hot, Hot, HOT

The weather in Malaysia is tropical, which, as I'm sure you all know, means hot weather all the time. Not only is the weather hot, but it is also very humid. I would say an average day here is comparable to one of the hottest days of a Midwest summer in August. I am absolutely loving it and am wondering if I will ever start to get bored of it as the year continues. However, it is kind of funny because I don't think it has really hit me that it's October and I think it's because of the weather. I'm just not used to this much heat in October.... I feel like it's still August.

At first I will admit it was an adjustment. I was continuously covered in a light layer of sweat. But as time has passed I think a combination of two things have occurred: 1. the weather has gotten slightly cooler 2. I have adjusted to the heat and humidity.

The rainy season begins in November and I am interested to see how much it really rains. I have been surprised by the lack of rain thus far. It maaaaybe rains about once a week. In the past couple weeks we have had two rainy days. They were pretty comparable to a rainy day in the summer back in the States and I really enjoyed it. It was quite cool, upper 70's and everyone at school was wearing comfy sweatshirts. One boy in my 6 year old class came to school wearing a full blown winter jacket and didn't take it off for most of the morning! I will admit that I too was wearing a light long sleeved sweater/jacket and was very comfortable.

In the evening it cools off a little. Right now it's almost 9 pm and on my computer it says it's 81 outside.... but to me it feels like its in the mid 70s. I usually go for a run early evening just before it gets dark because that's the coolest time to do it, aside from the morning and I don't have time then. The evening would also be a great time to sit outside and read or journal but I don't do that too often because the mosquitoes are pretty bad (and quite annoying).

We do have air conditioning in our apartment but we are not suppose to use it. The first couple weeks I had my moments where I wanted to use it... but now that I'm fully adjusted I have no need. If I'm really hot I just put the fan on me. Some businesses/restaurants and shops have air conditioning and some don't. Just about everyone seems to have air conditioning in their house but it is not always used... just depends on the family. The air conditioning in houses is not central air... they have individual ones per room.

Even though this is not related to weather at all I am going to end this blog post with a few snip-its of a Franciscan blessing a fellow YAGM shared with me recently:

And may God bless you with

enough foolishness to believe

that you can make a difference

in this world and in your community,

so that you will courageously try

what you don't think you can do,

but, in Jesus Christ you'll have

the strength necessary to do.

May God bless you that you remember

we are all called

to continue God's redemptive work

of love and healing

in God's place, in and through God's name,

in God's Spirit, continually creating

and breathing new life and grace

into everything and everyone we touch.