Rainy Season

I wrote this on June 11 and sent it to my email.  It was then buried very deep.

This first time it rains in Senegal it's scary brilliant. Not scary in a "I lost my mom in the mall" kind of way, but instead in the "oh my god, it can storm here just like in Vermont" kind of way.  I'm writing this from inside my hut at one o'clock in the morning, because today was the day it happened. The day it rained. But not only did it rain, it thundered and poured and lighting struck and lit up the sky like I have never before seen in Senegal. I didn't know thunder storms existed here. I love them at home but here when there is nothing to protect you except your hut, grass roof and mosquito net it comes in with a vengeance. It is as if the rain gods are punishing the earth for not giving the Sahel enough rain. When it first rained for the first time I was sleeping. But let me be clear. I was sleeping outside, naked, with my iPhone and my kindle. This is Peace Corps 10.0 people. At first it was just a terrible dust storm. The kind where you pull the sheet over the head and cover the pillows to avoid dust. The wind blows so hard the dust is forced up and into every possible surface and crevice and you just wait and hope that it ends soon. But this time, the drops came. The sky would light up and the dust and wind continued. And then the rain really came down. I tried to cover my head with the sheet but it wasn't going to suffice. I quickly gathered up my three pillows, my blanket, my sheet, my kindle and iPhone and headed for my hut. I would like to say that I skillfully managed to get out of mosquito net but that was hardly the case. I became entangled in my net (the last thing you want when it's raining dust). Finally I untangled myself and rushed myself and my stuff instead only to realize that my sleeping bag (which I use as a pad) and my net were getting wet. I rushed back out to get them as well leaving the already soaked mat to get nice and clean from the Senegal rains. I'll deal with that tomorrow. I came inside and immediately took the things off my desk that would suffer if wet- my electronics, my planner, and my journal. Tucked safely away in my metal trunk I did the same with myself. Back in my bed with my mosquito net I'm watching the baobabs light up in the fields out my window. The cracks of thunder are the most intense I've ever experienced and here I am, drafting an email to myself on my iPhone. Welcome to rainy season.