Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Katrina

Coming from a country where it's hot and humid all year round, clouds and rain put most people I know back home in a better mood. Growing up, I loved reading in my room with the windows opened whenever it was raining outside; just listening to the pitter-patter of the raindrops on the metal roof that sat over the kitchen... listening to the maids chatter in tagalog doing laundry and cooking the next meal for the family, was heaven to me! Rainy days were the best!

I can understand why the Americans give me a weird look and call me insane (including my husband who's grown to accept it) when I tell them what a nice day it is when it's wet and dreary outside. "Ahhh, my kind of day!"

But the last 24 hours with the tv blasting constant warnings from the local news and drastic predictions of New Orleans on CNN in this household has made me rather uncomfortable. Then seeing graphic details of what Katrina's done to New Orleans and Biloxi, even Jackson, Mississippi (only a short three hours drive from us) has made me gasp in horror more than once. It's just so scary to be this close to this natural disasters. Bruce doesn't quite understand my fears... often, he rolls his eyes and tells me everything will be ok. Maybe I'm just being pessimist. But I always think something bad will happen during our stay here in Memphis. The worst would probably be an earthquake that'll happen when I'm home alone while Bruce is at work.

Katrina's come and gone... at least the effects of her. I can now calm down and breathe again. But the deck and yard looks like crap! Arrgh! Everyone needs to know how to live in a country like Singapore where there are no natural calamities whatsoever. Just bad politicians. Then again, you have them here too!