Singin' in the Rain

There are a million things you see here that you don't usually encounter in the States, and vice-versa. One of my favorites is something that happens when it rains. There are two seasons here: hot (October - June) and rainy (the rest of the time). The rainy season is sneaking up on us with its regular afternoon thunderstorms. Soon this will turn to all-day storms, followed by unrelenting typhoons for the next few months. Despite the rain being a regular thing, the kids still freak out when it happens. They run. They jump. They splash. Its as though it's Christmas morning (in the States). The regular chorus of cock-a-doodle-dooing is replaced by shrieks and laughter as the rain pounds the dirt, turning it to mud for the boys to slide in. The girls try out their new dance moves to imaginary music. They chase each other, strip down to their undies, and ignore the parents yelling at them to come back into the house. Does it get any more innocent than this? As it tapers off, they head to the community water pump and the mothers bring out a bar of soap and a sachet of shampoo for them to bathe. They don't know of Nintendo or cable TV. They have the rain.