Monsoon Season

Caroline is napping, and the two older ones went to visit some kids upstairs, so I am quickly taking advantage of this rare moment of silence and freedom to ease into my chair in front of the computer to work on a new post. Could it be this is already becoming an addiction? As a child and teenager, I used to keep a diary, but then as I got older, I let the habit slip, I guess I got too busy with other things – studies, then getting established as an interpreter, and finally having kids. Children have a tendency to just take over our lives, and if we aren’t careful they can run us down just like an 18-wheeler would. Well, maybe not literally, but the results can be just as devastating. Fred and I have never been good at making time for ourselves after we had children, and this got even worse when we moved to the Netherlands. We were grappling with having a newborn again, and we never really found any exciting places to go. Now, we are slowly rediscovering our freedom. But it is still very elusive. But I digress.

Monsoon season is a period of heavy rainfall in South East Asia lasting from June until September, and follows a hot and dry season in April and May. The summer monsoons are responsible for close to 80 percent of the total annual rainfall in Cambodia and other parts of the region. These rains are critical to agriculture here. This year, Cambodians were saying it was starting early, as we already experienced the first heavy rains only days after our arrival in Phnom Penh. But somehow, although the rain came early, it has not been abundant. Usually it rains at least once a day, often twice daily, but so far, the rain has been very sporadic. In fact, we’re lucky to have rainfall 3 times a week. I wonder if this has anything to do with climate change. I read an article stating that scientists were predicting a weakened monsoon season for Asian countries in the future due to rising temperatures. This would have a devastating effect on the region’s agriculture. But I suppose all of that can change in no time. Then I suppose we’ll be house-ridden, and will be looking for all sorts of indoor activities to keep us occupied.

Actually, as I was sitting here, I heard the distant roll of thunder, and the promise of rain is heavy in the air. While I’ve been philosophizing about parenthood and the loss of freedom, the day has gone dark. Heavy clouds are looming ominously above, the wind is picking up, and any minute the rain will be coming down in heavy sheets. As much as I loathed the rain in the Netherlands, I love it here. The sheer intensity of it thrills me. With the first drops of rain starting to fall and the sound of the thunder growing louder, Helena and Thomas reappear and Caroline awakes from her nap, so what else is there to do but pop some popcorn and curl up in the sofa together to watch a movie? If monsoon season means you have to drop what you’re doing instantly and enjoy life, I think I’m really going to like it!