Today is Typhoon day~

Every year, from July to October, Taiwan enters typhoon season, and it’s something you just get used to living here. The island becomes more on edge as we check the news for updates on how strong the storm will be and whether we need to stay home. What makes it amusing for me is that typhoons are given different names every year, and some are pretty unique. One thing I’ve always found interesting is how these typhoons get their names. I wonder who is in charge of deciding them! Some past names have been quite memorable, like Typhoon Gemmy, Maria, Trami, Typhoon Haikui, or Typhoon Lekima. I’ve always been curious about the naming process—do they pick names randomly, or is there some sort of theme? Either way, it adds some character to the storm experience. However, Typhoon Khraton has hit this year, and it's the biggest one I’ve experienced in almost six years of living here.

When a major typhoon is about to land, the Government updates its Website to inform people whether work and classes are canceled. Thankfully, they called for a two-day break today and tomorrow. We’ve been advised to stay indoors unless it's essential to go out. Honestly, I'm glad to have two days off to relax and not rush anywhere, but there's a downside: no work means less pay. 

So, how am I spending my typhoon days? Well, I've tried to be productive—I've been working on my reading list for school and revising an article for a journal submission. But let's be honest. The constant rain and roaring winds outside kind of kill the mood for focused work. It’s hard to concentrate when you can hear the storm rattling the windows and know you're stuck inside. The feeling of being cooped up definitely gets to you after a while.

To break up the monotony, I’ve been watching Netflix, cooking dumplings (one of my comfort foods), and mostly just lounging around on my bed. There’s something oddly cozy about listening to the rain pounding against the roof while being wrapped up in a blanket—although I’ll admit it’s easy to get bored. 

Tomorrow is still technically a day off, but I have an online class and a meeting with my professor to look forward to. It’s funny how, even though typhoons can be disruptive, sometimes it’s nice to have a reason to just slow down and take a break. I guess a typhoon isn’t all bad—at least until cabin fever kicks in!