By Gashi
Hello fans and readers of Amjambo! First of all, I would like to thank our readers for taking time to learn about the lives of immigrants and refugees here in Maine, and to find out about life in our countries of origin. The great power we all have access to is information; without information, our life is like a dark night.
Dear residents of Maine, I need you to understand that my first experience of snow season was a big problem for me personally – and for others I know as well. Because in many of our countries we do not have a snow season.
In Maine you have to find enough layers of clothes to cover your body and protect it from the cold and snow. You have to wear heavy layers of clothes during the winter, in order to get enough heat to your body. And you have to turn on the heating system to stay warm.
When I saw the locals come out of their houses to play with the snow and make white snow angels, or build tall towers with soft snow, I felt happy. And I saw people doing things like skiing. Skiing here is a good sport that makes children and adults happy. It also brings money to Maine because tourists from other states and other countries come to Maine to go skiing and snowboarding.
Sliding on skis reminds me of my childhood days, when I was between the ages of 5 and 10, and me and my friends liked to slide in the mud during the rainy season. We always chose a steep slope because it was easy to pick up a lot of speed, and slide far. We used fresh banana leaves for sliding. Our parents did not want us to play the game – because it was bad for our clothes, which might get torn or messed up. Our parents didn’t want to go to the expense of buying other clothes, or of buying more soap. So, we made sure to take off all our clothes! By taking off our clothes, we avoided being punished by our parents.
During the night here, during the snow season, I sleep very well – and I was surprised to find that it gets dark very early in winter. Also, when you walk on snow, be careful. It is slippery and you could fall down. It is a good idea to talk with a mentor or a friend who knows winter weather, so they can let you know what you have to do, and what you should not do. Ask someone else to explain how to be OK in the snow season. And ask about driving, too. In the winter, drivers must be careful to prevent getting into an accident. Many cars slide or get stuck completely, if the driver doesn’t know what to do.
Maine is a very beautiful state, with different seasons. When you get used to them, you will enjoy all the seasons – summer, fall, spring, and even winter.
