"Austria is going through a proper cold spell right now. I live in Vienna, not exactly the chilliest corner of the country, but still. The snowfall this Friday was one of the heaviest I have seen in the city, and this week brought some of the lowest temperatures I have felt in almost ten years of living here. Luckily, Austrians have taught me quite a bit about how to handle it."
"When I first moved here, I treated winter as something to endure rather than live through. I would hibernate as much as possible. Stay home, keep the lights low, watch endless hours of television, eat comfort food, and repeat. It did not go well. After a couple of winters, I realised that hiding from the cold was making me miserable."
Austrian residents treat cold weather as an opportunity rather than something to endure. Snow is viewed as an invitation to go outside, visit parks, take photos, and engage in family activities. Regular outdoor routines include long dog walks, sledging with children, and communal gatherings. Avoiding hibernation prevents prolonged misery from bad weather and encourages adaptation to the climate. Austrians rarely wait for perfect weather; they prepare for typical conditions and continue daily life unless conditions become genuinely dangerous. Embracing winter activities fosters social connection and resilience throughout months of cold and grey weather.
Read at www.thelocal.at
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