All I Hear is the Sound of Rain Falling...

on the roof.

It’s been raining for over 5 days. Ordinarily such a thing wouldn’t be something I’d care too much about. But because I live under a tin roof, and the walls aren’t connected to the floor or roof, and the rain and winds are fierce, and there’s no sewer system to catch the rain water on the unpaved roads, and I live a good 25-35 minute walk from any of the other volunteers, and the rivers are overflowing, and because I am sick and wouldn’t want to leave anyway, it is hard to notice anything else.

The first night was exciting. It was like I was on a little adventure. The sound of the wind on the walls, and rain on the roof, while I huddled under my bed net and sheet, with my flashlight ready in case the power went out, and sweatshirt close beside me, hoping that it might become cold enough so that I would need to put it on. I’m sure you can just see it now.

But after more than 5 days of the sound of the rain on the roof, and leaks in the roof facilitating a wet bed for me to sleep in, it’s beginning to feel less like an exciting adventure and more like the Peace Corps, even if the sound helped to drown out the roosters so I got to sleep in a bit. There was even a 4 day period where I didn’t leave the block around my house except to go to the corner store because of the weather and being sick. I used the experience as a very good, dramatic lesson in why it would suck to be in a submarine.

As I mentioned, I have the gripe. I’ve had it for some time now and it’s no fun. I’m not sure from whom I caught it; a few volunteers and their host family members had it for a few days, or something like it. The gripe, for those of you who are unfamiliar with Spanish, is anything reminiscent of the flu, a cough, or a cold. Gripe is the perfect name for what it feels like I have, because it feels like the grip of something scary. It’s as strong as the flu, with cold and flu symptoms. It might last for 1-2 weeks.

I’m beginning to get a feeling for what they mean when they describe Peace Corps as the toughest job you’ll ever love. Even in these moments though, I am amazingly inspired to just be here, and keep going with a smile. I learned the other day where I will likely be placed for the 2 years. It’s in the north, near a fellow health volunteer that I have come to know very well. I’m very excited to explore a new part of the country, and am pleased to report to all of you, who may have doubted whether or not you could swing a visit down to see me, and especially pleased to report to those of you who were already planning on coming to see me, that my site is near the coast. What that means as far as swimming opportunities and beaches remains to be seen. But I think we have every reason to hope that I’ll be within 30 minutes of some beautiful sand.