it's gone

well. it's happened. i'm now less iowan than i was yesterday.

so, bajans do this HILARIOUS thing (well, hilarious to us americans, anyway. not hilarious to the bajans who look at us strangely when we laugh). they don't like the rain. i've commented on this before on this blog and i can't stress to you ENOUGH how much they really don't care for the rain. there's some strange idea here that they will catch a cold if they're out in it. they also believe this to be true of air conditioning. i have tried to reason with friends here that i have, in fact, been out in the rain A LOT and in air conditioning A LOT and never have i gotten sick specifically and directly in relation to either. they don't believe me. they are adamant. and you know, maybe they're right. they have lived HERE their whole lives, for the most part. maybe they DO get sick because let's face it- it's typically HOT here. . . i dont know. i still think it's hilarious and i generally, nowadays (you heard it here first, i used "nowadays"), i quietly chuckle to myself when i hear this argument.
on rainy days, this is what happens: there aren't as many people on the roads (bonus for driving). my students show up at least 30 minutes later than their usual 15-20 minutes they are late anyway. . . well, some of them anyway. you see ALL sorts of people leaning against bus stops, under arches- anywhere they dont get in the rain. the buses are typically LESS full than normal because who wants to go out to WORK and catch a cold? and really- good logic in that, as if they catch a cold, they won't be in to work AT ALL, so why not be late? and the BEST- all the people at the grocery store stay right at the doors leading out, put their groceries down and watch the rain until it abates enough or lets up completely. usually, you can find a nice-sized crowd at the grocery store doors on rainy days, unless they've come prepared with umbrellas. you can't IMAGINE how much bajans love umbrellas.
i've been noticing for the last 6 months or so- i'm starting not to like the rain either. this is mostly because i saw how horrifying rain can be back in the fall and now, i'm just a little skittish when i'm out IN it. i tend now to think that the flash flood IS COMING, no matter how hard it's raining. it's just a matter of time.
i'm more apt to take my time when it's raining, knowing my students are taking their time, too. i usually just want to stay in bed now.
but today? guess where one could have found me at 930 this morning? that's right. standing in the doors of the super centre in holetown, bags at my feet, watching the rain. . . and then looking longingly at my car, which was parked not 10 feet away. and my justification for this behavior?- i had to put the groceries in the BACK of the car, thus having to open TWO doors, which would get me MORE wet than if i just got IN. plus, i had locked the car, so there was that 2 seconds of rain falling on me that i wanted to avoid. i told myself i would go as soon as it "let up" enough to make a dash. i told myself this through 2 cycles of the rain letting up. i just didnt want to go OUT in it. so i relaxed. i didn't have anywhere to be. today was saturday. who needs me at 930 in the morning?
all the bajans looked at me. i looked at them. and then we all went back to staring at the rain.