Last night it poured. The dogs stood at the door, looked out and backed into the kitchen. Later, though, they both went outside out of necessity. They both got soaked. It won’t rain again today. The sun has broken through the clouds. Blue had taken over the sky. Right now it is 41°, typical weather for spring here on the cape. Tonight will go down to the high 30’s. Winter is still holding sway.

I have traveled. I fulfilled the promise I made for myself when I was eleven, when I was in the sixth grade. Geography was one of my favorite subjects. I loved all the pictures in my geography book. They became part of my promise. The picture I remember the most is of Christ the Reedemer statue standing at the peak of Corcovado mountain overlooking the city of Rio. That went on the list. I remember the commercials with Juan Valdez and his donkey Conchita who is hauling Colombian coffee beans. Juan wore a soft hat which looked like a fedora. He also wore a serape folded over one shoulder. Going to the mountains and seeing coffee beans growing went on the list. Maybe I’d even run into Juan and his donkey. I made a scrapbook, a journal of my travels before I traveled anywhere. I cut pictures from travel brochures and made up stories about my trip. It was a dream book.

I never found many brochures about traveling in Africa. Egypt was about the only country highlighted with pictures of pyramids in my geography book. Africa seemed strange, excitedly strange. It appeared different than any other place. I put it on the list.

When I was a senior in college before I heard from Peace Corps, my friends and I planned a trip to Europe after graduation. My parents gave me the trip as a graduation present. It was one of those 5 countries in 7 days type trips then I heard from Peace Corps. I was going to Africa. I was fine missing the trip to Europe. After Africa, Europe seemed almost commonplace. People went to Europe. They didn’t go to Africa. I took out books from the library about Africa. Peace Corps sent information and a book about Ghana. I poured through it. I knew very little about Africa and pretty much nothing about Ghana.

I’ve had adventures. I fulfilled most of the dreams, most of the promises I had made when I was eleven, but I still have a few dreams. I think myself lucky in that way.