Both today and yesterday we had thunderstorms with hail. Yesterday when the storm started, I was at the guesthouse, and Micaela was at the girls’ house. She said the girls were running outside to collect the hail into buckets. Today, during my English lesson for staff and neighbors, rain started suddenly, then even bigger hail than yesterday pounded the tin roof. We had to stop the class because we couldn’t hear one another talk. I hadn’t realized it yesterday, but no one here had ever seen hail before, so my class and I stood at the window for some time and watched the white hail pile up like snow. After the rain stopped, a couple of the mamas stopped by and they, Micaela, and Etienne ran around the yard throwing handfuls of hail at one another. When the class was over, we picked up handfuls of hail and let it melt in our hands. My students were amazed. It’s always warm in Rwanda, and none of them have ever seen snow or ice. (They don’t know how lucky they are!) I taught them the English word, hail; I don’t think Kinyarwanda has a word for it.
Since I’ve been here, we’ve had an earthquake, a thief, and two hailstorms. Locusts, anyone?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Your stories are starting to sound a bit like an episode of "Lost" ... if you see polar bears, please let us know.
I didn't realize you would be teaching again this term. Was that always part of the plan?
Seriously, E., I hope you are keeping good notes in your vast collection of travel journals so you can publish (eventually) the stories that aren't posted in the blog. I'm genuinely looking forward to your contributions to the "literary journalism" genre.
Also, I look forward to receiving my prize for posting the most comments in week one of your blog.
PSE:
For the first 2-3 days, I have to admit that I felt like a Lost character, but now I feel very much at home. And yes, teaching "this term" was always part of the plan. I have a group of neighbors and Urukundo staff who come on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, and a group of pastors who come on Saturday morning. Some of the pastors also show up during the week. I'm trying to keep good notes, but it's time consuming, and I can't sit at the computer as much as good notes would require. Those who post frequently will definitely receive a prize.
I didn't recall you mentioning that you would be teaching, but it sounds like a great addition to the experience.
I'm sure that taking notes is a lower priority than other responsibilities ... just keep trying to retain those memorable details that will make your fund-raising video more effective.
Ellen, I have enjoyed reading your posts. I especially love this image of girls and women running around playing in the hail. Something about the simple joy of it makes me smile.
Kim...It was sweet to see people experiencing something for the first time. The little girls were trying to save all the hail in a bucket, but they learned that that doesn't work!
Post a Comment