La Lluvia

La Lluvia

‘Partly cloudy with chance of rain.’ This is so often the weather report in Oregon, but so seldom here. Lately, it’s been raining here and I’ll have to say I love it.

From the pitter-patter of rain hitting the ground, to the claps of thunder, to the flashes of lightning that briefly brighten up the night sky; for me this is nature’s symphony and light show. It’s a nice time to stay inside and read, watch a movie, and catch up on things in the apartment. The dragonflies and butterflies seem to multiply after the rain. The brownish hills suddenly become amazingly verdant.

Part of growing up in Chicago, and living in Oregon has made me feel that when it’s sunny, I’m somewhat obligated to go outside. Here it makes most sense to go to the beach at least part of my day when it’s sunny on the weekend…and this is pretty much every weekend. When it rains here, the waves disappear, so there is no possibility of surfing. The Sea turns a much more beautiful blue color.

Right now is a Sunday afternoon. Kären, Yoyi, and I were supposed to go on a little boat ride with Yoyi’s friend Mr. James. It’s raining right now, so I’m not sure if we’re going to go. Yoyi is sleeping on the couch, Kären just returned from church drenched from the downpour, and for the first time in ages, I am writing a blog post.

There are numerous reasons for my lack of writing: the busy-ness of the end of the school year, lack of internet connection, the endless frustrations of my job, and perhaps just a bit of homesickness. It’s May and I will head back to Oregon in July. Initially, I was planning to return in the middle of July, but realized that I really want to return sooner. I miss my friends, my garden, and my dog. I’ve had lots of interesting experiences here, but I’m ready to go home. Portland is beautiful in the summer and my garden is a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables. My sister Wendy calls it ‘produceland’. The rain is a reminder of how much I really love Oregon. I can’t believe it, but I’ve missed rainy days. Obviously, a warm tropical shower is a bit different than the chilly Portland precipitation. Nonetheless, these rainy day have made me happy and at the same time a bit nostalgic for home.

Right now the rain has temporarily stopped and Yoyi and I are going to go for a walk and take in the sights that are Colombia. In Barranquilla there are these things called arroyos. They are basically streets that turn into raging rivers when it rains. Kären, Dave, and I saw one the second day we were here and were incredulous. Perhaps it’s just the time for an arroyo hunt.