The Rainy Season

Yup, it’s the rainy season here, which means it rains anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. It has been raining more frequently than a month ago, and every day at some point for the past few days. Today was supposed to be the district track meet, but between the downpour turning the track into mud soup and the athletes’ bare feet, it was decided after the 5k and 3k that it was too dangerous and we would proceed with the meet tomorrow. (Now here is some track and field weather that I am used to!) I took this opportunity to go for a run on my own and explore the surrounding streets, all the while wringing out cupfuls of water from my shirt. I did my best at dodging the massive puddles in the dirt roads, paranoid thoughts of hookworms and other yucky things you can get from contact with standing water creeping into the back of my mind. My friend Ayoola, who is staying in a much more remote and rural area 15 kilometers away, is quite literally stranded due to flooding of the roads. This happens every time it rains moderately for more than an hour or two. The athletes who came from distances to attend the meet are staying overnight in the classrooms of my school. I can only assume they brought whatever bedding they have and are now camping out on the dirty concrete. Right now I’m going to go brave the newly formed brown rivers criss-crossing all of Opuwo to play a Valentine’s Day game of poker with Will and some Peace Corps volunteers. I know that as I am walking, it will be with wistful longing for some of those dorky rain boots that have ladybugs or rubber duckies on the sides…