Thunder on the roof tops.

Here is a picture of Kristin my lovely roommate and our host sister Sharon. 

Kristin's blog is here: http://kristinswanderingheart.wordpress.com/

Well, it certainly sounds like that. Though I am very aware that thunder is a sound and not something that can physically be on a roof… But tin roofs and African rain are a combination that will be hard to forget. It is rainy season now, and the skies lately have been dark and gloomy and rain can come at any moment, which is a bit disconcerting news for someone who has to walk a mile or so to work everyday. And when I say rain, I do not mean the rain we have in the Northwest U.S.A, even in the areas where we get lots of rain. No, the rain here is more like God turning on the garden hose right on top of Africa. The raindrops are HUGE, and within about 2 minutes of downpour one can go from fairly decent looking, to week old drowned rat. Luckily the rain seems to only last 15-30 minutes on average and then all that is left is the aftermath. By aftermath I mean mud. Walking becomes an exciting adventure of sliding here and there and not falling.  As an Oregonian I pride myself in my ability to navigate mud, but the mud here is made from dirt that is so fine and so dry that it becomes these multi-layers of slippery goo that are quite difficult to keep ones footing on. Though, thus far I have not fully fallen flat on my face from slipping on mud… There have been other times though where I have fallen, but in those instances I am generally tripping over my own feet or falling up the stars… But if you know me at all you will know that that is quite an average occurrence in my everyday life… Clumsy I may be, slipping in mud I do not. Ha, not thus far anyways.*knocks on wood*…

Anyhoo, the rain here is certainly something to behold. It is beautiful, even though it is quite destructive. When it rains the entire world hides, people stop what they are doing and run for cover…  And I am among them, because by drowned rat I literally mean soaked to the skin, which is fine unless you need to spend the entire day in your clothes… And since everything runs on ‘Africa Time’ it is perfectly reasonable to say you were late from the rain. While the rain is fierce, I would be lying if I say I didn’t somehow love it. All of the weather here is extreme and exciting, the skies are beautiful, and the clouds… Don’t even get my started on the clouds. All of the other students make fun of me and my obsession with the clouds and sunsets. But I have no shame. They are so beautiful, and seeing lightning gash through them and then listening to the roaring thunder is something to behold.  If it wasn’t for anything else I could probably stay here in Africa just for the skies.