Last night’s storm left me without power for almost ten hours, and I spent most of the night restlessly tossing and turning. The heat was unbearable. It’s the middle of summer in Florida, and it feels like it just keeps getting hotter each year. I remember when I first arrived in September 2010. Stepping out of the airport, the air was dense and humid, it was hard to breathe, and taking a deep breath in, didn’t help; the air was just as warm and thick no matter what.
I grew up in Costa Rica, surrounded by mountains and trees. There is always a breeze blowing and it stays in the 70s most of the year. I was not used to this weather, and the landscape seemed dull and boring. I hated the summers; I didn’t like spending time outside at all. It was impossible to enjoy myself with the sun beating down, and I would spend most of my days indoors enjoying the cold AC.
As the years went on, it became easier to breathe, and the heat became easier to stand in. I learned to love it here. I didn’t dread the summers, and I became an outdoors person. Florida slowly became a magical place with the most beautiful skyscapes; coming from a country where I was surrounded by mountains, the sky in these flat Florida terrains looked massive, and I loved how the clouds went on for as far as my eyes could see.
My favorite time of the year became summer, because of the summer showers. I became enamored with the contrast between the sunniest days getting covered by dark, rainy clouds. I love it when the sky becomes dark out of nowhere and there are only sporadic flashes of light followed by loud banging thunder.
This year Florida is experiencing a massive drought. The lakes and ponds are drying, plants are dying, wildfires are burning all around; so even though last night’s storm left me without power for almost 10 hours, I can’t complain, and I hope it rains all day today.
