By Sarah Truckey
The summer I spent in Spain was the best summer of my life. MTV over there actually played music videos, the massive amount of food I consumed somehow made me skinnier, I discovered the power of the siesta and, best of all, there was no air conditioning in most places, no sudden drastic changes in temperature or cold feet at night or sounds of the thermostat turning over. I breathed fresh air every day—a concept familiar to my parents, who knew nothing of central air when they were our age, but completely foreign to me. Whatever happened to sitting on our porches and saying hello to the neighbors as they pass down the street? What about drinking lots of chilled water and eating fresh fruits to stay cool? Turn off the A/C for once and save a little money. Draw the shades, turn on a fan and keep your oven off. Sweat a little and get used to smelling a bit ripe. Think of it as a Spanish vacation.