Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Dry Season vs. Rainy Season

I really do miss the four seasons from the Upper Midwestern U.S.--autumn especially! I'll never forget the four delicious autumns I spent in picturesque northeastern Iowa. There's nothing better than a bike ride through the rolling hills between Decorah and Bluffton in October.

Just recently I realized that I have subconsciously decorated my living room and family room in autumn colors. We have nothing that comes close to autumn here--and I miss it!

In Nigeria, we basically have two seasons: dry and rainy. Here's a brief rundown of the pros and cons of both.

Dry Season (October-March)

Pros

  • Towels actually dry before you use them again
  • Clothes dry on the line within 30 min
  • Bread doesn't mold quickly
  • Can leave the umbrella at home for months
  • Can leave the car window down
  • Hair naturally straightens
  • Internet rarely goes down (no lightning storms)
  • Can buy the best vegetables for the cheapest prices--tomatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, lettuce
  • Gorgeous flowering trees
Cons

  • Lots of static electricity
  • Dust everywhere--I can write my name in the dust on the dining table every morning
  • Cracked heels
  • Meningitis easily spreads
  • Lack of water for many residents of the city
  • Electricity becomes more erratic because there's not enough water to go over the dams
  • Too cold (Nov/Dec--50-70 degrees) I know my Minn. friends are shaking their heads. :)
  • Too hot (Feb/Mar--80-100 degrees)

Rainy Season (April-September)

Pros

  • It's beautiful! Easily 20 shades of green vegetation!
  • It's refreshing
  • Love the sound of a rainstorm on a tin roof
  • The sun still comes out every day--it only rains for 20 min to 2 hours usually
  • We can collect rainwater
  • If you leave a slice of bread out for 1 hour it's still bread and not toast
  • Moderate temps--70-80
Cons

  • Mud, mud, mud being tracked into the house
  • Always have to leave the house with an umbrella--even when the sun is shining
  • Dashing to bring the laundry in off the line
  • Towels are still damp after 24 hours
  • Internet connections occasionally go down during storms
  • Sickly vegetables--it's just too wet
Near the end of each season, we eagerly await the change that is coming. A few months later, we are longing for the other season!

2 comments:

LoieJ said...

You can believe that I'm awaiting the change of seasons here!

conniez said...

Oh how I miss those 2 seasons. I an just a little to African now for teh winters we have here. I am ready to be warm again:)