The rainy season has arrived
The dry season has come to an end. It’s been raining more and more frequently lately, and this week it’s been clear that the rainy season has arrived. Last Sunday it rained a fair amount of the afternoon/evening. I came down with a cold, which people here often blame on the change in weather. I stayed home sick on Tuesday, and slept most of the day. The cold is still lingering a bit, but I’m feeling mostly better. The temperature has dropped with the rainy season, and the nights feel pretty chilly. It makes me think of early autumn in Seattle, where the air is a little crisp. I’m glad we have such a nice fluffy comforter on nights like these.
I hate the rain when I have to drive in it. Riding a motorcycle in the rain can be quite challenging. Instead of just focusing on traffic and randomly darting pedestrians, you also have to try to avoid puddles (or lakes as they sometimes seem), and also make sure that you’re not getting splashed by other cars and motorcycles on the road. Even wearing a poncho, you often end up wet and uncomfortable.
Yesterday was Saturday, and I didn’t have to go anywhere. I sat on the balcony with a cup of coffee on the gray day, and read a book, listening to the children in front of our house playing, and their mothers cackling and shouting to the kids. We’re often bombarded with noise here in Indonesia, whether it’s someone revving their motorcycle, or children screaming, or a vendor shouting out his wares as he walks by the house. I’m learning to block out a lot of the noises, but sometimes all the sounds just make me a bit irritable.
After reclining on the balcony for about an hour, the sky got grayer, and the first few raindrops began to fall. The children all ran home, and the motorcycle traffic ceased. All you could here was the soft ticking of the rain on the leaves of the banana trees and guava trees that are around our house. This was punctuated with the occasional crackle of thunder, croak of frogs in the rice paddies, or chirp of a resident gecko hiding behind my potted plants. It made me appreciate the peace that can come with a soft rain. I love having a balcony that is covered, so I can sit outside and enjoy the rain without getting wet. I was lying on cushions on the floor of our balcony, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, enjoying the cool breeze, fresh air, and quiet.
I think it’s important to for me to make time to reflect on what I love about Indonesia. I often get caught up in the work day here, and don’t pause to appreciate the beauty and amazing culture that surrounds us here. I love my job and co-workers/friends, but it’s really grounding to just sit alone and take in the sights and subtle sounds that I often miss.
The view from our balcony
