Infrastructure

In the last week:

We had no Internet on Monday. It was slow on Tuesday. Good for a few days, then completely out again Saturday night and most of Sunday, just when we needed it for conference.

Our gas got shut off. We called the landlord who called the gas company. According to them, they turned it off because we didn't pay our bill. Now, Paul moved into this place on march 12. They turned it off on march 30. We did not get a bill. Normally they stick it in your door, so we figured it must have blown away?Further investigation by the landlord reveals that the gas company left the bill at the neighbor's, so if we just pay the current bill it will be okay. I am wondering how leaving it at the neighbor's house makes sense, and how our bill was so overdue they shut it off after living here for only a few weeks???

Power has gone out 3 times. first time--a couple hours in the afternoon. Second time--from dinner time (just as we were sitting down to eat; thank goodness I'd finished cooking) until about 10:30 pm. Ate by candlelight and flashlight. So glad we brought our awesome solar charging flashlights. Third time was last night in the middle of the night until about 11 this morning. By far the most annoying: boys woke up cold (radiators are gas but the thermostat is electric) and wanted in bed with us. No showers (hot water is gas powered but electrically controlled) or laundry. No light in the kitchen; commence worrying about how long before food in fridge spoils. SO GLAD to have power back on. I'm seriously behind on laundry because it's been raining all weekend. Still raining but we are out of clothes so I'm washing while we at least have electricity. I only had time to do 3 loads since we only have so many radiators to dry stuff on...

Up until this point, I was really impressed with how well everything here seemed to work compared with our previous experiences in Russia and Armenia. This past week, tho, everything has sort of fallen apart, and 'm reminded how much of a struggle everything is here. It feels like they are fighting a losing battle.I don't know why it is so hard. Or why it's so much easier in the US. But I'm so grateful to know that it does work at home.

I am truly grateful for our great infrastructure.


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