23/8/2010 - It’s raining!

It’s funny how you change your feelings towards things depending on the situation you find yourself in.  In San Francisco I hated the rain because it meant walking in it to get to and from the bus, waiting for the bus in the rain, then getting on a soaking wet bus with everyone either wet or getting you wet with their umbrellas.  Then upon reaching my destination it usually included having my umbrella flipped inside out which I’d be thankful that’s all that happened and it didn’t get torn apart or ripped out of my hands by the insane wind tunnels created by the buildings of downtown San Fran. In L.A. it was a matter of having to deal with drivers who have never seen rain and really aren’t quite sure what to do about it.  Paris was about the same story as San Fran minus the extreme winds. And well Houston, it was welcomed sometimes and not so welcomed other times. For it either meant flooding or was helping with the drought. Now I find myself in Togo and I find myself waking up everyday saying “man I hope it rains today”.  Here rain means it’ll actually be somewhat cool, the Togolese will tell you it’s cold and to put a jacket on, while to me it just means I actually won’t sweat while it’s raining or overcast.  Rain also means free water! I don’t have to worry about sending someone to the pump for me and paying them or paying for my water.  Not that either are really that expensive, it’s just easier when it just comes falling from the sky and involves no money at all (I have buckets that I collect rain water with and large 100 liter bins inside in which I store my water in case you’re wondering).  And to the lazy side of me it means a guilt free day where I can sit inside and do whatever I’d like not having to worry about going out in the town since no one does anything here when it rains.  They think I’m crazy if I even attempt going out in any sort of rain.  So inside I stay reading a book or napping! Of course there are the downsides to the rain here as well and I’m sure many times I will come to hate the rain.  The roads become horrible and many of them become impassable in which case you may not be getting to your destination.  The people do nothing when it rains, which again means you may not be getting to your destination if you’re trying to travel or may mean no one will show up to your meeting or your training.  And there is of course flooding here as well.  It’s just such a relief from the heat though that so far it’s hard to not love the rain!