The Typhoon That Got Away

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Another week has passed in the South of Taiwan. The entire country was put up in arms recently about the impending typhoon, and in result, our weekend trip to Taipei got cancelled. However, even after all the panic, the typhoon never even ended touching the island. Currently, the typhoon is about to make landfall in the Yangtze river delta near Shanghai, China. But what the typhoon lacked in torrential downpour and unbearabe winds, it made up for in beautiful cloud formations and sunsets. 

It was raining steadily all week and it just got better this weekend. Therefore, my classmates and I went to the beach, the port, and stumbled across many night markets to quench our insomniac tendencies. At these night markets we found many different types of cuisine. I never really knew what to expect stinky tofu to smell like, but I was not prepared for it when it happened. I think the best way to describe it would be a pair of dirty socks. It really does smell bad, and I have yet to muster up the bravery to try a piece.

This week will be a tough one filled with classes, homework, and this weekend a trip to the city of Tainan to experience more of this beautiful island. So far, I haven’t gotten food poisoning once, nor have I even felt bad like I did in China. I believe this has to do with cleanliness of Taiwanese food, as well as the less apparent pollution. Hope to keep this streak up!

Until next week,

-LM

Lucas Mackey

ไฝ ๅฅฝ๏ผMy name is Lucas Mackey, and I am a current Junior studying at EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. Iโ€™m majoring in aviation business and pursuing a minor in mandarin Chinese. Iโ€™ve always held a fascination with the world of airlines, and I someday hope to change the industry for the better. I was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in multiple states across the country. When people ask me where I come from, I really donโ€™t know what to respond because all the places Iโ€™ve lived influenced my life in extraordinary ways. Through this domestic immersion in different cultures, Iโ€™ve come to understand the real difference between tolerance and acceptance. Throughout my life, Iโ€™ve experienced both and neither, however, I make it my goal to create a world where everyone can be accepted and treated as equal. This summer I am studying abroad in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. I hope to improve my Chinese skills as well as my knowledge of the aviation markets in East Asia. Taiwan is very progressive in nature, and accepts people of all kinds which is why I was so motivated to choose this locale. I hope to learn from their culture the importance of treating others as part of a family, and applying these principles to reaching my future goal of entrepreneuring a world class airline.