Racing the Rain on Sunday Afternoon

On Sundays, I'm at the school early to teach the children's Bible class, and then I usually do some work around the library or with the students and leave around two or so.  On this day, it was already well after three and I was in a hurry to get out today as dark clouds gathered; I don't want to get caught out on a motorcycle in a downpour. The students were doing some work around the grounds, slashing some grass and such, after lunch, and I stopped to chat with them while waiting at the gate for my boda boda driver, who was running late.    

There are vines growing on the school gate with these beautiful orange flowers.  I need to learn what they are called. 

I made it home JUST in time--the rain was starting to fall as I hopped off the boda boda and unlocked my gate, and thirty seconds after I stepped inside the bottom dropped out.  I had told my driver he could wait with his motorcycle under the overhang at my gate if he wanted, but he had other work to get to.  There's no way he made it anywhere before the rain came, though.  Here's the view out of my living room window just a few minutes later: 

 

Feels Like October in July Today

It's cloudy today, which is a bit unusual for this time of year, but we're unlikely to get much rain.  The dry season is well underway now, despite today's clouds.  The cornfield across from my house is drying in the field.  Here, corn is mostly used to grind into meal for making ugali, so it's usually left to dry in the field for as long as possible before harvesting.  

Below: the road in front of my house.

The cloudy weather today and the drying corn stalks and sunflowers gave the day an autumnal feel, which I enjoyed since we don't really have the four seasons here.  This is our winter, the coldest time of year, but it's in the 70s most days. 

Above: we have a lot of sunflowers around here, too; there were some planted along the edge of the corn field that I enjoyed seeing this year.  Below: even the sticker weeds can be beautiful sometimes! 

I took these photos while I was out in front of my house, because the mobile signal is a bit better outside than in my house.  I was talking over whatsapp with my mom and grandmother; Nanny was in the hospital after heart surgery and Mom was staying with her.  It was three in the morning there, but Nanny's internal clock was off kilter after so many days in the hospital.  It was her 83rd birthday.  We've celebrated her birthday on July 19th all her life, but when she turned 70 and started looking into Medicaid and such, her original birth record was pulled and it turns out that the date on it was actually July 16th, so since then she's sort of had two birthdays.  

As it turned out, it was the last time I ever talked to her, as she passed the next week.  She was my last living grandparent, and she and I had always been very close.  Losing her is hard.

 

Sunny Afternoon in My Neighborhood

After a few months of rainy season, clear blue skies are good to see!  This is the view from the gate of my house.  It was such a beautiful afternoon, sunny and in the 70s.  One of my students, Paulo, stopped by to chat, so I came outside and hung around outside for quite a while talking and enjoying the weather. (Several students have gotten in the habit of visiting me now and then while they're out of school, but I've told them that if it's just one boy, I'll talk to them outside but I'm not inviting them inside.  This is a conservative society and neighbors notice things, so it seems prudent not to spend time with a single student behind closed doors.  If they want to come inside, they have to come in pairs!)

Dust Storm!

I was teaching form three this afternoon when the wind started blowing.  Now usually, a bit of wind wouldn’t disturb us; it’s often a bit windy here at our campus on the hillside.  But the wind was rattling the windows and bending the trees, enough that the students started to glance over their shoulders at the windows behind them a bit nervously.  A strong gust blew right in the open windows, and the students scrambled to gather papers that were blown off their desks and shut the windows. 

Within a few minutes, the wind blew in heavy clouds, darkening the day considerably.  But these clouds were an odd color, with a sickly yellowish tinge, and low.  They cast an odd enough light that my class was rather derailed for a few minutes as everyone commented on the odd clouds and fidgeted nervously.  Finally, after nothing further happened for a few minutes, I told them that if we died, they would die having learned a bit more grammar, so sit down and be quiet. 

The odd clouds grew an even deeper yellow-brown color as the wind continued to gust, but by the time class was out twenty or so minutes later, the worst seemed to have passed and the clouds were lightening to closer to their normal gray.  I caught a picture of the last of the dirty clouds as I walked back to the library. 

We later heard that it had been a huge sandstorm, and we had only caught the very edge of it.  Friends in Kisongo (thirty-minute drive away) and out near Kilimanjaro sent pictures; at the Arusha airport, the clouds were so thick and full of dirt that you could hardly see the planes!  I’ve never seen anything quite like it and judging by my students’ reactions, it’s not too common a thing here in Monduli, either. 

Here are a few photos from other people: 

The clouds coming up from the valley towards the school campus; I couldn't see this angle from the classroom, but another teacher took this photo. 

The storm passes over the Arusha airport.

This photo was all over the news--someone took a photo from a plane of the storm passing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Last Morning in Lamu

On my last morning in Lamu, I didn't need to leave for the airport until 10:30, so I went out early for breakfast and a last walk around town.  It was another beautiful but meltingly hot day, even at nine in the morning.  One of the things I enjoy about traveling to a relatively small place like Lamu is how familiar a place can become in only a few days.  I know to find the most direct path to my room by watching out for a particular tree along the waterfront (the one in the photo below). I know the little shop that always has my coke zero.  I have a favorite restaurant, which I visited again this morning to see if their breakfast is as good as their dinners.  (It was quite good, although a fried egg can't really be compared to grilled chicken with curry sauce).  I'll miss it here, although I do look forward to being back in central Kenya, where it's winter (not likely to be exactly cold, but it won't be 95).  

"Adequate" made me laugh.

Back to the guesthouse (the entrance is under the sign at the end of the alley) to get my bag.

Rainy Season at the School

Rainy season generally starts at the end of February or early March, but it’s getting off to a late start this year. For me, it’s been nice, as it was a few extra weeks without mud, but the late start has caused a lot of issues for farmers.  They planted in February, having faith that the rains would come as they do every year, but many lost their crops as they withered (if they came up at all) in the dry weather.  Some can afford to replant now that it’s finally raining and seems set to continue, but many cannot afford to.  It will be a very difficult year for them without a crop they count on.  Whatever your thoughts on climate change, it’s easy to see here what a difference even a small change makes on people’s lives as the rainy season has become more unpredictable in recent years.

Generally, it doesn’t rain all day every day.  We haven’t had to have the morning assembly indoors yet, but it was a bit of a close call today. It usually rains hardest in the afternoon; I’m glad to be in the library where it’s dry. 

The mud is getting bad already—my (dirt) road has potholes full of sludge that are growing by the day.  Tammy was driving to my house from hers, and the car slid a full 180 to face the wrong direction as she was driving down her road.  Driving and walking in this mud is like being on ice.  I look quite elderly as I hobble around in my mud boots; I am determined not to end up on the ground, but I probably will at some point.  One year Lewis fell in the mud four times in one day; his children still remember that day fondly. 

The Tanzanians take the rainy season stoically; it doesn’t seem to slow anyone down much.  The students are already enacting rules about leaving shoes at the door of the library.  Moureen, our head student librarian, has become quite militant and heaven help anyone she catches inside with shoes on.  Sock feet only, or else we’ll be needing to mop the floor nearly every day.  She came in suddenly as a surprise and caught out several people; she gleefully made a list that she threatened to give to the discipline master and banned them from the library for the day.  I was there the whole time, but frankly I don’t usually pay that much attention to what people are doing at the door.  Fortunately, she has granted me an exception since I usually wear mud boots out and bring a second pair of shoes to wear indoors.  (And I hate walking around without shoes on concrete). 

Since it’s just started, not everyone has completely adjusted yet, though.  One student stopped to dither outside the library; he needed to be in the dining hall with everyone else for a meeting, but it was pouring down.  He asked to borrow my umbrella, but Mwelu had already borrowed it and hadn’t come back yet.  He dithered a bit more before I told him he was just going to have to make a run for it before he got in trouble for being late.  

So…rain, rain, and more rain.  And MUD.

Backroads of Monduli

I needed to go do some work in the library today, a Saturday, but as I wasn't in a particular rush to get there, I took the chance to go on a long ramble going through the backroads and neighborhoods to get up to the main road.  I've got new areas of town to explore since moving into my new apartment, and it was a beautiful morning, although getting quite hot.

Rainy season should have started by now, but it's still dry and dusty here.  You can even see a haze of dust out over the valley, and many people are running low on water.

 I wasn't sure exactly where I'd come out when I started walking, but I ended up coming up to the lower end of the Sunday market grounds (below), empty and seeming much bigger without any stalls or people on a Saturday.  The main road is up there in that line of trees.  I had hoped to come out further down and walk the rest of the way to school, but I was hot and had already taken a good bit of time, so I caught a boda boda (motorcyle taxi) up at the main road the rest of the way to the school.

Rainy Season

Well, rainy season isn't supposed to start until well into November, but from the look of things I think it might be starting early this year. 

 

This is the classroom building, by the way.  There's a downstairs; it's built into a hill so the lower level windows look out the other direction.  My classroom is downstairs on the left end.  

Rainy Travel Day

Moving on...after starting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, I went down to Malacca, two hours south, on the coast not too far from Singapore for the weekend.  Now it's Monday morning and I'm back on the bus.

It was a bright and already-unbearably-hot-at-ten am sunny morning in Malacca, but we've been running through rain most of the way, although it's cloudy but dry now that we're coming into the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Oh, no, now it's raining again. Considering it's monsoon season, I've been very fortunate with how conveniently it's rained--so far only while I'm on a bus or in a restaurant.

From Kuala Lumpur, I'll get another bus up to the Cameron Highlands, in the mountains in the central part of the Malaysian peninsula.  I want to hike around the tea plantations and hopefully see a Rafflesia flower--the largest bloom in the world.   Its supposed to be cool up there, which will be a nice break from the crazy humidity down here.

Sticking to the Pavement in Malacca

Melting. Sticky. Hot. Damp. Even in the middle of a city, Mother Nature won't let me forget that Malaysia is a nation carved out of a tropical jungle.  Fortunately, a slight breeze is blowing in off the water, or I might have stuck to this pavement by now. It's the kind of humidity that, even if it doesn't feel too hot at first, within five minutes you are drenched in sweat--and it definitely feels hot.

Apparently benches aren't popular around here, but I finally found a semi-shady set of steps leading done to the river to sit on and rest a bit.  I've visited St. Paul's, the ruins of the old colonial church on the hill overlooking the city, the Clock Tower Square, the antique shops in Jonger Street, and toured the ornate some of one of the prominent families of the Baba-Nonya culture. Now that I've exhausted the more highbrow and historical attractions of Malacca--it's time for the tacky tourist diversions. What should I do next--take a boat cruise up and down the river, tour the replica pirate ship, or go up in the rotating observation deck that goes up and down the big tower in the park?

Stormy Sky

I love watching a storm roll in.  First, the eery quiet, then the sudden gusts of the wind picking up, the trees dancing as the clouds darken. 

Flying Home

I guess they don't want to encourage people to sleep on the chairs in the waiting area of the departure hall, but they know very well that many people do, so it seems like they would be a little kinder in having chairs without gaps in between them to make it slightly more comfortable.  Oh well.  I arranged my bags around in the seat next to me and made a pillow of sorts out of a jackets and a couple of scarves.  I had intended to use my inflatable neck pillow, but it inopportunely sprung a leak.  I couldn't find any comfortable way to recline, but made myself somewhat comfortable sitting up leaning on my bags.  I used on of the sarongs I bought in Ubud as a blanket, and actually slept fairly well, all things considered.  I probably got four hours or so of sleep all together, although I'd have to wake up every forty-five minutes or so to unkink all my muscles that were going to sleep.  

About a quarter to five I rearranged my stuff back into flying order and went to brush my teeth and freshen up.  I planned to put on shoes at this point, but I just couldn't bring myself to just yet.  I may end up being cold for a few minutes once I land in Wuhan, but it's worth it for a few more hours in flip-flops.  

Check-in and security went as usual, and I headed in search of breakfast on the way to the gate.  I had been disappointed, as the Krispy Kreme I had been to on my last trip through the Don Mueng airport was on the domestic departure side, and there wasn't one listed on the international departure side.  Fortunately, the signs were wrong...there it was, tucked in the corner right next to the Subway and McDonalds.  I had a subway sandwich for breakfast (yes, I know that's rather an odd breakfast, but I wanted something solid and non-greasy), sitting in a small waiting area balancing it on my lap, since all the tables were full.  I bought a couple of donuts, of course--I ate one for dessert after I finished my sandwich.  I wasn't in the least bit hungry for it, and sadly it was cold (what kind of Krispy Kreme doesn't have warm donuts at 6:30 in the morning??), but after I'd waited all night for it I wasn't going to turn it down.  I saved the other for later, though, as it was cold anyhow.  

I finally wandered down to the gate.  After sitting for a few minutes, I stood up and surveyed my belongings, considering whether I needed to go bad enough to schlep it all to the bathroom or not, when someone three rows back stood up to and called my name.   

Kristin, who works at the university-next-door where we go on Sundays, had been travelling in Thailand and had booked the same flight back to Wuhan.  Later on, we saw another teacher from Wuhan also on the same flight, but neither of us was close enough to talk to him. What are the odds?

We finally landed in Wuhan around lunch time.  Other was one of those landings where they pull the stairs up to the plane, you disembark onto the runway, and then they bus you to the arrival gate. As I was still wearing flip-flops bad it was supposed to be only 43 (although sunny) in Wuhan, I was prepared to freeze, but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't seem too cold at all.  Maybe it was the sunshine. I did, however, put on shoes after collecting my bag from baggage claim.  

One of the great things about running into Kristin was that we could split the fare of the rather expensive taxi home, since our campuses are so close. It was a good trip, but coming home is nice, too.

Smoggy Morning

It hasn't rained in several days here in Wuhan, and the smog is getting thick.  The view across the lake is muted into soft pastels by the gray haze.  A bad sinus infection is going around and everyone's allergies are bad; I wonder if the smog is part of it.  Unfortunately, it's looking like a very dry September--no rain in the forecast for the next week and a half at least (and who knows how long after that--that's just as far as my weather app goes).  

Spring in Wuhan

We're having a beautiful spring here in Wuhan—which is unusual, according to my students.  Most years it goes from chilly, damp winter to meltingly hot summer almost overnight.  This year, though, it thankfully has been in the 60s or 70s more days than not for the past month, and not even quite as much rain as usual.  Today is the first day it's really felt hot at all—I haven't seen the weather report, but it feels like it's probably in the low 80s. I stayed in nearly all day yesterday  cleaning, so I decided I really ought to get outside while I can before the Wuhanese summer (they don't call this city "one of the three furnaces of China" for nothing) sets in. I was going to just take a walk after lunch, but then I thought—I have a laptop for a reason. So, here I am—sitting on a park bench by the south lake, across the road from my campus.  Such a pleasant day to sit in the shade.  Also, hopefully I will get more work done out here where I have my laptop but not the internet. 

As I was leaving, I saw a couple getting their wedding pictures made near the lake, so I got a couple of stalker zoom shots...so pretty. :)