Surprise! The 4th of July was only last week, but typhoon season is already up and running here in Japan. The exoticly named Typhoon Yon-go (ok, that only means typhoon number 4) just blew through Okinawa, and is heading north towards Kyushu as I type this. Tonight and tomorrow look like they will be fun with high winds and heavy rains, although as much as it has rained here recently I can't see it being much worse. I asked one of the student's parent, who is an EMT, if he thinks he would be busy, and he said It would be better if he wasn't. But with the heavy amounts of rainfall already occuring, and then the typhoon on top of that, it could get exciting in some places in Kyushu.

People seem more relaxed about it here than a similar situation in the States, maybe because people are used to catastrophe being only a second away in the form of earthquakes. On the other hand, it could just be because there are only 5 TV channerls here, and it lacks a Weather Channel or 24 hour media echo chamber. Anyways, I'll be stuck inside for at least the next day or so, trying to lay low and hope that the power doesn't go out (or worse). You can stay up to date on the typhoon by going here: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/0704.html