with this blogging thing, you'll hear a lot about my students. They're a good bunch, and I usually get a few new personalities each week. So far I've taught a fair share of wispy, demur Japanese girls, wisecracking Koreans, haughty Turks, emotive Italians, a middle-aged Argentinean divorce, and an elderly German psychoanalyst, just to name a few. They make me laugh and make me proud every day.
But I was talking about windows. In the apartment I rarely open my window anymore because it's getting chilly. If I need some fresh air, the kitchen and living room windows are usually open, and I can retreat to my now pleasantly warm bedroom if I get too cold. As of now, my laptop has been sitting on (and heating) my lap for over an hour (no windows here, I'm on a mac), and my roommates are in the living room laughing, so I think I will go join them for some fresh air and some laughter.
