For the longest time there was no rain. Well, there was some rain, but not really at the level that it should have been. Peanuts were wilting, corn stalks were short and easily broken, and the rice fields were just dry fields. Then, the rain came and for a week or two it was like a real August rainy season.
I often forgot how much water is vital to every day. Here, I not only know it, I feel it.
Let's take an average day.
I wake up and drink some coffee and make some Oatmeal. I use water that I filter from a bidong. To get the water I have to walk to the center of village with a big empty yellow container and my bike whilst greeting people and hoping the line is short. I use the hand pump to get water into my bidong then lift the heavy water onto my bike and walk it to my house. I have to do this every couple days.
I am slowly becoming rather strong on my right side from carrying water. Every day I get between 2-5 buckets of water for gardening, laundry, bathing, washing dishes, and cleaning. My well isn't far, it's in my compound, but it's not simple like it would be in America. I mean, laundry takes half an hour to start. I clean my buckets, haul water, buy soap (so of course greet people along the way which takes time) and by the time I finally get to scrubbing 30 minutes have gone by.
I dream of the days when water will easily come from a tap once again. Simplicity will come with dishes, laundry, and bathing, and I will once again have symmetrical arms. I'm sure Gambians dream of next year, when all the crops won't be slowly suffering through a drought, enshallah.
