Guinea!

I like the rain because it reminds me of who’s in charge.  Because it comes whether you’re ready or not, whether you want it or you don’t.   It’s cleansing; the air, the ground, the spirit that moves  around us, within us.  It’s refreshing, reenergizing.  This is the rainy season here in Guinea, and the weather sure lives up to its name.  The thing that they don’t tell you is that in between the rains it’s hot.  Which is to be expected, but nothing I was prepared for after a mild summer on the west coast where I slept most nights in a sweater and long pants.  Most nights here (ok, so the four we’ve spent here so far), I’ve slept in a tent on the porch, trying to catch every little breeze possible because even after the sun goes down, I’m still sweating buckets.  But the rain rinses the sweat off me more effectively than the buckets of water I’ve been pouring over myself to “shower” every day, and so I stay outside as long as I can, until the thunder begins to rumble in the distance. 

This place really is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and further away from anything I could have expected.  Everything is new, and exciting and challenging and amazing.  Sunday we got to ride the “moto-taxi”s for the first time, and went downtown for the afternoon.  We walked through the markets, and bought fabric for new outfits (most our luggage was lost because of flight delays, but will be here tomorrow).  The cloth here is so beautiful, and I can’t wait till we can go back to the tailor to pick up our clothes. 

Language classes are moving quickly and kicking my butt, but it’s so fascinating.  I have to remind myself to take it easy sometimes, but there’s so much to see and so much to do!  Our anthropology and arts classes begin tomorrow with a dance workshop (hopefully! Time here works differently than back home), but we’re staying busy anyways, learning how to do laundry with a wash board, and other self-care things in an environment completely different than what we’re used to.  I’m definitely not sued to the heat and to the sweating and fatigue it so quickly brings about.  It’s different here, that’s for sure, and that’s why I love it; I’m learning so much, about myself, about the people around me, and about the way things work here.  I’m eating well (the food is wonderful), and miraculously have only gotten one mosquito bite, despite not having bug spray (it’s in my luggage still yet to arrive.  Yes, mom, I’m taking my meds and staying safe and healthy, and I’m beautifully and wonderfully happy in this place which a week ago was a dot on the map, and which has now become so full of life and love.