August 12, 2009
You don't live in the Pacific Northwest without learning to embrace the rain. In Africa-I've realized, rain has a different meaning.
Foremost, it brings much needed relief from the heat. I can now cook inside and simply sit and read a book without sweating. Everything's green now and planting season is in full swing. Every extra plot of land in my village is now occupied by stalks of corn. It's difficult to walk through Kéméni without wanting to have a Pocahontas moment and run between the rows. My days are filled with the sound of rain falling on my tin roof and the waterfall that is now in full force cascading down the mountain.
The rains also mean everyone is out working the fields - all the time. And my little 2 plot garden just doesn't fill-up my days. So rainy season has challenged my mental state above everything else.
I have also learned a valuable lesson I probably would have been blissfully ignorant of in America; There is no produce during rainy season. I haven't seen a decent tomato in weeks. Some relief came this week while I was at the marché and I heard that familiar pounding of fufu. I have been going through fufu withdrawal lately and I can't wait to have my 'fufu baby' stomach again.
Just another example of Togo teaching me about the bigger things. How important the season is when your livelihood rests on growing your own food. I think Mufasa taught Simba something like that.
You don't live in the Pacific Northwest without learning to embrace the rain. In Africa-I've realized, rain has a different meaning.
Foremost, it brings much needed relief from the heat. I can now cook inside and simply sit and read a book without sweating. Everything's green now and planting season is in full swing. Every extra plot of land in my village is now occupied by stalks of corn. It's difficult to walk through Kéméni without wanting to have a Pocahontas moment and run between the rows. My days are filled with the sound of rain falling on my tin roof and the waterfall that is now in full force cascading down the mountain.
The rains also mean everyone is out working the fields - all the time. And my little 2 plot garden just doesn't fill-up my days. So rainy season has challenged my mental state above everything else.
I have also learned a valuable lesson I probably would have been blissfully ignorant of in America; There is no produce during rainy season. I haven't seen a decent tomato in weeks. Some relief came this week while I was at the marché and I heard that familiar pounding of fufu. I have been going through fufu withdrawal lately and I can't wait to have my 'fufu baby' stomach again.
Just another example of Togo teaching me about the bigger things. How important the season is when your livelihood rests on growing your own food. I think Mufasa taught Simba something like that.
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