When it rains in Georgetown...

It*&^#%$$ POURS!!!

So, it's high tide to begin with. And then it rained... And rained... And RAINED. I don't mean a little dibby dibby rain. It rained like there was a hurricane. Last night all night I kept thinking, "this can't be good. it's going to flood...".

AND SO IT DID. Man alive, it was still raining this morning and so I contemplated taking a taxi to work. Now in real terms, this is not expensive. GY$3-400/ ride is about US/Cdn$1.50-2.00. But, in volunteer-land, when you will not be paid until the end of March, and you're already trying to live off a small stipend, you'd rather not have to take a cab. These days my choices have been... bus or FOOD, bus or food? I've been walking to work which my colleagues think is amazing for the distance I'm walking. They all declared they never would. I've been offered a bike, and one kind soul gave me money for a bus and taxi fare for such an emergency like this morning. Sweet people!  But, I digress. This is not about work or my colleagues. THIS is about what happens when it rains.

My housemate and downstairs neighbour and I decide to cab it. We call a cab. Now, the first thing that happens when it rains is... IF the cab company answers the phone, you will get one of two responses: a) We don't have any cars right now! or b) Okay, we'll send one. Now, (a) is self-explanatory, but the first clue about (B) is that they didn't tell you how long for the cab to come. What it really means is that 'NUH CAB NOT COMING'!

So, eventually we walk to the bus stop and take the bus ($60). This dropped me off on one of the main streets for me to walk up to my office. It was then that I noticed that the piazzas in front of the buildings were swimming. no way to leave the road where I got off the bus to go walk in relative "safety" in front of the stores. Ok, no problem. So, I navigate through the middle of the streets sometimes, and then in betwen the two lines of cars hoping they wouldn't squeeze me to death. I made it to the corner. Phew. Now to go up Alexander Street. Or not. The entire roadway is flooded. FLOODED. There is a young lady and a few other people looking in wonder up the street. It is raining, and I decide that standing looking at the water may not make it go away this morning, so, maybe I should press on to another route...

I take the scenic route, criss crossing streets until I get to the street my office is on. But, I can tell from the cross-road at the bottom that I won't be able to get unto my street. Now there's another street parallel (separated by a walkway in the middle flanked by two canals to drain the water). So, lemme explain that again, it's street, canal, walkway, canal, street. :) Got it? Okay, so since I can access the parallel street, and I can eyeball my office across the road, I start walking down that one. Get to the point where I'm now directly across from my office and I can see that the entire front of my office is under about 8-10" of water... I can see droppings from a donkey or horse, dogs, etc. I decide I am NOT CROSSING.

I think about my leopard print rain boots in Toronto. Whose idea was it not to bring them? Why am I here? Is this what I gave up my life in Canada for? I think about my bed and why I didn't call in sick. I look at the time and wonder if anyone else is actually going to come to work... I think about the boots again. I think about how volunteers are supposed to be "flexible". I wonder what that really means. I people watch. I watch the dogs go by. I twirl my umbrella and try to look cute regardless. I'm in a black and white skirt with a bow and a hot pink top. I will survive!

(Pics are courtesy of the Guyana Times Website)