Winter was another reason why I was super excited about being placed in Madison to study. I would finally experience snow in America. As an international student from Indonesia, a tropical country with a climate that is fairly constant year round, I anticipated that snowfall would be the best part of winter for me.

People said that winter in Wisconsin has been unpredictable in recent years. It might be deep snow one year and relatively little the next. Some friends said that winter in Wisconsin could be scary, with snowstorms, frigidly cold days, and freezing rain. Since I have never liked cold weather, I prepared myself by stocking up on warm clothes, sweaters, coats, scarves and hats, so that I would be able to keep myself warm when winter officially arrived.

When I experienced the first light snowfall I said to myself, “Welcome Winter. Give me more snow!”

My request was granted. It started to snow heavily. I jumped out of my bed, bundled up, went outside and took pictures of everything. I documented my first winter moment and made my first snowman that day.

Eventually a real snowstorm hit Madison. It snowed all day long. Soon my excitement about the snow turned to hatred. I was sick of always having to bundle up when I went out, sick of freezing all the time, and sick of being annoyed by wet socks. I hated having to cover my face up with my scarf like a turtle. These freezing cold days were hard and made me want to go back home or escape to somewhere warm.

Sometimes it rained. Surprisingly, I did not feel as cold after the rain. At the beginning of winter, I often checked the weather prediction or watched the weather forecast. Later I stopped doing that because to me everyday was just the same. Freezing.

Then the weather changed again. It was snowing heavily like before, but this time it was icy. I slipped on snow for the first time. I was in hurry to get to school and when I walked out of my apartment I did not realize that the road was ice-covered and slippery. I lost my balance and fell down. As I crossed the street I slipped again at the traffic lights.

I hope that winter will end soon. I do like snowfall, but winter is not for me.  One day in the future I know I will be glad I was here in Madison in the dead of winter.  But one thing I am sure of:  I never want to be freezing again.