Rain drops

Today was another first: emergency weather warning!

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain. The rain has shown up every afternoon like a faithful friend—well, maybe not friend. Let’s say acquaintance—not matter how sunny it appears to be in the morning. It makes a grand entrance, beginning suddenly and falling forcefully, and then simply lingers for the next few hours.

But yesterday the rain over stayed its welcome. Rain in the morning, rain in the afternoon, and rain all throughout the night. Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.

This morning we were awoken to the sound of a truck driving through the streets with a siren and loud speaker announcing schools and businesses were closed and canceled for the day. We were later caught up to the news of the inundaciones, or floods, by the radio announcer at breakfast. Many neighborhoods were up to their second stories in water and the streets were transformed into mini rios, rivers.

Xela is situated high above sea level and isn’t in the path of any major rivers. But here, floods are just a few extra raindrops away because of the crowded streets and old, too-skinny pipes. The family I am staying with is located in a part of the city that was safe from the floods’ destruction; however everyone was still advised to stay inside and wait out the rain, which meant no orphanage or Spanish classes today.         

Interesting side note: Apparently I came in a year that just keeps making history. This rainy season is one of the longest and strongest Xela has seen in quite awhile. Normally the rainy season comes to an end with the close of the month of October. Keep your fingers crossed!