Tips on how to survive the scorching summer in the Philippines

Philippines being a tropical country, experiences more than a month of drought in most parts. Average temperature during the hottest time of the day which is from 11 am till 3pm, is 37 degrees Celsius but it raises to as high as 40 degrees in some parts of the archipelago. During that time when the sun is already up, try not to go out and stay under the sun for long hours because you will really feel the burning heat all around the body.

We actually don't have air conditioner at home. I am starting to be a little bit Earth-friendly that I avoid too much of those things that will further damage the ozone layer and contribute to more carbon footprints. What we have inside the house are two electric fans but really, they aren't enough to feel comfortable during the day.

So how do I survive on a very hot summer days in our country?

I go to the market very early in the morning, around 5 am or 6 am. I buy everything we need for the whole day or up to 2 days so I don't need to go out again and brave the heat outside. I must be at home by 7 am, then I cook our food for breakfast and lunch while the heat outside is not yet on a high. It is a bit colder in the morning and it is very much comfortable to do household chores as you don't have to sweat a lot. If some foods are easy to be spoiled, I just put them inside the refrigerator then I will just reheat them in the microwave oven.

By 9 am, the kids and everyone in the family need to get inside the house and take a bath. Then we will just entertain ourselves with watching videos, singing the karaoke, playing the Wii or any type of board games. For my husband and I, we either blog, search the internet about different topics we are passionate of, make videos of our past adventures, do some DIY arts and crafts and play online games.

One of our sources for arts and crafts is the Printable Learning. It is our source of free educational materials for children including activity books, coloring pages, worksheets and more. It is powered by Carrot Ink, the leading online provider of aftermarket ink and toner.

Source: https://www.carrotink.com/printablelearning/hannakuh/

Of course, we don't forget to drink a lot of water, 10 glasses a day is not actually enough to ease the heat. Aside from water, I make different refreshment for the family everyday like smoothies and fresh fruit shakes to keep us hydrated.

We make sure to take a nap by 1 pm, after we eat lunch. We try to avoid too much or unnecessary movements until 2 pm because that is the time that the heat is felt like hell. After the nap, we would all take a bath again and by around 4 pm, we would go to the nearby park where there are a lot of big trees and green grass. That place is cooler than any other part in our village. We would stay there for an hour, then we'll go back home by 5 pm to cook for dinner and continue other household chores that were left unfinished.

The relaxing park inside the village, perfect place to hang-out on hot summer days

It is really frustrating that too much heat is now felt especially in those parts of the world where summer is longer. I just hope the efforts and initiatives that the government, NGO's and other international organizations put in protecting the environment will somehow make a difference in the coming years. The heat that is felt on earth nowadays is really alarming, but I  believe, it is not yet too late to do our share in making this one and only planet for human a better place to live in.

Do you feel too much heat and discomfort in your country too? What are your ways of coping with the stress and distractions summer brings us nowadays?