Hurricane Season in Cayman: Staying Safe and Finding Solace in K-Dramas

The hurricane season has started. Last week, we received a national advisory that a category four hurricane named Beryl was headed our way. This caused a lot of anxiety on the island, with everyone rushing to stock up on groceries and board their windows with plywood. Some might say we were overreacting, but those people probably hadn’t experienced the devastation of Hurricane Ivan. Although I wasn’t there, I’ve heard stories from friends and even my husband, who experienced it firsthand. Since then, the locals have been more alert and take extra precautions during hurricane season. It’s always better to be prepared and have nothing happen than vice versa.

The government now requires new houses to be built according to specific guidelines to ensure they can withstand hurricanes. Luckily, our home was constructed after Hurricane Ivan, so it’s more “hurricane-ready” than older houses. Our windows are double-layered or hurricane-grade. I vividly remember the impact of Hurricane Grace, which terrified me. I thought our windows would break, but they held up. After that experience, I suggested to my husband that we board up our windows like our neighbors do. When we decided, plywood was already sold out across the island. Fortunately, one of our neighbors had a spare, so we borrowed some to protect our windows.

On a different note, since I returned to Cayman, I’ve been thinking about my career. At 30, I feel like I’m having a mid-life crisis. Life feels short, and I’m unsure whether I am on the right career path. Honestly, I don’t feel passionate about it. However, I’ve heard stories of people pursuing their passions yet ending up in entirely different careers to support their desired lifestyle. So I guess you can never really have it all, do you?

To cope, I’ve been on a social media cleanse, keeping only WhatsApp and Reddit on my phone – no Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, or Instagram. I’m trying to spend more quality time with myself. I started reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, which was recommended on Reddit as a valuable resource for dealing with people, regardless of your career. I’m only on the 4th chapter, but it’s already provided insightful real-world examples. It’s a good read and could be helpful in any career.

Another thing that’s been keeping me occupied is watching K-dramas. I have been binge-watching Suspicious Partner. Since Mr. Queen, I’ve grown to love Shin Hye Sun, so I watched Angel’s Last Mission: Love, My Golden Life, Still 17, and Welcome to Samdal-ri! When I saw her chemistry with Ji Chang Wook, I became obsessed with him, too! Now I’m really into Suspicious Partner.

Sometimes, all it takes is to rekindle the love for the things you used to do when you were younger, like watching K-pop live shows and K-dramas to make you feel like yourself again!