Hot season, and with it a full-body heat rash, has left me feeling less than inspired these last couple of months. With the advent of rainy season, however, my spirit has again lifted, layers have been added, and my rain boots washed off ready to go. After just one rainstorm I was walking around more cheery-- able to think, exercise, SLEEP again. Life was good. The Malians and I have completely discordant feelings on the situation, however. When it rains I find them bundled up in winter jackets and sleeping. Ironically, the cold makes them sleepy. But much to my chagrin (and truthfully theirs’ too), the rain and the coolness that accompanies it, have retreated. I think that seeing my alacrity for the cooling drops has caused Mother Nature to start toying with me. A little wind here, a few clouds there--sometimes even a couple of rain drops. I can hardly stand it! The other day, the wind picked up, they sky clouded over--we thought for sure that the big rain was going to come. I rushed through my bucket bath, got my boots on, and was headed out to work (in Niono you never want to get caught with your boots down), when out of nowhere the sun began to shine. In America, I may have considered this a “Christmas miracle”, if, say, I was going on a picnic, to an outdoor wedding, or a graduation. But here, no rain means humid hot hot heat, lots of dusty wind, and many, many bad smells. I imagine it to be something like NYC in the summer. I kid.
Mother Nature found another occasion to toy with me while I was sleeping outside. I had just finally hand-fanned myself to sleep when it began to sprinkle. I knew it was one of her little tricks so I waited it out and, of course, it stopped. One hour later it began to rain again, this time enough to make me believe it was really coming! Hooray! I took my pillow and sheet inside, folded up my tent, dragged in the mattress, rolled up my dust matt, and headed inside to get some much needed R&R in my soon-to-be rain cooled hut. One hour later I awoke sweating like I had just left a bikram yoga class. Tricked again! After a bit of grumbling to myself, I decided that I had no choice but to… roll out my mat, set up my tent, drag my mattress back out, and bring out my sheet, pillow, fan, keys, headlamp, and whistle. Arg.
As much as I complain about hot season, I have to say that it is still not as painful as a long bitter winter on the East Coast. If any of the Malians were to find themselves in a blizzard in Maine, I’m sure they would be writing home with similar, albeit, reverse complaints. In any case, pray for rain. Thanks.
