In
the past few weeks, the Village has faced some water shortages. Don’t worry, I
am never short on drinking water or anything, just that sometimes it is harder
to find water for bathing. This usually means convincing myself that I don’t
need a shower… (I keep telling myself that washing my hair once a week is
actually good for it…) or going on what I like to call a “water walk”. I take
my 10L water can and set out looking for water. I check our guesthouse tap,
then the police post, then start with clusters closest to me. It usually ends
up being fun, as I get o visit the kids and take a stroll around the Village.
If after my cluster walk, I still find no water, I go to what the municipal
tap, which is only used as a last option. It’s a couple hundred meters from my
house and it requires a key to be opened. After filling my jug, that is if the
municipal tap is working, I carry it back to my house where now I can finally
“shower” (aka pour water over my head with a pitcher). Somehow, having to
search and labor for the water makes it all that more satisfying when I am
finally clean and “rid” of the dirt and sweat of the day (I say “rid” in quotes
because I am probably never actually clean).
My
water walks though are just a tiny picture of what many Kenyans and people all
over the African continent have to do just to secure water that may or may not
even be safe to drink. For a privileged person like myself who grew up with
complete water security, to the point where you don’t even think about not
having water, this water search is a very foreign concept, but unfortunately to
many, my mere few hundred meter walk to find water sometimes, would be a
blessing.
On
another note, this weekend was a very quiet one, with just myself and one other
volunteer in the Village. The
others had gone traveling to Mombasa for the weekend. It was also a long
weekend because of a holiday on Monday. I spent my time reading, catching up on
sleep, and getting ahead on some work. I did have chance to escape the heat for
an afternoon however, when I went into Kitui and found the only swimming pool
in town! For about $4 you can have full access to the pool. It was amazing to
be submerged in water and actually not be frying in the sun. I can’t believe it
took me this long to discover this hidden pool. The food at the hotel was
definitely not the best but it was worth it just to cool off in the water!
Also
as the impending rainy season approaches, plants and flowers are beginning to
bloom. The Village is slowly transforming from a brown dusty landscape to a
dull green. I have been told that when the rains finally arrive everything will
be transformed. So far, my favorite is the flowers that drape the entrance of
our clinic. They make me smile each time I see them.
Till next week!
Xx Maggie
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