Shocking News

I have shocking news. As it turns out, a diet of pasta, corn bread, chapati, tomatoes and bananas isn't actually all that conducive to feeling fit and healthy. I have been meaning to run since I got here, but have managed to only make it out twice. There are just so many legitimate reasons that get in the way…It’s hot, I don’t have running shorts long enough to be decent, I am tired from teaching, I have  DVDs of Buffy The Vampire Slayer… But this morning my excuses ran out. Wednesdays I don’t teach until 11:40 AM so when I woke up I decided that today was a good day for a run. Because we are heading into the rainy season, there is often cloud cover in the morning, thus making it possible to run in full length leggings (no slutty knees) without bursting into a ball of flames.  So I suited up, grabbed my tunes and headed out.

I have some completely insane friends who are running the marathon and half marathon in May (FYI-not during the rainy season!) so they have already been out training. These Umuzazi had regaled me with tales of having 10-20 kids follow them during their runs so I was prepared for potential child sized interest. I did not anticipate a full grown male running partner. About a half mile into my run, a man stopped what we was doing and decided to come along. He never spoke to me, just ran along aside me and waved to every single person we passed. He slowed down and I slowed down, turned when I turned and even waited while I tied my sneaker.  On the last hill, a woman with a baby tied to her back who was sitting on the back of a bike laughed and smiled at me. I wass truck by the cultural difference highlighted in the millisecond exchange. In Rwanda, I was the one making a questionable choice-running outside for exercise and no other apparent reason. In the U.S.A. (particularly Park Slope) she would have been looked at strangely (and possibly subject to prosecution) for riding on a moving vehicle with a infant tied to her back using only a towel.

The funny thing is that having my friend was actually helpful.
I keep running long after I felt like walking because I didn’t want to let my buddy down. I wonder if he is free on Friday?