About this time of year I start to see a lot of pictures of snow on my Facebook news feed. And when I say snow, I mean snow that’s deep enough to lose a car in. And I wonder how the hell anyone can live somewhere like that. I mean, it’d be fine if you could stay inside and sip hot chocolate for as long as winter lasts, but actually having to step outside to like go to work and earn a living? Um… no. I don’t think I could manage that.

So while the northern hemisphere is having another winter from hell—and I’m looking at you mostly, America; I’ve seen the news reports—I thought I’d share what my January looks like. Here in tropical northern Australia, it’s summer. And it’s hot as balls. Except when it’s raining torrentially. It’s okay then. Apart from the flash flooding. But then, when the rain stops, it’s hot as balls again, and there are mosquitos everywhere.

Summer is actually my least favourite season. Although we really only have two seasons here: the wet season and the dry season. The dry season is great. It encompasses winter, although I’m not sure you can consider “Oh, it’s a bit cool. I’d better turn the fan off” as winter.

Summer is not always fun. Summer means humidity so disgusting that you feel like you’re wandering around in a steam room for weeks. It means mosquitos, cyclone alerts, and patches of mould creeping up the walls because the rain never bloody ends.

But would I exchange it all for the January you’re having? No way! And here’s a few reasons why:

1. Mangoes.

Check this out: 15 mangoes for $10, bought from the side of the road. Mangoes are the one thing I’d really miss if I moved from the tropics. And my family too, I guess. But mostly the mangoes. (Don’t tell them I said that.) Also, the papaya on top was not bought with the mangoes. It came from my mum’s yard.

2. While I hate the humidity, when you get close to the ocean the breeze is just beautiful. And that view… perfect.

3. Meet Ramona the possum. In a cold climate, she’d have to figure out how to hibernate. Here, she only had to figure out how to break into my house (through the wooden louvers) and steal cat biscuits. Except that can’t be a healthy diet, so now I share my mangoes with her. And leave strawberries out. I’m a good host like that.

What does January look like where you live?