Do you have the time?

October 1...
(I apologize for the length of this post. I've had a lot of time to think this week)

One of the first things I noticed here in Tanzania, was that time moved differently in this part of the world. Of course, there was the obvious clock adjustment as I flew across several time zones and then dipped below the equator. Seven hours difference from Tanzania to Toronto. I was surprised how quickly I adjusted to the difference. It could be because I was awake for most of my two day journey across an ocean and nearly two continents. So when I finally arrived in Iringa (my home for two weeks) I quickly slipped into a steady sleeping pattern: in bed by 10.30 asleep at 11.00 and up and 8 or 9 (usually 9) in the morning.

In Iringa, life moved a little slower than Toronto (especially the internet, but I am very glad to have it at all) but for the most part things happened as usual. Breakfast would be somewhere between the infant giggling in the family room at 8am and well before noon. That's generally when lunch was had. And dinner found a comfortable slot around 5.30 or 6 at night. Pretty standard schedule. There was stuff in between but that was all pretty normal too.

Life in the town of Iringa is much different than life in the village of Kilolo. The most obvious difference being the size and location of the village. It's small. Really small. And it's an hour away from Iringa and a good bit of time from anything else. As such, there are some amenities that are not found in village life: namely electricity. And that my friends has a more powerful influence on daily life than I had ever considered. Without electricity for lights, or tv, or computers or anything I've completely adjusted my daily life. Seriously it's major.

These days I wake up at 5.30 or 6 (that's in the morning!) when the Rooster calls; right outside my window. I don't actually roll out of bed until 7.00 but by then I'm wade awake. And the only reason I am not in a catatonic state during the day is because I go to bed at...wait for it...9.30! The last time I went to bed at 9.30 The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was still making new episodes and the class of Bayside was just about to move to bigger and better things (along with more terribly written plot lines) in college.

I teach half days, so once I'm done for the day that's it. Done. Lesson planning doesn't take that long; an hour if I really waste time. Not sure if that's because I'm planning terrible lessons or it's just more straight forward teaching basic English rather than history or geography. Either way, I have a lot of time on my hands. I fill some of it with watching season one and two of the Office on my iPod (which I power with a solar charger I brought) and occasionally movies on the same device. But mostly, I read and think. In that order. And usually the one leads to the other.

I've had so much time to read and think that I've now just realized how rushed I am back home. Seriously, back in Toronto I can stuff a day full with anything but thoughts. The only opportunity I have to think was usually on the subway and that's only if I forgot my music. Dead space needed to be filled and so I filled it with everything I could. Not all of it was bad necessarily, and it'll surely be a challenge to make space for thought when I come home, to make time to think and reflect on life.

And another thing about thinking is that I find I talk to God a lot more. Not that I sit and pray ceaselessly (though that would be good I'm sure) but rather, it's just a simple dialogue between Him and me. I guess I could just be making it up and then I'd be talking to myself in which case I could give a friend of mine at WC a serious run for their money. But actually, I think it's me talking to God. And guess what: He talks back! I know, I know, of course He talks back but this time I'm actually listening. I think it has to do with the filling of the day with junk. Less junk = more clarity. I think I trust more easily now that it's God speaking to me, without the competition for air space I have back home.

Either way I like it. And I would recommend you try it.