It’s hot. Maybe not as hot as some of you are used to, but it’s hot.
A friend, who used to live in a country in this region, told me that during the summer it would get so hot they didn’t think they could stand it, and then it would rain. That would cool everything down a bit, and the process would start all over again.
That’s about how it was last week. We celebrated the 4th in 103°F heat, and then it rained on Friday night. Saturday was beautiful and cool and fresh. And then we’ve started over.
The forecast for the next month is looking better, but this month has been significantly hotter than the historical average.
Enough with the weather report, how does this connect to living overseas?
Sometimes culture stress just becomes too much, and you think you can’t bear it. On Monday, I cancelled my language class because a) I had a headache, and b) the thought of riding the bus and being reminded that I can’t understand or be understood made me cry.
But today, God sent me ‘rain’.
I did go to my language class, but it was on the way there that I was refreshed by small blessings.
First, I left my apartment 20 minutes earlier than usual, because I was very anxious about missing the bus (which has a new route, but no published times yet). As I was waiting, a lady came up to me and asked if I knew when the bus was coming. I responded as best I could, saying I don’t speak well. She smiled, and continued to talk with me. Even helping me once she understood what I was trying to say.
Generally, I feel like a I get a scowl and a shrug from people when I can’t answer them. So, this was a very pleasant surprise. She then called the dispatcher, who said the bus wasn’t coming at all. We started walking down the hill together, continuing in conversation. And then the bus came.
I’m not sure if I missed an opportunity to make a friend, or was spared a very long walk fighting through language. Anyway, when I eventually got off the bus, I turned back to her and thanked her, she gave my arm a squeeze and bade me farewell. I hope I see here again.
The second ‘rain’ was that being earlier than usual for my lesson, I had time to sit in a small courtyard by the opera and listen to the orchestra rehearse.
There’s a big statue and one of those fountains that kids can play in, surrounded by benches and trees just outside the opera. I’ve often seen people sitting there, and today thought “why not”. I hadn’t realized that you could hear the rehearsals from that courtyard.
These two, seemingly small events were so refreshing and encouraging. They were rain for my soul in a hot, dry season.