Steam, Ants, and Hurricanes: Life in South Carolina

I’m no stranger to heat, but South Carolina weather is something special. The past couple of weeks have been pleasant enough, but yesterday the sun returned with a vengeance. When I got off work, I opened my car door, and a literal cloud of steam rolled out. If you’ve never experienced that, imagine putting your dishwasher on overdrive and opening it mid-cycle—hot, heavy, and almost suffocating.

It was just another reminder that I’m in a new place. How many times have I written about that now? Two or three, at least. But the repetition says something: I’m not in my element anymore. And when I stop to think about it, that’s both strange and thrilling.

This morning brought another surprise—ants. Lots of them. Finding them in my car was bad enough, but when they started biting, that crossed a line. I nearly decided to just deal with it during the drive to work, but common sense prevailed. I slammed on the brakes, dashed inside, and grabbed a can of bug spray. I didn’t have time for a full-scale extermination, so I hit a few key spots before heading out. Once I got to work, though, I unloaded half the can into every nook and cranny of my vehicle.

And then there’s hurricane season. I’ve technically been through one before—Thailand gave me a taste—but it’s different here. Or maybe I just don’t remember it being so dramatic. One moment I’m in the middle of teaching, and the next, the school roof becomes a drum while the sky hammers away.

Some of my students find it frightening, but I’m fascinated. If it rained that hard back in the southwestern desert, it would be chaos. Here, the land just drinks it up. Sure, floods happen, but within hours the rivers recede, and the fresh ponds vanish.

Those are the latest surprises in my new South Carolina life. For those who know me, you already understand—I’m loving every bit of it. I’ve always chased discovery. Now, it’s right outside my front door. And that’s exciting.