Rain, Rain, Get the **** Away From Me

The first few pages of Life of Pi descibe the tranquil life of the sloth. At one point, the author notes that sloths forever have a smile on their face. My heart did a somersault as I read this- that smile beheld by my own eyes is forever ingrained in my memory thanks to my time here.

On a completely different note...

For some reason, seeking shelter during a torrential downpour seemed the perfect time to keep writing my blog. Perhaps because the possibility I will be stuck here forever seems more and more likely. Every time there is a slight break in the cascade of water, I put my foot in a "ready to walk" position and the downpour begins anew. It is as if Mother Nature is cackling at me and relishing in the fact that today is the day I am sans umbrella and raincoat. 

Having grown up where it doesn't rain, I am still a complete rookie when it comes to this climate. Until now, living in a place where it rains every afternoon on cue, I did not realize the strength of my passionate love for a dry climate. There are so many things I wish I had been warned about prior to my time here. 

For instance, I wish that the packing list bestowed upon me by my volunteer organization placed "umbrella" at the top. I can only assume its absence altogether is just an inside joke amongst the employees wanting to mess with us. "Raincoat" would also have been a nice addition to the list, as well as "patience" for dealing with the seemingly endless storms. Patience could also come on handy for waiting on clothes an shoes to dry in a humid climate. 

When my shoes get wet here, there isn't a chance of wearing them the next day, or even the day following. Stuffing them with toilet paper and placing them in the windowsill doesn't even seem to speed the process. And hanging laundry to dry? Yeah, you won't be wearing those clothes for almost a week. At altitude in dry air, it's more like two hours. Yet there we use dryers, and here clothes lines. 

This intense rain scoffs at umbrellas and "waterproof" raincoats. I feel moronic attempting to stay dry against such odds. Yet attempt I must- for example right now...