Day 6

October 14, 2011

Today marks six days of non-stop rain. Morning to night. Every day.

What’s the big deal right? Get an umbrella and make do.

Except the students who live 30 or 50 minutes away by foot don’t come to class. Therefore the teachers don’t come to teach. And since the school is closed I have no work. The school principal tried to come yesterday but almost had his car washed away by the high river waters. The buses no longer reach our town. The road entering our town is too steep and too muddy to climb. Those who brave the water to leave town must walk an hour down the mountain to Tierra Blanca to find the bus. Then they pray that the river level is low enough for the bus to drive through.

The rain pounding continuously on the metal roof of my house is mind numbing. It makes conversation all but impossible. We sit in front of the TV watching programs that we can’t hear. I listen to music on my headphones cupping my hands over my ears struggling to hear.

The one miracle, for which I am constantly grateful, is that we still have electricity. It seems to only take a light breeze to knock out power for days at a time. But somehow we still have light, TV, and hot water in the electric showerhead.

It’s cold! Who would have imagined that Choluteca could get cold? I even have a blanket on my bed. I’ve already gone through the four long sleeve shirts I own and can’t wash my dirty clothes since there is absolutely no chance of them drying.

By day three I was going a little crazy with boredom. I cleaned my room, worked on lesson plans, wrote letters to the states, and finished two books. Now, three days later I’m just numb with boredom. Today, just like yesterday and the day before, I hope to get off the mountain. If at 8:00 the rain lightens enough to walk outside I’ll make the hike down to Tierra Blanca. If not, I’ll try again at 1:00. If not today, I’ll try again tomorrow or the day after. It’s bound to stop some day, right?