Rain, Refuge, and Ravioli

Fridays at the UN are rather unproductive days. The work day ends at 2pm, and many jet out before that (after having arrived at 10am). However, this past Friday, I was tasked with working on a Powerpoint for a presentation that is happening tomorrow in Naivasha, Kenya at the Inter-Cluster Coordination Meeting, which means that I didn't leave work until 3pm. Unfortunately, this meant that I got caught in a torrential downpour as I attempted to make my way for some hot and sour soup at the Sichuan Chinese restaurant. It was raining when I left the office, but I had no idea that I wouldn't make it to my destination without becoming absolutely soaked with cold rain water...only to discover that the restaurant is closed between lunch and dinner.

However, this sudden explosion from the clouds did provide me with an opportunity to experience some true hospitality and kindness. After discovering that the restaurant was closed, I returned to the entryway of the building. I stared out the window contemplating my next move. There is a small shop right inside the building and the shopkeeper told me that I must stay inside. Then, the security guard stood up from his chair and offered it to me. I initially declined, but he insisted. And so, I sat for almost an hour as the rain pummelled the city. The streets in front of the building became a river, and many people were welcomed into the building and given a dry place to wait out the storm. It was quite amusing to watch the cars negotiate the roads, and to see the occasional person with their cheap Chinese umbrella attempting (but failing) to stay dry as they hurriedly rushed to their destination.

Eventually, the rain subsided enough for me to run next door to the Lime Tree restaurant where I enjoyed some warm coffee and delicious ravioli. When the rain stopped and the rivers disappeared, the streets were again filled with people negotiating the fresh mud and enlarged puddles/lakes. I decided to make my usual walk home, but was determined not to let the afternoon/daylight be wasted. Thus, I decided to go to the Dembel Shopping Center to look for some earrings to replace the one that I lost :( a couple of weeks ago. If only I had a picture of the walk from the road (where there is massive construction) to the front of the shopping center. People negotiate it as if they are walking on concrete and there isn't an incredibly deep ravine on one side that you could fall into with one wrong step or slide on the mud. I made it to the shopping center but didn't find any earrings, and so I negotiated my way back to the road. I continued my trek to another shopping center, where I ultimately purchased some earrings, after crossing another ravine on a wooden plank (very slowly with all around watching as though I was going to fall). Mission accomplished, I made my way home, where I placed my very muddy pants in the basket for washing.