“No Classes Tomorrow?”

Every once in a while the city of Cartagena and all of the surrounding towns--La Boquilla included-- will lose water for a few days.  Luckily, it is no surprise when this happens because both the news anchors on T.V. and the gossip newspapers inform the cities residents of the sweaty-sticky gloom that awaits.  So last week I read in the newspaper that we would be without water from the 19-21st.  I thought it would be wise to store up water in all of the containers and bottels I have on the 18th so I would have plenty of water to take bucket baths and wash up for the next few days.  So go figure the water cuts off on the night of the 17th and my master plan is foiled and I am left with only one bucket and a 2.5 liter bottle of water (I will make it work).    

Yesterday I woke up and while chatting with my host family, noticed that my host sister wasn’t at school.  Curiously, I asked, “Why is Valeria not at school?”  The simple answer was...."There is no water.”  I hadn’t heard anything about school being canceled so I went ahead and took the 10 minute walk.  Upon entering the gated school the students were on break yelling, running around and I didn’t notice anything different.  So I continued to the 5th grade classroom.  However, this walk would take me past the bathrooms.  And what I experienced when passing can only be described as an olfactory assault.  Without running water the bathrooms were just filling with...well you know.  I actually got nauseous on my way up the stairs and I even started to feel a bit dizzy.  To make matters worse as the day went on the smell became more and more prominent and even began seeping into the classrooms.  Finally, the day ended and after a quick planning session, I walked back home.  Unfortunately, all I could think of was that this was only day one of three and that smell ain’t going to get any better.             

“No classes tomorrow!”  My cousin/student yelled when I entered my host families house.  As I asked him why, he just plugged his nose with one hand, fanned it with the other and shook his head in disgust.  The only word from his mouth was baño.  Using my costeño reasoning skills and previous bathroom experience earlier that day, I concluded that there was clearly a problem with the bathrooms at the school.  So today I sit in my house writing this blog feeling quite lucky I don't have to choke down the rancid smell of poop for the day.  Only time will tell what sort of smell tomorrow will bring.