Weather

They call them “cyclones” here.  That word used to make me think of a tornado.  But a cyclone isn’t a tornado, apparently.  A cyclone is a hurricane or a typhoon.  Except that it originates in the Indian Ocean.  So there you go.
A super-cyclone is barreling its way toward Bangladesh.  Weather.com is calling it a “Monster Cyclone.” It will make landfall tonight.  Dhaka is in its path.  They say 14 million people will be “affected.”  That means: “their houses and all their possessions will be blown away – literally.”  As if they needed more misery here.  The universe has not been fair to this country.  

We diplomats are safe.  My house is earthquake-proof.  The walls are three feet thick.  I’m not exaggerating.  There’s a big generator in the front yard, I have a 20-gallon water distiller and plenty of food.  We told our housekeeper to stay home and stay safe.  The only danger that we face is extreme boredom waiting for the storm to leave.   And I’m not worried about that.

You may see some horrific images on the news and online about the cyclone’s impact on Bangladesh.  They will probably be accurate.  But they won’t reflect the position that we are in.  We’re fine.