It never rains but it pours...

The last couple of days have seen some absolutely lovely weather here in this small town of Preston. Since this is the other extreme of what we're used to, it's prompted me to think about how I've grown to deal with the semi-constant rain, cold and dreariness of English weather.

Since I'm from Malta, I've grown up with a pretty temperate climate. Winters on the island are chilly, but never sub-zero. It doesn't snow or frost, and in an average year we only get a few cm or so of rain. The summers are extremely hot, with average temperatures of 38 degrees Celcius in July and August.

It's quite funny, but everyone in Malta refers to England as a place that's great to visit if you want to go shopping or see the countryside, but it 'is dreadfully rainy and cold there!!' Funnily enough, before I moved here I couldn't wait to live in a country where the sun wasn't always shining and I could wear sweaters and not get burnt everytime I went outside.

But the fact is that the nearly constant rain and gloom of an overcast sky is very depressing. When the weather is horrible on the weekend, it makes me want to stay at home in bed and sleep, and makes my life completely miserable.

 Sadly, although I would like to say that in the past eight years I've gotten used to this...I haven't. So here are the techniques I've developed to make myself get out of bed, into the rain and actually enjoy it.

-Leave my hair au naturel - i.e. don't bother straightening or blowdrying it. It'll just make you sad when the rain ruins it

-Warm clothes. If you're all snuggled up when you go out, you won't notice the weather as much.

- I would tell you to carry an umbrella, but let's be serious - it's usually too windy to deal with that. Get yourself a coat with a hood or a massive beanie hat and you're good to go.

- Any day the sun is shining, get out there. Just stand on the pavement in the sun if that's all you have time to do. It'll lift your spirits and keep you as happy as a cherub. Makes all the difference in the world :D



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