S - Services (A Public Service Announcement)

“Boom Boom - (Right Here) - Out go the lights!”

As seems appropriate, I’m writing this blog entry without electricity.

Although service interruptions are becoming less and less frequent, they still happen often enough. Be a good boy scout and Be Prepared!

These are the three primary services that we use and the way we deal with outages:

Internet: When ground based internet is unavailable, there is not much that can be done about it. The battery on my laptop is good enough to watch a movie (or do some writing), and my Kindle book reader is always charged; those are the best options for me to deal with internet outages. Cable TV still works (although I rarely watch it) and cell phones (including data options) are still available for communicating.

One trick that I like is to use the Reuters app on my phone for news. I didn’t have internet service in my apartment when I first moved to Cuenca, so I used the free wi-fi at the local grocery store (SuperMaxi). The Reuters app will cache all of its news stories and can be read offline.

Water: Our drinking water comes in five-gallon bottles, so that is not a problem. Most houses have cisterns that are filled either with city water or by tanquero (water truck), so having water is not usually a problem; using it, however, is a different story.

Electricity: (The Spanish word for “lights” is luz. It is common to substitute luz for electricity, so no tenemos luz translates colloquially as “we do not have electricity”.) Some things may be obvious when lacking electricity (no working lights or outlets); some are a little more subtle (no refrigerator); others are potential culture shocks (no running water – electricity powers the pump). Here’s how to be prepared:

• Always be able to find a flashlight in the dark. (A flashlight cell phone app works good in a pinch). Because of our remote location, when our town loses power at night, it is DARK!
• Keep five or six old two-liter bottles of water on hand. Be certain to keep one near the shower in case the power goes out while covered in soap.
• Keep electronics charged ahead of time and turn off wi-fi to conserve battery.
• Without running water, a toilet is good for a single flush; use it wisely.
• Most of my electronics are plugged into a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) which is only good for a few minutes, but it buys me enough time to safely power down my stuff.
• Some locations (mostly those with clients) have generators and they are convenient to have; they are loud, however, and not always worth the expense and maintenance.
• Since gas comes in pressurized tanks, cooking is still available. Keep a lighter or matches available for lighting a stove or oven. (Our stove sparker doesn’t work, so we always use a lighter anyway.)
• Open the refrigerator or freezer as little as possible and have a plan for what to get when the door is open.
• Kerosene lamps are an option and I’ve used them before, but they smell when lit and they can break easily; I prefer battery-powered lamps.
• I have a MagicJack for calling people in the States. The best phone protocol is to discuss important items first and chit-chat later; the power can go out in the middle of a call.

The main consideration for losing power is not knowing when it will come back. Most of our outages are two hours or less – an inconvenience. However, I was in a location once where power was unavailable in my house for six days; showers and battery charging required a daily trip to another town.