Ethiopia: Conditioned Response

Tchad is hot. Toward the end of my time in Tchad, I was sleeping outside on a grass mat with just a blanket over top of me because it was too hot to sleep inside my hut. During the day temperatures hung out at about 115 degrees Farenheit, and temperatures at night were probably somewhere in the 80s or low 90s. This was in Bere.

Then we went to the capital, which is further North and much hotter. I remember staying at the TEAM mission compound, and sometimes during the day it would be so hot that we would turn the ceiling fans up as fast as they would go and sprawl on the bed not daring to move for fear that we would begin to perspire (sometimes doing so despite our stillness).

When I left Tchad and made it to Ethiopia, it took me a while to adjust to the much cooler climate. I would often wear my jacket despite the incredulous looks it drew from the other Farenji. I remember one particular day being inside the house where Ansley, Priscila, Dipika and I stayed and seeing that there was a thermometer on the wall in the corner of the living room. Curiosity compelled me. I looked and in astonishment called out to Ansley, "Ansley! No wonder we're cold! It's only 85 degrees in here!!"