Facing Your First Winter in Canada
Like most new comers, you are most likely to arrive in Canada either in spring or summer. If Canadian summer can be as hot as Mauritian summer, Canadian winter, however, is a whole different story. Canadian winter is very tough (especially for someone who has lived in Mauritius all his life), and if you are not prepared to face it, you are in for a rough time. In the next few paragraphs, I will talk about what you can do to be ready to face your first Canadian winter in the best possible conditions.
Before I start talking about your winter preparation, let me say that moving to Canada in spring or summer is a very smart idea. This will allow you to slowly transition to fall and then winter. Plus fall is a very beautiful season to experience. You get to see all the leaves turning yellow and red before falling to the ground. This is something, in my opinion, you have got to see. And if you are an amateur photographer, you can get some great pictures in the fall.
Fall is not just for taking pictures however. It is also a good time to start taking care of your skin. Why? Mauritius is surrounded by water, and is a relatively very humid place. But, the air is relatively dryer in Canada during fall and winter both outside and inside the house (because of the use of heaters). If you don’t take care of your skin by applying lotion/cream to keep it moist, it will crack and become itchy. Believe it or not, if you don’t keep your skin moist, you will scratch it until blood comes out. Cracked skin can also be very painful. My advice to you: start hydrating your skin in the fall, and keep doing it on a regular basis in winter.
Okay enough said about skin care. Let us move on to getting you outside of your home. To be ready to face the cold outside your home, you should be well-equipped. In my opinion you need to have at least a scarf, a pair of gloves/mittens, a good pair of shoes, warm socks, and a good jacket (preferably with a hood). You may add a toque and some thermal underwear to that list depending on how resistant to cold you are.
Among all the pieces of equipment mentioned above, I would like to elaborate on the shoes, jacket, toque and thermal underwear.
In my opinion, a good pair of shoes for winter should at least cover your ankles, have Thinsulate linings, and be waterproof. There are times when you will have to walk on a fairly thick layer of snow, and if your shoes do not cover your ankles, snow will get into them. The Thinsulate linings will help keep your feet warm by blocking the heat inside your shoes. If you cannot get waterproof shoes, because not all of them are and if they are they are quite expensive, you can always buy shoe care products which will help seal the pores to prevent water from getting into the shoes. Believe me, the last thing you want is water to get into your shoes in winter. Before I move on to the next piece of equipment, I would like to point out that a pair of shoes good for the outdoor in winter will not be so good for indoor use. For example, if your work place is heated (which should be the case), you will be very uncomfortable if you wear the same pair of shoes inside. You should, therefore, consider leaving a regular pair of shoes at work.
The next piece of equipment I would like to elaborate on is the jacket. It is probably the first piece of equipment you thought about when you heard the words “Canadian winter.�? When you go shopping for a winter jacket/coat, don’t buy the thickest jacket you can get. The trick is to dress using multiple layers. If you look at the jackets used by skiers, you will notice that they are not thick, but almost all of them have fleece linings and hoods. There are a lot of reasons to explain this. First, when you dress in layers, air is trapped in between each layer. That air is eventually going to be heated by your body heat and act as insulation. Secondly, a thick jacket can be very uncomfortable because it will restrict your ability to move freely (and you don’t want to look like the Michelin guy). Thirdly, there will be times when you will feel a bit too warm (inside a shopping mall). If you dress in layers, you can always remove a layer of garment or two. You will not be able to do that if you have a thick jacket only. So what type of jacket should you get? Look for one that has a nylon shell(outside), a fleece lining inside and a hood (to protect your ears). If you can get a jacket that you can separate the lining from the shell it will be even better. Depending on the intensity of the cold outside, you can wear either the lining only or the shell only. On top of that, cleaning the jacket will be an easy task.
You might be wondering why would you need a toque when your jacket already has a hood. A toque will protect both your head and your ears and will stay in place even if you are facing violent cold winds. Believe me, keeping a hood in place when the wind is blowing strongly can be everything but an easy task. If it is snowing at the same time, this task will be even more complicated.
When I mentioned thermal underwear, I was thinking about “Long John.�? I strongly doubt you will be wearing snow pants (pants means trousers and not underwear in Canada) mainly because no one does, and if you do, you will definitely look like the Michelin guy. That being said, you still need to protect your legs against the cold, otherwise have fun waiting for the bus or walking from the parking lot to your office in -20 degrees weather. If you plan to buy some “Long Johns�? buy those containing 50% polyester and 50% cotton. They may not be as comfortable as the ones made from 100% cotton, but will provide more warmth.
Now that you know what to expect from the Canadian winter and how to protect yourself, go out and enjoy winter. If you stay inside, you won’t expose your skin to enough sunlight (which is a luxury in winter) for your body to produce enough vitamin D. Lack of exposure to sunlight can also affect your mood for the worse. I have found that when you enjoy winter instead of surviving it, winter will not feel as long as some people might think. Trust me on that. After 5 years in Canada, I know a thing or two about it’s famous winter!!!