Internet in a Fourth World Country...

Saturday, April 10th, 2010 12:15 p.m.

For a switch, I have decided to give a brief description of one of the differences brought about by living in a country such as this. Through this, I hope to provide a better understanding of what it takes for us just to send an e-mail or update a blog.

Around 2:00 p.m., after we have eaten lunch, since it's the hottest time of the day, and some people have finally left the yard for a while, giving us a small break from meetings, distributions, cleaning, and supervising construction, we decide we'll be able to spend some time on the coveted internet, which at times is our only access to the "outside world." First I have to find the keys so I can open the office where we keep the inverter. I unlock three concessive doors to reach said office, only to discover that the inverter is out of juice. The next step is to find two or more of the boys who can roll the huge generator outside and start it to give us electricity and also re-charge the inverter. Most of the boys are helping with the construction work or uphill, so half an hour later, they finally make it down to the yard to commense the "delco."

After making sure the inverter is set to charge and the extension cord is plugged in I go back inside, again unlock two of the before mentioned doors to retrieve the internet modem, printer, and computers and cords. Carrying all of these items, I mosey on out to the back of the house, where we have a screened-in tent for our office, complete with two desks, two plastic chairs, and a power strip for all of our devices requiring electricity. I take both laptops from their bags and plug them in, then fit all four wires into the back of the internet modem, plug it into the power source, and connect it to my laptop. Just as I sit down to turn on my computer, the generator shuts down. I send for Smith again to come find out what is wrong with it, and he works on re-wiring the starter while I type out an e-mail using the last fifteen minutes of charge on my computer.

Another twenty minutes goes by, and finally we have energy again. It is now 4:00 p.m. I click on the little "e" icon for internet access, and it refuses to connect me. I turn off the internet modem, restart my computer, and repeat the above step. Google.com miraculously appears on the screen! Ten minutes later my e-mail account has loaded, and I am able to begin reading and replying to my mail. When I am finished with my work, I call Dee and she is able to spend some time on the internet herself. Just before dark we close everything down and turn on the inverter, now fully charged so the yard can be lit during the night...another chapter in the saga of our internet activites has come to a close.