Much ado about air-con?
There has been a quiet tussle over the air-conditioning in the office and I am working from home until I come up with a firm strategy and feel less annoyed. I love the apartment but there is a fussy crying baby whom I cannot tolerate either.
I think it is one cultural difference that I cannot accommodate — much like Japanese curry, which is something I cannot stomach.
See, in Tokyo summers, the air-conditioning in offices and commercial buildings (and home probably) hover around 27 degrees to save energy. The weather is fairly cool sometimes but it does get hot so the office becomes unbearably stuffy. Sometimes, the air-con isn’t even on and the windows are open but the heavy construction in the opposite building is horribly harsh on the ears and any mental focus.
I naturally reach for the remote control to turn on the air-con but my Japanese colleague would start fidgeting about. He would apologize for not switching on the air-con in the first place, then after an hour, he tells me, “Yu Ming-san, if you feel cold, please make the air-con warmer if you like.” I told him several times I was feeling warm and would like to turn down the temperature even more.
Soon I realized he didn’t care how “cold” I felt, but really, he was hinting to me to turn up the temperature. Not only that, he would switch on his own little tiny stand up fan at himself. How could it be cold at all? I clenched my teeth and wondered silently. This happens a few times a day and it is making me feel very irritated.
On a previous occasion, said colleague’s wife comes in to do the accounts for their side business and to clean the digs. They were bantering like all couples in love-hate relationships do, then I caught on there was a problem with the air-con. They exchanged a comment like, “She’s from Singapore and must be used to hot weather.” Well, that doesn’t mean I like it. It’s not fair for me to jump on them with, “They were complaining about my air-con habits in front of me but behind my back in Japanese!” But I am well aware that the vibe I am getting spells out, “This is an issue.”
In Singapore, the air-conditioning goes down to a cool 18 degrees and it is an absolute relief especially if you come in from the scorching, humid weather. But I do concede that some buildings are just ridiculous with their 14-degree central air-conditioning. It is so chilly you can see people slipping on their cardigans and vests when they step into the office. Furthermore, the Singapore government has never given a rat’s ass about this and even blasts air-con out in the open spaces of Clarke Quay.
Herein lies the cultural conundrum — the Japanese dude thinks I am uncivic-minded while I think my personal comfort level is more important. I cannot work when I am squirming in sweat and can hardly breathe in what is to me very stale air. Many of my gaijin friends have complained to me about this too — they can’t do anything about it but sweat it out because their offices only have central air-conditioning.
I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. However, I have no solution but to put up with the screaming baby for now. Should I seriously do what the Romans do? I mean, many expats in Singapore don’t shout at the sky and tell the sun to turn off, right? But they have 18-degree air-conditioning at their disposal…
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