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Interruptions

If you are a missionary or someone that has lived outside the northern hemisphere, you can probably relate to the inconvenience of power and internet outages.

As I traveled over the past months in the USA and a few places in Europe, I never faced a power outage, and rarely even an internet shortage. Now I am back in Paraguay, and just this weekend I had to postpone one of my emails seven times. Internet comes and goes. With the rain and strong winds, we have had at least 10 power outages in the last two weeks.

Getting used to this new routine that’s so disruptive is taking me a little longer this time around. To maximize my time, I am starting a list of assignments for the phases of a typical day that includes power failures, internet outages, water shortages, knocks (many of them) at the front door, and unexpected services (speaking at funerals, filling in as a translator without notice).

Here is the list so far (Julie would be very proud of me):
·       
  •       When the power is out: Work on fixing things outside, all manual work.
  •       When internet is down: Work offline and rush to post during small windows.
  •       When people aren’t knocking at the door: Get my house organized.
  •       When it does not rain: Rush to hang the laundry outside.
  •       During Anahi's naps: Rush to get concentration/thinking work done.
  •       When the water is gone: Get water from a nearby pond for bucket showers.


I am seriously considering using solar power to keep some of my equipment running during the power outages. I am also considering putting a sign out front with visiting hours.

As I am writing, the clouds in the sky are telling me that rain and winds will probably shut down utilities in the next two hours . . . so I need to respond to urgent emails and get this post in before interruption #22 happens.

Another not-so-obvious interruption? Driving 7 hours to the capital city on Monday to send important mail sent out and do paperwork.


Norberto
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Comments

  1. jbhateOctober 15, 2014 at 10:44 AM

    Thanks Norberto
    these are so simple things in List, but yet so meaningful in terms of resource and time management point of view.
    we took these basic things,Power and Internet connectivity granted in our day to day life here in USA. I am glad to learn that now on I don't take these things granted in my life..

    Jitesh

    ReplyDelete

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