So while those of you in the States are currently enjoying the heat of summer, we here in Guatemala are smack in the middle of rainy season and about to enter the rainiest months yet. Yay. And just to clarify, rainy season means it usually rains every day. Not all day every day, but it pours at some point, at least once, every single day. Another yay.
Rainy season also means:
- It's blue skies and sunny one minute, then it's dark and ominous and pouring five minutes later. If you don't carry an umbrella at all times, you will get caught in an unexpected rainstorm. The phrase "It doesn't look like rain" will come back to bite you in the butt.
- Having your umbrella or rain jacket stolen is more devastating than having your wallet stolen.
- You forget about your dignity and wear rainboots out at night in Antigua.
- Sewage and sludge and other gross things are pushed up by all the water and spread into the streets. It's a known fact that the people of Guatemala are sicker during rainy season. Surprised?
- Roads flood. Repeatedly. And quickly. Get ready to become stranded in a chicken bus that can't pass.
- When it downpours, the internet goes out. Guaranteed. I spend many an afternoon watching the rain out my office window while hopelessly hitting "Refresh, refresh, refresh!" on my internet browser.
- At some point every day, it feels like really good nap weather.
- And the tin roofs on every single building on NPH's campus make it impossible to hold a conversation/watch a movie/think while it's raining.
