Monday 1-12-09 First day of class

It’s really raining outside! Like the video I’ve seen of hurricanes in Florida, complete with palm trees bending in half in the wind. Too bad my dorm is so far away from my classrooms… I have to be at an orientation session in 50 minutes and I have no idea how long this rain is going to last.
It’s funny cause our African literature class didn’t meet today so at 3:15ish I came back to the dorm really sweaty and hot from walking up the hills. I was gonna nap or journal or something, couldn’t really figure out what, and then I was like, “Bingo! Cold Shower!” For once it sounded great. Wasn’t so great though. Still cold. Pretty much as soon as I took my clothes off I was cooled down, so getting into the stall with all that water was still not something to look forward to. I thought I’d try turning up the water pressure, so that I could get my hair washed more quickly, but that just blew water and air everywhere in the stall, so it was even colder! I finally gave in and turned it down, which was better. But ok, enough about my shower escapades –they do form quite a significant part of my experience here.
I feel like I should try to write Dr Vader style and work in God experiences all over the place in this, but really everything’s so new it’s hard for me to see past the rain, the food, and all the rest of the adjustments. Ok the rain is massively massive right now. This is intense. It is for real raining. I liked it at first but now I’m kinda scared. I wish my roommates were here… at least I’d have someone to walk with.

I have a friend named Debbie, but until this afternoon I thought her name was Dorcas! I even yelled out, “Dorcas!” On the way to class, so luckily this afternoon she came up to me and said, “Emily, this morning you yelled at me, ‘Dorcas!’ but my name is Debbie!” and I felt so bad! But luckily they’re so nice and I feel like I had the right reaction because I just got all dramatic, African style, and said, “Oh Debbie! I am so sorry! Forgive me, my friend!” And I gave her a big hug and told her I was about to cry. So you can imagine how that went. She told me she had lecture and to pray that she did not doze off. She said, “Emily, you must pray to God, ‘Dear Father, please do not let Debbie doze off in her lecture!” And I said I would try, but I might get confused and say Dorcas instead. It was so funny, I hope it wasn’t one of those, “You had to be there” things and you don’t get it at all. I worked really hard to write all that out.

I sent a text message to Kelsey about walking to class together because I’m scared, but I really doubt that she’ll get it. And scared isn’t really the right word, more just like anxious and not confident. It’s not very far, anyways, I’d just like to share the experience of walking in the mud with someone else, you know? Oh NO! Here comes the rain again. I can hear it. Boo dee hoo hoo. I’m such a pansy. I liked it at first, I liked watching it kick up the dust and hearing it against the windows and feeling the cool air rush against my face. But then, like most things big and massive, I felt overwhelmed and out of control, not able to get to class and worried about the time, true American style. Also worried about being alone and being afraid of the unknown. Being here is so challenging! I know nothing and we all admit we feel just like infants, having to be told how to do everything. Plus I think we’re doing things wrong unconsciously most of the time, anyways, so I just pray we’re not offending anyone or prohibiting any future relationships.
I need chocolate, I think. That should make me less afraid
--Em