A Peace Corps Volunteer’s Memoirs... Is there something in the lessons I learned that makes sense of why an Arab Muslim boy who grew up in America came to understand himself (and the world) more fully in Central Africa?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
the kayes heat
6/9/2002:
there was more than a few times yesterday when i had to put stoicism aside and admit (at least to myself) that it was hot.
1st... as soon as i stepped out in the afternoon and turned the corner, i met with this gust of wind... can you believe that even the breeze here is intolerably hot? it was like a blow-dryer in the face.
2nd... right before bed, i passed out on a small mattress in the living room. i woke up to go to the roof and sleep a little later and my thigh/arm areas were clearly visible as sweat marks on the mattress. they still are. nasty hot.
3rd... sleep on the roof is tolerable, if only b/c it's a relatively cool day. yet one still has to keep drinking water. at one point i was having a tough time sleeping, so i wasn't thinking about drinking (just itching!)... i woke up, not too long ago, with my tongue fat and dry in my mouth.
days are a continuous balance of sweating and drinking here... all without peeing! with that kind of dynamic equilibrium who needs to urinate?
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IMAGE: a picture of me in kayes, trying to cool off on a roof in the evening. notice how close i have my hair clipped.
ReplyDeleteit was even to hot for t-shirts in kayes. light and airy button-down shirts were better. and they dried in an instant after washing.