U is for Umbrella

While it is true that all men are created equal, the same cannot be said of the umbrella. Before I moved to Papua New Guinea (PNG), I had a cute little fold-up umbrella that was more than adequate for a short jaunt to the car or to run into Target. In fact, I rarely used it—it was just too much of a hassle to deal with—up, down, in, out, drip, drip, drip.

Then I moved halfway around the world to a country that has two seasons—rainy and dry. In the rainy season, it rains pretty much every day, at about the same time each day. In the dry season…well, it rains pretty much every day, randomly throughout the day. So with all the rain around here, one needs a good umbrella. But what constitutes a good umbrella?

A good umbrella first and foremost doesn’t leak (much)—I know, I know, it seems like that should be obvious, but one of my umbrellas has a slow leak when it really pours (which is rather inconvenient!). I discovered this troublesome little detail during Village Living, when we walked back from the market in the pouring rain. I don’t think I’ve had a problem with it since then, so either the umbrella fixed itself or I haven’t been out in the rain during such a storm since then...or maybe I just don’t notice anymore!

It’s also quite handy if all the spokes/arms go out when the umbrella is opened—again, that probably seems like a given, but around here we use everything until it literally falls apart…and then we find another use for it! (Although I’m not really sure what you could do with an unusable umbrella…a doorstop, maybe? I’ll have to think about that for a while.)

The beast (left) and the weenie (right)

The final criterion for a good umbrella is that said umbrella is big enough to actually keep you (mostly) dry. I have two umbrellas—my cute little fold-up pink one from the States and a big, beasty, red and black umbrella that I bought here in PNG. I carry the little pink one in my bilum all the time—just in case it rains. If it’s just raining lightly, this one is adequate, but if it is pouring (as it does quite frequently), all it’s good for is keeping the very top of my head dry. I affectionately call this little umbrella my “weenie umbrella.” The big one is where it’s at, though. This monster keeps not only my head dry, but also whatever I happen to be carrying—like my bilum or a hot dish or dessert for a potluck (ever had soggy hot dish? It isn’t a pretty sight, folks. Not a pretty sight at all.) The only downside to the monster umbrella is that it doesn’t fold up and fit in a bilum, so I feel like a goober lugging it around when the sun is shining—but if it rains, I will be (mostly) dry!