8/25/13 Powerwashing

08/25/2013   POWER WASHING

After my trip and overwhelmingly emotional day, I expected to sleep well the evening of the 24^th.   It was not to be.  I went to bed early, but then woke up at 10:15.  Got up and ate half a sandwich and had a cup of chamomile tea because my stomach was growling.  I thought the tea would help me sleep.   Back to sleep.  Awake at 2:30-ish.  Sleep.  Awake at 3:45 due to wake up call to prayer.  Sleep.  Alarm wakes me at 5:00.  Okay, I can tell it’s going to be a long day.

And it was.  Boring PD about ELL students.  Excited about shwaerma for lunch, but turns out they don’t make it until 4:00, so settled for a falafel sandwich.  Afternoon visiting with friends and PD on curriculum mapping.  Work in room.  What?  It’s 3:00?   YAY   I’m outta here!   At 5:15 I am going to go to Eric and Whitney’s party:  engagement and Whitney’s birthday. That should be fun!

I sit down on the couch with a book.  The next thing I know, I wake up and it’s dark.  It’s 7:00 p.m.   My book was on the floor, and I had covered myself with a blanket.   Boy, exhaustion took an iron hold on me.  I took my medicine and crawled into bed.  At 3:00 a.m. I woke, hearing a weird noise.  It sounded like rain…..but that can’t be…..can it???   I got up -- amazed that I had now slept about 11 hours – and looked out the window.  Raindrops???  Can it be?  Bathroom and a chance to really wake up….plus some light.  I saw some water leaking down the wall from the window corner.  WTF?  I look out again and finally it all becomes clear:   they are powerwashing our building at 3:00 in the morning!!!!  My bedroom window leaked on both corners and I had to clean it up. The bathroom window leaked and I had to clean it up.   The living room window leaked and I had to clean it up.  Sheeeeessshhhh!  Now, why on earth would they wait until the teachers are all back at work to powerwash the building in the middle of the night?  Why not do it a few days before we come back?

Now, things are becoming clear in my head.   God is giving me lessons to remind me that I must embrace the concept of suspending my common sense….because there is a completely different way of thinking that goes on here.  It’s a cultural thing and my American way of thinking just doesn’t fit here.