Officially recognized as the coldest permanently inhabited settlement on earth, the small Russian village of Oymyakon is home to the most resilient kids in the world. While most people can’t imagine sending their kids to school when it’s -58º F, it’s pretty much standard procedure for the school in Oymyakon. However, if the temperature drops another three degrees, the school officially closes. Daytime temperatures in Oymyakon average -58º F in the winter, which means kids of all ages have to brave the cold and get off to school each morning. Local kids walk to school with their parents, while those from other villages have to take a 20-minute bus ride. In December, the sun rises at around 10 a.m., so at 9 a.m. when school starts, it’s still dark outside, making the temperature even lower. School gets out at 5 p.m. — about three hours after the sun sets — so kids have to brave the cold in the dark coming and going. So, the next time your kids complain about it being too cold to go to school, maybe show them what the children of Oymyakon have to deal with every winter.
