‘Drinking 4 litres of water, never leaving the fan’: UAE expats and locals struggle through Europe’s heatwave

I had always heard about the charm of the British summer, and actually looked forward to it. But 2015 taught me fast: My tiny dorm room was basically a mini oven, and staying inside was a no-go. So, I became a professional park wanderer, chasing every scrap of breeze I could find. Lesson learned that summer: Always be near water—because when it’s hot, anything else just won’t cut it.

I didn’t own a desk fan or even a small portable one, something my close friend, James Taffe, an author and historian based in Newcastle, England, still finds alarming. When I ask about the current heatwave sweeping through Europe, one of the first things he brings up is how I managed to survive without a fan. I don't know, either.

Yet, since that summer, much has changed. Heat alerts have become more frequent and more extreme. Each year, headlines proclaim new record highs across Europe. This year, red alerts have already been issued in France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal—much earlier than usual. Spain has already seen temperatures soar past 46°C.

So, how are residents in these countries coping with the heat?

As Dr. James Taffe explains, the summer in England had been relatively manageable—until the recent heatwave struck. “I don’t move away from my desk fan,” he says. “It’s always on, always aimed at my face. The moment I step away, I break into a sweat.” His coping method is simple: constant airflow. “Air conditioning is pleasant, sure, but there’s something comforting about your own personal supply.”

Still, the discomfort is real. And in true British fashion, as he says, everyone is talking about the weather. “It’s become the most obvious, shared topic of conversation,” he says. He also cites a few articles he’s read on how extreme weather can affect mood and cognition. “People are definitely more irritable. You can tell, some love the sun, while others just become edgy and snappy. It’s clear they’re not handling the heat well.” He adds that working in such conditions is mentally exhausting. “There’s this constant brain fog. Just trying to exist in a heatwave is something else.”

Even so, he finds a silver lining in the evenings. “I love the long, warm evenings when it’s still and bright." The weather feels calm then.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, Siddharth Srihari, a resident since 2012, has observed a noticeable shift in both the duration and intensity of summer. “In my early years here, summers were pleasant—hitting 30°C maybe for a couple of days. But in recent years, 30 degrees has become the norm, and the hot days last much longer,” he explains.

He adds that the past few years could almost be described as one continuous heatwave. “Northern Europe is now experiencing the kind of heat that used to be typical only in the south. Like this afternoon—it was 34°C. That just didn’t happen before.”

Did he change any plans, due to the heat? As he cheerfully says, he’s from India. He can handle the heat.

Dubai-based Ananda Shakespeare, who hails from England, is busy travelling through different parts of Europe for her holiday. “Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czech, maybe Austria and then UK,” as she explains. Nevertheless, the heat is relentless, but she finds a way to manage without too much difficulty. “I avoid the mid-day sun as much as I could, and walk around with my hat.” Like Dr Taffe, she keeps a fan handy with her too, and visits swimming pools often.

However, she does note that it might be a lot more difficult back home in England, as they don’t have air-conditioners at home. Nevertheless, she points out different ways that her friends from there manage: “They do have a portable AC unit,” she says, concluding with the thought that she is always armed with ice-creams and cooling drinks.

A similar sentiment comes from Anisha Prasad, who lives in Munich, Germany. “It’s hot—really draining when you’re outside AC-covered spaces. After getting home, even if I’ve made plans, I often just can’t do anything else,” she says. Her solution? Light, cooling meals. “I avoid rich or salty food and stick to homemade dishes. And I don’t step out on weekends anymore.”

On the other hand, Latifa Youssef, who just moved to Switzerland this year, finds the summer wave perplexing. As she says, "This is my first summer living outside of the UAE and facing a heatwave in Europe, in a city where proper installed air conditioning is not allowed without a permit, which is typically only given to people with health reasons," she says, adding that temperatures have reached 35 degrees, and the nights are referred to by the locals as 'tropical nights', where the temperatures are above 20 degrees. "A person who has been very used to air conditioning in the UAE throughout a lot of the year, it has been a struggle the last 2 weeks to try and cope without it. I have purchased multiple fans in this attempt, but my home is uncomfortably warm still. Cooking can be a bit unpleasant with the added heat from the appliances, so I haven’t been doing much of it, mainly trying to prepare cold salads and sandwiches instead," she says.

She adds, that the solution of buying a portable AC exists, but many people have said that the mechanism for hot air release through the window is not efficient, and it often just comes back into the room negating the cooling effect. "For now, I’m keeping the blinds on the windows shut to keep the sun’s heat out, drinking 3-4 liters of water a day, avoiding the sun as much as possible, and enjoying a nice gelato when I get the chance."

As Europe continues to heat up, one thing’s clear, residents are adapting, one fan, one swim, and one ice cream at a time."