Because sometimes you just have to laugh...

Verbatim conversation between Deborah, our program leader and Rose, one of the professors at the University of Malta:

R: "Luckily we've had lots of rain---the tubs on our roofs will be full for the dry season."
D: "Well, at least we don't have to count on them for our drinking water. We can go without showers, but we need water to drink and to cook with."
R: "Didn't you know, the tubs on the roofs are the drinking supply too. The kitchen tap runs directly from the roof. You live on Depiro Street, right? There's no public water system there, the water supply is all from the rain, piped down from the roof."
D: "For the love of God."
This conversation was followed by lots of disgusted looks, all realizing that we've been drinking water that has been sitting in giant tubs on our roof. When we got to Malta they told us it was fine to drink. We knew we were showering and doing laundry with roof rain water, but we thought we were drinking clean city water. See those bug tubs on the top of that picture?? Who knows what else is in there---no wonder we've all been sick. Good to know that we shouldn't drink the water. 3 months later. Good thing we can laugh. :) We really did laugh---now we're going to the grocery store to get bottled water. Lots of bottled water.

Love, Audrey