How Do You Cope With The Heat? What To Wear?

[DiggerDoug]

I was just thinking about when I have been to Thailand wearing shorts and T-shirt almost every day and back home how hot I get in the middle of a lesson in winter while wearing light trousers and a short sleeve shirt.

What are you expected to wear while teaching?

[angsta]

I usually wear a mankini a la Borat but different schools has various dress codes.

[phosphorescent]

Dunno, but i think this is a huge problem in some establishments coz the girls wear absolutely nothing! Its a disgrace. I think I'll pop down now to check if they have rectified it yet.

Edited May 29, 2013 by phosphorescent

[chonabot]

A set of slacks ( hate that word ) and a long or short sleeved shirt, smart shoes.

One tip I picked up to avoid sweating is to wear a very thin white T shirt under the shirt.

It may raise your body temp, but it stops the sweat patches nicely.

This worked for me in a class with no fans and 60 kids, so it must be good!

[onlycw]

Natural fabrics - cotton, linen, silk. For slacks, Ralph Lauren's linen & silk mix is pretty good.

Spicy food lets me break out a sweat, too. When wearing polyester, you can add a noticeable foul odor to the issue.

My room has neither fans nor aircon

[simon43]

I wear trousers, a long-sleeved cotton shirt, top button done up and a tie, just as I would in the UK. Luckily, I sweat very little.

Heat?? what heat?!

Simon

[SlyAnimal]

Generally I wear a long sleeved business shirt + slacks + black leather shoes.

It's hot, especially as most of the class rooms I teach in don't have aircon, but you will probably get used to the heat within a couple of months, and then you don't notice it so much (Unless the room is poorly designed so that it retains more heat than it should).

[naboo]

Thin cotton vest under your shirt, as stated above, works wonders. Just make sure you're out of smelling distance when you take it off.

[chonabot]

I wear trousers, a long-sleeved cotton shirt, top button done up and a tie, just as I would in the UK. Luckily, I sweat very little.

Heat?? what heat?!

Simon

Perhaps you have a hydration problem

It hits over 50 celsius in a class room without a/c and fans, plus the active little buggers running around in close proximity.

When I teach I put a fair bit of energy into the lesson and walk around the class a lot.

Even the lazy Thai teachers sweat in these classrooms

I think sweating in that heat is healthy and 'lucky'

[MamaSan]

Almost anywhere (including your local 7/11), you can find a Snake Brand product called "Prickly Heat Powder." Thais call it "Cooling Powder" - and for good reason. After showering, you pour some into a cupped hand and add water until it is thinner than a paste. Then apply it liberally all over your skin. In just a few minutes, you'll actually feel cold. It's wonderful!

I personally like the Lavender but it's available in a number of fragrances. I never leave home without it.

[ETatBKK]

natural fabric is the key !

another tips - always a pocket towel with you ! well, mostly for the sweat, and in case, do a quick cool down with water from the sink, dry yourself smartly !

[sirchai]

Had a few days with more than 45 Degrees Celsius in the classrooms, third floor.

Neither air, nor a fan. Just some ceiling fans for the students. Doesn't really matter what I wear, I'm sweating that I (after three hours straight) look like I had taken a shower wearing my clothes.......

Would make perfect sense to carry a fan from class to class.

The "cooling powder" does work, but not for long. I'm glad to have a house on campus and if it's too much, I just have a shower.

And that after doing this job for more than eight years, It's not that our bodies get used to it, as our body temperature's usually just 37 degrees.

Thai colleagues do have the same problem, but they mostly sit in their chairs, while I'm always standing and walking around in class. You'll have to drink at least three liters of water, some stuff with electrolytes is also very helpful.-

Edited June 1, 2013 by sirchai

[SlyAnimal]

The main thing, is to get your body to adjust to the temperature. Otherwise you'll be fighting a battle with the heat for years.

If you have a/c in your office + at home, and it's always down really low, then you'll notice the heat twice as much when you go into a classroom which doesn't have a/c

Instead, if your body is more used to the heat e.g. turn your AC to the high 20s, then your body will notice that it's warm in the classroom, but not as hot as it would otherwise be. It will probably take maybe a month or two (Maybe less if you just use a fan instead of a/c), but then your body will adjust. After which you'll start to find 20 degrees to be "absolutely freezing!!", but shouldn't sweat as much in your classrooms when it's around 40 degrees etc (Although in some areas, or some badly designed classrooms, it might simply be soo hot that even this won't work).

As yeah, I used to sweat buckets when I first started teaching with no a/c, now I still sweat but only lightly. Admittedly though, it has probably been helped by the fact in addition to only having fans at home, not a/c, I also started regularly running in the afternoons, where I lost quite a bit of weight, and it probably helped my body adjust to the heat (I'd literally sweat out around 2kg+ when I first started running in the afternoons lol).

[Chamezz]

Merino wool, used for sportswear, but also used in "regular" clothes.

Absorbs moisture on one side, and retains it on the other, it's very breathable and is good at regulating body temperature. However, it does cost a fair bit.

Keep your AC about 5ºC lower than the ambient outside, and preferably not below 30ºC (might be a personal preference).

[Eddy B]

natural fabric is the key !

another tips - always a pocket towel with you ! well, mostly for the sweat, and in case, do a quick cool down with water from the sink, dry yourself smartly !

I agree with this. Basically use natural fabric clothes that look smart. Not to worry about wearing a tie unless it is a condition of your employment. Your body will get used to the heat but slowly, make sure to keep your liquid uptake daily. Also you can buy the glucose/salt packets at any chemist to help for re-balancing your loss through sweating. I remember the last time I went back home I had become so used to the weather here in Thailand I looked like an Eskimo when I went out into town.