A First Hand Account of Typhoon Jang Mi in Taiwan

Ramsey Qubein is Travelin' Light's on-the-road correspondent; he also experience the terrors of Jang Mi first hand. Here's his account.

You’ve never really experienced a destination (I mean, truly experience the culture) until you’ve undergone a national crisis with the people. During my recent explorations of Taiwan for Northstar Travel Media as a hotel correspondent for StarServiceOnline.com, I became trapped in Taipei during Typhoon Jangmi. For North American readers, the rest of the world calls a hurricane a typhoon, and Jangmi was a big mama.

It became clear a few days into my trip that the storm would be barreling down on the city, but I never expected it would reach such an intense magnitude. Initially, I had thought I would escape it altogether so I never even thought of canceling my trip, but as the storm changed speed, I soon realized I was in for another fate.

Hatchened up in my plush quarters at the Shangri-La Taipei, I naively asked (as they were boarding up the windows) why were they not evacuating people as they would have in the United States. The cordial reply from the perfected staff came in a distinct and overly simple way. “We have nowhere to go; we’re an island,” she said.

Well, why didn’t I think of that! What is the government going to do; evacuate the whole country? So I hunkered down with the best of them. As the windows bellowed back and forth (yes, the glass was literally bending), and the building swayed (yes, we could feel it moving to the point of nausea), I sat in anticipation of what was to happen. But, the feeling was misplaced.

The Taiwanese gathered in the lobby for drinks; others laughed merrily in the cigar lounge. Tourists hobknobbed with employees in the concierge lounge amid the window and ceiling leaks and the constant gusts that could move a cow. I soon felt a feeling of calm; almost a serene camaraderie with the locals as we endured this natural disaster together. And while the building in Taipei was safe, thousands farther south in the shantytowns lost their homes and belongings.

A friend of mine was actually in Mumbai on the day of the recent terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008. He said that the media did a good job of keeping people informed, but it was his cell phone that allowed him to connect with facebook and email where he shared his whereabouts with concerned family and friends. His impression of the event was shaped by the reaction and genuine concern of locals.

The way our world communicates is evolving so quickly. Experiencing a mass event like a hurricane or even a terrorist bombing like the Mumbai attacks can be some of the finest opportunities to truly understand a culture and how they react to adverse circumstances.

All of a sudden, the art of travel is no longer about visiting tourist sites from a check list, but more about connecting on a personal level with a culture’s human emotions. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if all travelers could seek this same type of experience? I just wish it wouldn’t take a national news headline to make that happen.