Long Sleeves: Pas Encore Pour Moi

I rode to school in a tank top this morning. The biting air caused my skin to tingle, but it was a pleasant coolness. On campus, I didn’t see one other person in a tank top: just long sleeves, hoodies, jackets, and even a puffy parka. I wondered, who in Florida should own a parka and why did this morning necessitate such clothing? I checked the weather online when I arrived; the temperature: 50˚F.

I am reminded of when I discovered a word in Wolof—just a single verb (jaaro)—that means to warm oneself by the fire. I thought there was no need for such a term in sub-Saharan Africa. But after my second year, when the nights dropped to 60˚F, and I had nothing but a sheet and the blanket I swiped on the plane ride to Senegal (because I had never seen a blanket for sale in the market), I was starting to relate to the kids who got up and huddled around the fire as breakfast was being prepared. On those mornings during "the cool season," I wanted to warm myself by the fire as well.

Which makes me wonder if next year when we have our first truly cool October morning, whether I, too, will be tempted to don a parka on my ride to school.