Stay hydrated!
“I brought this object because I use it pretty much everyday. Before I go outside, I will fill it up with hot water and bring it with me. There are not many hot water dispensers here, whereas in China you can always get your hands on hot water. I cannot really handle drinking cold water, so bringing hot water is necessary.”
Staying hydrated is important. Every now and then, a newspaper article pops up to remind us to drink enough water every day.
The Chinese have a strong preference for drinking hot water. My parents also prefer to drink hot water, and it was a habit passed down to me when growing up: I start off each day by drinking a cup of hot water. For me, it is therefore not a strange thought to bring a hot water bottle, but I have also seen the other side, as Dutch people seldomly drink just hot water.
Yet, Chinese people drinking hot water is something that seems to fascinate foreigners. Do a quick google search and numerous articles on the habit of Chinese people drinking hot water pop up. This object is an extension of the long history between the Chinese and the consumption of hot water.
Bringing a warm beverage along is quite handy, and this bottle is made to do exactly that. The inside of the bottle is made to keep water warm for longer periods of time. The owner bought it in China, deeming these of better quality than the ones available abroad.
When you forget to bring hot water with you, it is still possible to get your hands on it in a clever way. One day, the PhD student did not bring a water bottle whilst roaming through Madurodam. She ordered a cup of tea, then decided to use the dispenser to get hot water without putting a tea bag in the water. Instead, she just drank the hot water. She left the teabag behind, and drank tea without tea -an inventive way to be able to drink hot water.