Summer Nights

            Luanda doesn’t give its residents a chance to experience winter, spring, summer, and fall seasons like we get to experience in the States. Instead, there is a wet and dry season here with temperatures ranging anywhere from the lower 60s to upper 90s. Shocking, considering most people think hot, hot, hot when it comes to Africa. But in reality, the temperatures are pretty much perfect all year around.

            The wet season or “summer” runs from about October to May. The dry season runs from about June to September. The wet season may have more sunshine and hotter temperatures, but it also means more rainy days. It very rarely rains during the dry season, hence the name, dry season.

            Now that we are about midway through October, it is goodbye winter, hello summer! Yes, it is officially summer here in Luanda, and what better way to welcome it back than with a three-day celebration in its honor. Last weekend Adam and I went to the summer kick-off party at Lookal with a few of our friends.

            After purchasing our tickets, we stepped inside the bar to find out that this wasn’t going to be just any Saturday night party. There was a huge stage set up for the guest dee-jay (as they say) Miko. But he wasn’t the only source of entertainment hired for the evening. They brought in several groups of dancers; one group lined the stage, bars, and tables, while the other group made special appearances in costume on stage.

            Three women changed into elaborate costumes throughout the night and had a different routine for various songs. During one song they came out dressed in metallic outfits holding “guns” that shot out sparks to the beat of the song. I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed. But considering the amount of hair product I had applied, I decided to keep a safe distance from the stage. 

            The women, dressed in all white, came out on stage lit up from head to toe with white Christmas lights. I am not exactly sure what the costume was meant to represent but enjoyed letting my mind wonder about the endless possibilities.

            At one point in the night, the stage crew and dancers inflated giant balloons and sent them floating out into the crowd. Of course the balloons didn’t last long in the crowd of less than sober people, but it was neat to see them flying through the air for a short period of time.

            Adam and I made an appearance on the dance floor, but spent most of our time enjoying the show from a nearby table. We sat and watched all of the excitement surrounding us before calling it a night around 4am. And no, we didn’t leave because the club was closing and the party was ending. We left because we were tired. The party was actually just getting started, and there is no doubt in my mind that it was still going on when the sun made its daily appearance. Welcome back summer, the city of Luanda has missed you.

Three's Company

            Being newlyweds, I was excited to get settled into our apartment in Luanda. Just Adam and me. Little did I know at the time that we would be getting a roommate. Introducing Lizzy the Lizard. Yes, our roommate is a small lizard, and yes, we gave her a name. Who wants to live with a no-named stranger?

            At first I hated everything about the fact that we had a roommate. One, we are newlyweds with a roommate. Two, she is a lizard. Three, she doesn’t live in a cage and makes herself right at home in our apartment. And four, she isn’t the slightest bit scared of us despite the fact that we are practically giants in her little world. I’ve never been scared of lizards, but I can honestly say that having a lizard pop up out of no where can certainly get the blood flowing.

            Lizzy often joins me for breakfast. I’ll be fixing myself a bowl of cereal, and when I go to grab my spoon, she is sitting there on the counter right next to our silverware just waiting on me. Good morning to you too, Lizzy! And when she isn’t joining me for breakfast, she loves to help out with the laundry. I found her just sitting in our laundry basket one afternoon. Although she is friendly and helpful, she still needs her own space as well. I often find her lounging in her favorite “me” spots, the corners of the ceiling.

            I told Adam that Lizzy needed to find a new home, but he convinced me to let her stay. He explained to me that the lizards eat mosquitos, so if we let her stay in our apartment she will be sure to keep the apartment and us malaria free. The thought of having to go through the traumatic malaria experience again was enough to secure Lizzy a permanent room in our apartment for as long as she wants to stay.

            Even though Lizzy is always welcome in our apartment, she has taken a recent vacation to go explore the rest of the compound. I am sure that she isn’t too far from home, though. I just keep waiting for her to pop back up and surprise me. Until then, it’s just the two of us.

The Night The Lights Went Out In Luanda

            Considering we woke up recently to a very dry faucet, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to write about electricity and water in Luanda. I always had electricity and water in the States unless there was a rare power outage or a break in the water line. And even then, the problem was usually fixed in a reasonable amount of time. But Luanda is no stranger to power outages and limited water supplies.

            I never realized the impact that electricity and water had on my life until I faced a moment without it. We lose electricity almost daily and more frequently when the weather heats up because more people are turning on their air conditioners. We are fortunate enough to have generators that come on while the electricity is out. So in reality, we usually only go about ten minutes without electricity before the generators take over. However, not everyone in Luanda is as fortunate. Many people don’t have electricity and if they do, they often don’t have generators that kick on when the electricity is out.

            So ten minutes without electricity isn’t that bad, mostly just annoying. But the fact that the electricity cuts out almost daily at random times is actually dangerous. I like to run on the treadmill in our gym at our compound. I have no idea when the electricity is going to cut out, and of course I never have any warning. So if the run isn’t enough to get my heart rate up, the anticipation of the electricity possibly cutting out certainly does the job. There are times that it cuts out mid run causing me to stumble a bit. My "cat like reflexes" have kept me from face planting on the treadmill, and I am hoping to keep my perfect record. Knock on wood. Based on my first run-in with healthcare, I know that Luanda is the last place that I want a broken bone.

            Now water, that is a different story. We have a couple water pumps outside of our complex, but when the pumps are down, we go without water. Of course we drink and cook with bottled water, so dehydration is not an immediate fear. But it is all of the other tasks we do throughout the day requiring water that makes it so difficult. For example, showering and brushing our teeth is quite a chore. Bottled water suffices when it comes to brushing our teeth, but it isn’t exactly practical when it comes to a nice shower. And how about flushing the toilet or washing our hands? Luckily, the nurse in me was extremely prepared when I moved here and brought anti-bacterial hand sanitizer with me. Unfortunately, the hand sanitizer does nothing for our toilet issues. As for the morning dishes, they just sit in the sink taunting me because they know I like to keep a clean house. Mopping our floors is another task that falls to the back burner. The dirt can finally make itself at home without me interrupting its stay.

            Needless to say, life without electricity and water has been a major adjustment. We are fortunate enough to have additional water sources and generators that help us get by when the electricity is out or the pumps are down. Not everyone is as lucky. Just one more thing I no longer take for granted.

Happy Birthday To Me

            Yesterday was extremely bittersweet for me. And no, the fact that I am one year closer to the big 3-0 had nothing to do with the fact that it was bittersweet. I actually think that being able to celebrate another birthday, no matter what age, is extremely exciting. Life is too short and you never know whether you will get that opportunity to celebrate another wonderful year.

            It was bittersweet because I have spent every single birthday for the past 27 years with my family and friends back home in Kansas. This was the first birthday that I have spent halfway around the world and six hours ahead of my loved ones. And as hard as it was, it was still a very special time for me because this is actually the first birthday that I have been able to spend with Adam. In the past, that beautiful body of blue water has prevented us from being together on my special day. But not this year.

            Adam didn’t give me anytime to think about the fact that I was spending it without a majority of my loved ones. He treated me like a princess! Despite his long hours at work, he still came home and took over my cleaning duties. Seeing him mop the floor was absolutely priceless and a present in itself. Not only did he clean for me, he also surprised me with a beautiful chocolate cake, my favorite! And don’t forget the candles! I hadn’t even blown them out yet and it was as if all of my wishes were already coming true. 

            Adam took me out to dinner to my favorite restaurant Cais de Quatro. We spent nearly four hours on the deck enjoying each other’s company, delicious food, cool air, and the beautiful Luanda skyline. And yes, four hours is an extremely long time for dinner but when I am with Adam I seem to get lost in time. 

            After dinner was over, we came back to our compound to find our favorite guard working the door. Icing on the cake. We wanted him to be able to join in on our celebration, so we gave him a big slice of cake and a coke to wash it all down. I think he was probably more excited about my birthday than I was because of the pleasant surprise. 

            And how can I forget all of the wonderful Facebook messages and posts from my family and friends wishing me a happy birthday. My parents Skyped me the minute they woke up. Carolyn, my mother-in-law, “sang” me happy birthday through a text message. And my Grandma not only emailed me but also left me a Facebook post. Even though I spent my day halfway around the world from everyone, I still felt extremely loved and special on my birthday. Technology is truly amazing.