Beyond what I hoped for.
The electricity cut. I assumed it was just a normal power cut, that the power would come back fairly shortly. It didn't.
We had battery backup. I could run a fan and a couple of lights for a few hours, but not the fridge or an air cooler. I was hoping the fridge would stay cool enough that the food wouldn't go off. My husband was away for a few days with the car. Pots, Chops and Moo were aged 3, 2 and 0 - the afternoon went slowly.
Later that evening, looking out of the gate and seeing that all my neighbours had electricity, I realised it wasn't a power cut. Somehow it was just our house that was affected. Maybe the boys playing football in the maydan had knocked a wire by mistake, and somehow disconnected the electricity. It was a long, uncomfortable night.
I wanted to be at the electricity office as early as possible so as to be first in line to report a problem.
With the temperature already over 90F and Moo in my arms, Chops and Pots toddled along beside me as I walked around the corner, down the street, across the big soccer field, past a preschool and around the other side to the electric office.
The lady behind the counter motioned for me to go straight up to the window, and I explained what happened. I was thankful to be living a culture that gave precedence to women, and especially women with young children.
When we wanted to recharge the electric meter we would go there to pay. Instantly, as if by magic, our new total would appear on the meter at home, ready to be eaten up by the fridge, air coolers and fans. On arriving at the office, women (such as me!) waited to one side, where they would be called to the window in front of all the waiting men.
Explaining my problem to the lady behind the counter, she said someone would come later that day. I was excited to hear this, but fully expected it to be another couple of days before I got electricity back.
We were home by 9am.
An hour later there was a knock at the gate.
By 10.30 we had electricity.
Sometimes living in a country like Sudan it is easy to get a cynical view of things there. In my experience I was treated very generously and respectfully, and many times people went far above and beyond what I even hoped for. I was and am very thankful for that.
We had battery backup. I could run a fan and a couple of lights for a few hours, but not the fridge or an air cooler. I was hoping the fridge would stay cool enough that the food wouldn't go off. My husband was away for a few days with the car. Pots, Chops and Moo were aged 3, 2 and 0 - the afternoon went slowly.
Later that evening, looking out of the gate and seeing that all my neighbours had electricity, I realised it wasn't a power cut. Somehow it was just our house that was affected. Maybe the boys playing football in the maydan had knocked a wire by mistake, and somehow disconnected the electricity. It was a long, uncomfortable night.
I wanted to be at the electricity office as early as possible so as to be first in line to report a problem.
With the temperature already over 90F and Moo in my arms, Chops and Pots toddled along beside me as I walked around the corner, down the street, across the big soccer field, past a preschool and around the other side to the electric office.
The lady behind the counter motioned for me to go straight up to the window, and I explained what happened. I was thankful to be living a culture that gave precedence to women, and especially women with young children.
When we wanted to recharge the electric meter we would go there to pay. Instantly, as if by magic, our new total would appear on the meter at home, ready to be eaten up by the fridge, air coolers and fans. On arriving at the office, women (such as me!) waited to one side, where they would be called to the window in front of all the waiting men.
Explaining my problem to the lady behind the counter, she said someone would come later that day. I was excited to hear this, but fully expected it to be another couple of days before I got electricity back.
We were home by 9am.
An hour later there was a knock at the gate.
By 10.30 we had electricity.
Sometimes living in a country like Sudan it is easy to get a cynical view of things there. In my experience I was treated very generously and respectfully, and many times people went far above and beyond what I even hoped for. I was and am very thankful for that.
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