The hardships of Kinshasa

This is the pool here at the school. It is beautiful. However, lest you think all we do is take in rays sipping Pina Coladas and other drinks with little umbrellas in them consider the following. Twice a week I meet with some of the students that are trying to get in shape for the swim team. Mrs. Triller is notoriously tough on them and so they want to get ready for her arrival this December. She has been out enjoying her new baby. Congrats, Mrs. Triller.

We are now officially in the wet season which means there is a lot of rain and there are a lot of frogs. We arrived at the pool one day this week only to be serenaded by amphibians. They were out in epic proportions. The males croaking out their love songs and the females on there quest to string the pool to welcome us with their infantile pods. We were so overwhelmedwith gratitude. Any sane person would have turned and come again another day when the festivites had died down. But us little pirates are not sane individuals are we? I proceeded to scoop the amorous pairs out to make room for the girls who wanted to swim. I scooped 15 pairs of lovers out of the brothel, known locally amongst all frogs as the Ceaser's Palace. (where all hoppers stand a chance to beat the odds) I finally had to give up my struggles as there were still no less than 14 more couples having quality time.

I say all of that to simply reassure you that a picture does not always tell the whole story. Sometimes it only tells us what we wish to remember. And so, to all and myself I leave this wonderful picture of a pool that looks as if we were at a resort enjoying the good life because for all its, "attractions," it is still a wonerful place to be. (afternoons the pool is frog free)

On a lighter note here is a beautiful flower just outside our porch. We can sit on our porch and enjoy the tropical bushes and flowers to our little hearts content. We also love to sit out there during the rains and watch the storms roll by. When it rains it usually starts out as a gusher. Think Hurricane style downpours and heavy winds. Then it will slack and produce a nice steady rain that jsut soaks into everything. I love the rainy days because the temperature drops. The day before the rain the heat is like Charleston in August, Hot and Mugy. All in all it can be a beautiful place if you know where to look. I am pretty sure there is a life lesson ther but I am not sure exactly what it is so I leave that to you who are life lesson inclined. As for me I am off for another day of adventure.

Au revoir!