The former was said by Amel, a lawyer from Bahrain/ instant close friend who I first met when we shared a connecting flight from Dubai to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Amel said this as she was finishing leading a morning yoga session and I have been repeating it since. It is a perfect way to start the day with peace and gratitude. Africa is very much a sunrise/ sunset place as people live by the sun rather than electricity. Frankly, they don't have much choice as hardly anyone has electricity in their homes(huts) and the few places in town which do have electricity can't rely on it since the power frequently goes out. Honestly though it is quite refreshing to know there is a time work must cease as the night calls all to sleep.
While Cross Cultural Solutions does have a generator for power, they also have a 10pm curfew so the other volunteers and I are always back to home base by then. My usual habit has been going to bed at 10(3pm Eastern Standard Time) and waking up at 6am(11pm Eastern). It is interesting to think that as I'm waking up, people on the other side of the world are going to bed. I must say I love how I see the streets come alive as I walk on the dirt roads to the school I teach at. There is no such thing as staying in bed past sunrise here. The roosters and the people alike all rise to start a new day and each day I am greeted by dozens of smiling members of the town during my walk. Habari za asubuhi? (How are you this morning?) There is a group of volunteers from West Point and some ROTC volunteers so I've been joining them in their PT first thing in the morning. Some days we run, others we do ab work outs, or yoga. Whatever it is we do, we always feel more energized for the day ahead so it's certainly worth waking up for!
Prior to leaving FL, I emailed the high school cross country team I coach along with other coaches. The boys' cross country coach told me that he was sure any run I did in Africa would be memorable. That certainly has been the case as I've enjoyed sunrise and afternoon runs. One afternoon, a friend and I were running and I asked him how much farther he wanted to go before turning around. He nonchalantly pointed a good bit ahead and said, "We'll turn around at that hut." Of course this was comical because we were passing huts the entire way. Nonetheless, I'm sure the next time I'm on a long run I'll picture those huts instead of light posts. African sights will surely follow me in every race I do the rest of my life be it a training run or another marathon.
This morning(Tuesday- 12- July-2011) was a personal favorite morning as I woke up with six fellow volunteers at 5:40 to walk ten minutes to the beach and do our yoga session there. It was so calming to do standing strength to the sounds of the Indian Ocean. We went from warrior poses in the dark to sun salutations as the sun rose. We then sat peacefully in the sand to take in the beautiful sunrise with open eye meditation. I am slowly learning to let go of the fast pace western ways and embrace the slow life style in Africa. As we say in Swahili, "Pole, Pole." (Slowly, slowly)
And because it bears repeating, wherever you are...
"Think about what makes you happy,
how little it takes to smile,
and be grateful for ALL you have."
wow ms.barr that is really awsome i hope you had fantastic time
ReplyDeletei hope i get haighly for reading buddies so excited to be reading with your class ever fridays
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