And then it rained.

So, you know how I wrote that the farmers were in distress because it wasn’t raining?  Well, the last 4 days have made up for it.  Life here just stops when it rains for most people.  On Monday afternoon, I headed out on foot for the 20 minute walk to my house… not even 5 minutes into the walk, the heavens opened up.  Horizontal rain, coming down so hard, I could hardly walk… by the time I arrived at the meeting I looked rather like a bedraggled wet rat, soaked and splattered with red mud.  It rained for an hour.  Then, yesterday morning I had every intention of leaving for the internet at 8am, to get on with my day… but the torrential downpour started at 0400 and continued through ‘til noon.  And now, as I write, the rain is coming down, and the sun is setting so the light is that beautiful twilight that is very soft, but at the same time strangely distinct.

Today, I finally gave my deposit on my house.  I am trying desperately to extract my rent from Bank of America (its my money!) and have it sent here… Joanna is helping me out, thank goodness.  Otherwise I may be homeless!  But its been another exercise in frustration and the American system….

Tuesday Dana, Allison & I decided to take advantage of our leisure time and explore a bit more of Bobo Dioulasso.  We walked for about 2 hours, and made some great discoveries like the teak furniture store, a seed shop for veggies, and the pottery neighbourhood.  But really, what was really enjoyable was just seeing more of daily life of Bobo, away from the touts downtown who harass us all the time (though already that is getting less).  Women walking with incredible loads of vegetables on their heads, girls of 7 or 8 helping their mother sell corn with a baby strapped to their back, bicycles passing by with impossible loads (like the guy who was carrying a 15 foot length of pipe).  A crowd of little kids running up to us yelling “Toubabu! Toubabu!” and wanting to shake our hands.  There are an incredible number of small merchants here, small stalls stuffed with all sorts of crazy things.  We wonder sometimes who actually buys anything when most people have so little formal employment… but there are literally hundreds of sellers of cell phone recharge cards – one every 50m or sometimes more!

Some of the things I’d hoped to get here may prove to be tough to find, but other things that we thought would be a problem are plentiful.  So I lugged my good frying pan all the way from Baltimore only to find a whole t-fal section of the grocery store here!  And yet a ceramic candle water filter has proven much more elusive. 

Thanks to all those who have been writing & leaving comments! I love getting emails & comments from people, it makes me feel much more connected.