Why do you punish yourself?

When Africans move around, they move gracefully. Which means very slowly. So if you want to keep up with an African, you need to make sure you walk slowly enough. You have to walk African speed, not Muzungu speed. Bazungu walk fast. And too much, according to the boda boda-riders in town. They are frustrated that we give them too little business. «Why do you punish yourself by walking?» one of them asked me some time ago.

There is only one thing that makes an African walk fast, and that is rain. Personally, I like taking long walks in the rain, especially in the sort of slow, dense, drizzle we have been having lately – like autumn rain in Norway. Minus the hot shower afterwards, of course. But I digress.

Last night, one of the CRO kids accompanied me home. Spectacular rods of lightning were splitting the sky, for a split second lighting up the landscape like the sun on high noon. There was rain in the air, and I almost had to run to keep up with the boy. Some school girls tried to follow us, giggling. I tried to explain to them that this time it is not me walking fast, but they just laughed. I guess they have seen me jogging.