How to Survive a Siberian Winter with No Home

 

Alexei Vergunov is a homeless man living in Omsk, Siberia, in northern Russia. He survives freezing nighttime temperatures of minus-30 degrees Celsius¹ by sleeping under an industrial heating² pipe for warmth.

It is a dangerous way to live. If he is too far from the pipe, he could die from the cold. If he is too close, he could get severe burns without knowing it.

The 46-year-old Vergunov has lived like this for more than 11 years.

He says, "You sleep at night with your eyes closed but your ears open."

He used to desire for a chance to rebuild his life. But his partner Alyonka died of liver³ cancer two years ago. Since then, he has lost the will to change his life. The couple had lived together near the city's train station.

Vergunov says, "I get through the day and that's it. If I found a woman like her, I could stop and try to return to society, but I can't find anyone like her."

Vergunov likes to call himself Lyokha the Beard. He is one of 3,500 homeless people officially living in the city of Omsk. But the real number of homeless is likely higher. He is one of the few who stop to talk and laugh with those who live in homes.

He likes to joke with them, saying, "It's you that's going to freeze in your apartment with three blankets, not me between the pipes."

His favorite time is night. The city is quiet, and he is free to search through waste areas for glass bottles and other objects. He can then exchange what he finds for a small amount of money at a recycling center.

Omsk does have a night shelter for the homeless. But it is in a distant part of town. Vergunov does not sleep there. The local homeless people in that area will not let him earn money at the nearby waste area. They see the area as their personal territory.

An aid group called Caritas gives out food and clothes to help the city's homeless. But Vergunov has also learned⁴ to be on the lookout⁵ for people who may be a threat. He once saved the life of his friend, Alexander, after a group of teenagers set him on fire.

Sometimes bad experiences and pain can push Omsk's homeless toward⁶ trying to return to society.

Lyusya Stepanova has spent more than 27 years on the streets. The 44-year-old was in the hospital for three weeks in January with serious burns across her body. She fell asleep too close to the pipes where she was sheltering.

Stepanova is now in a recovery⁷ center 30 kilometers away from Omsk.

She says, "I plan to go home, to mother. My childhood dreams were noble, but it's too late now, that boat has already sailed."

Words in This Story

minus – adj. having a value that is below zero

blanket – n. a covering made of cloth that is used especially on a bed to keep you warm

recycling – adj. having to do with the processing of paper, glass, cans, etc. in order to regain⁸ or reuse materials

society – n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values

noble – adj. having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people admire such as honesty, generosity⁹, courage, etc.

1 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

2 heating   

n.加热，供暖，暖气装置；adj.加热的，供暖的

参考例句：

• They will install a heating and lighting system in our house.他们将在我们家装上供热供电系统。
• If the pressure is too low,the heating system will act up.如果压力太低，供暖系统就会出毛病。

3 liver   

n.肝；肝脏

参考例句：

• He has a weak liver.他的肝脏不好。
• The largest organ in the body is the liver.人体最大的器官是肝脏。

4 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

5 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

6 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

7 recovery   

n.恢复，痊愈；追回，寻回，收复

参考例句：

• The doctors said that his recovery was a miracle. 医生们说他的复原是件奇事。
• The quick recovery was truly in response to medication.这次迅速康复确实是对药物治疗的反应。

8 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

9 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。