December 9, 2012

dark dark dark!

Tour…darkness
I now feel like a real Peace Corps!
You may be asking, why?
Yes it is true I already live with limited amenities. (no electricity, cars, running water…)
But up until a few nights ago I had light every night, provided by our generator.
Well we ran out of gas or the generator was broken depending on who you ask…

First let me tell you a typical night I have been experiencing…once the sun goes down, at 6pm on the dot every night (living on the equator time and weather are super predictable!) we turn on our generator and have light until about 12 or 1 in the morning, once the gas runs out (I am the only one who turns out my light when I sleep everyone else sleeps with the lights on…). So I have ‘power’ to have lights on, charge my phone (PC policy says I have to have one so they can get a hold of me in case of emergency or I can get a hold of them…at first I did not like the idea of having one however it has been nice to also be able to chat with my family back home!), use a fan (I really like and am thankful for this!), charge my computer when I need to (I only use my computer to type up my blogs, organize my photos, or write PC reports I usually only pull out my computer once or twice a month when I am on Fefan), charge batteries, school work (grade papers) or anything else I may need to do.

So I had my first night of complete darkness! (well almost complete…I had my headlamp)
I ate dinner by kerosene lantern.
Everyone went to bed by 7.
I wrote letters and read with my headlamp.
It was a quiet evening.
I had a great night sleep because it was super dark and no hum of a generator…

I realized that I do not really need light, it only makes life easier.
Now I have experienced life as most locals live daily (not everyone is able to have a generator).
Actually this is what I was expecting when I signed up for Peace Corps, so I am blessed to have the generator, but I do not need it. (actually I prefer not having it)

That is why I now feel like a ‘real’ Peace Corps (I do not think there is actually any one experience that qualifies as a ‘real’ Peace Corps experience, it is all in what you make of the entire experience over the two years)

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