I personally think I have a love hate relationship with summer. As a child I grew up in Singapore which isn't a country with much or any seasons at all, so there wasn't much of an excitement around "summer time" since it was always summer as far as I was concerned with a few rainy days sprinkled in. I think the only thing I really looked forward to was the long break from school, hanging out with friends and maybe the ocassional traveling. It wasn't until I moved to countries with four seasons that I think I really started to appreciate it.


The season was marked by a distinctive sound of cicadas, the smell of sunscreen and a whole lot of delicious seasonal fruits and icy treats that was widely available. And there were clear advantages to the season, where pools and waterparks were open and when students got special prices on attractions. I could finally understand the hype of why people were always so excited when summer was rolling around the corner. 

Staying in Taiwan now, the summers are so different. I've found that the humidity much higher compared to what I'm used to. I try to tell myself year after year that maybe this summer would be better, that after being here for 2 summers surely i've built up a tolerance for the heat but honestly I don't think I'll ever be ready. If you've ever met me on summer day here it in Taiwan, it would probably include me trying to conserve energy admist the heat, battling it with bowls of shaved ice, ice creams, seasonal fruits and icy cold bubble teas. 

If you are wondering what summer sounds like to me here is a link to someone who had recorded the sounds of the cicadas in Japan(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ0pYZaLM_c)

How do you stay cool in the summer?