Here we are in Massachusetts in late December. The sun has yet to make an appearance at 7:30 in the morning - yet another cloudy, cold day. Sunset was at 4:30 in the afternoon yesterday. December in New England means there just isn't enough sunshine. There are nine hours between sunrise and sunset here today and eleven hours in Kaohsiung. I'm going to miss those long winter days when we leave Taiwan. The summer days, of course, are much shorter in Taiwan, but that's not such a bad thing, considering how hot the days can be.

Yesterday's weather is something I have not missed while living in Taiwan. Sleet, freezing rain, slushy snow, cold and raw. And dark. Did I mention there's been no sunshine?

One thing I have missed? Clean air. The lack of air pollution is such a breath of fresh air (sorry, I couldn't resist).