Typhoon Day in Taipei

Day 4

I woke up this morning at 5 am – granted, I’d already been asleep for 9 and a half hours, but it was still no hour to be up at. “What am I doing here?” I thought to myself, for at least a half hour, before falling asleep again. My alarm woke me at 8:30, and I woke Rachel, only for us both to find stickies from Brett on our doors that read, “There is a note on the table. Read it.” It turns out that a “super typhoon” is affecting Taipei today, and Kojen was closed for a typhoon day, so we have been left alone to fend for ourselves for yet another lonely day. I know it’s not really fending, it’s more watching Chinese tv and doing nothing, but we are really quite anxious to do what we have to do, get to Kaohsiung, get settled in and attempt to restore some element of normalcy to our lives. My reportings on today are minimal: we watched some CSI, some Pirate Masters, and a horrifying movie about voodoo in Haiti featuring Bill Pullman in his early early years. I am experiencing the recurring cramp in my side that has plagued me for the past month, which is leading me to convince myself that I have rabies/malaria/stomach cancer/any other serious stomach disease that might exist – I am in desperate need of a way to curb my anxiety (other than the 4 Ativan that I have left…) otherwise this is going to be a lonnnng year. The seed has already been planted in my head that I may not make it the full year, which isn’t a good thought to be thinking so soon after my arrival. I’ve spent the better part of the afternoon talking with Paul online, who is in India, and has experienced many of the same fears and doubts that I have. It’s been amazing to talk to someone who understands how I feel, and he reminds me that when something doesn’t feel right, it’s just not worth sticking around for pride’s sake – so I will give it time, and hopefully things will start to feel right here soon. What’s meant to be, right? For now, I will try and enjoy the Billy Crystal movie we’ve just started to watch and hope that tomorrow brings better things – including, but not limited to, Rachel’s bags.