So, what is Load Shedding you ask….I’m actually not entirely sure that I know yet! Except to say that we often do not have electricity. Evidently, Eskom (the power company here in SA) wasn’t exactly “forward thinking” in the energy planning for Johannesburg. Simply put, they don’t have enough power to supply the growing needs of this city and therefore have to “shed some of the load”. This kind of thing is UNTHINKABLE in the United States. Can you imagine having rolling blackouts that last most of the day because someone failed to plan well?? There would be riots in the streets!!! But here in South Africa, it’s just part of the scenery. Yes, the average citizen isn’t too happy with the situation but “What do you do?”. As inconvenient as it is, it is also very dangerous. Johannesburg is rather infamous for it’s crime and violence (that is a whole OTHER blog post…). People live behind walls, gates and electric fencing. When power goes out, so does the electric fence!! And no one knows this more than the “bad guys”! Also, the traffic lights (called “robots” here!), go out….which complicates an already overloaded and overcrowded traffic system.
This is one of those things that is hard to wrap your mind around as an American. I am SO incredibly humbled by my 1st World entitlement!! If we don’t like something, we change it! There are countless options for phone, internet, cable and even power!! I can’t tell you how many times I changed cable/internet providers because I was “displeased” with my service. That is just not the case here. Most thing are government run and government controlled. Choices are limited. And complaining (although I hear a fair bit of it in the cell phone stores) falls on mostly deaf ears.
We waited 9 weeks to get a letter from South African Home Affairs before being able to open a bank account. We waited 3 1/2 MONTHS to get cell phone contracts. And we had to wait just as long to get our own internet access. And what a fiasco that turned out to be!!!
You know, one of the things I prayed for in moving here was patience! I prayed that I would become a more patient person. WHAT WAS I THINKING????? But I realised I have a lot to learn from the culture here. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for our internet….our “slow” and often sketchy internet. Or for our cell phones, that drop 2 out of every 5 calls!!
And now, every time I flip on a light switch, I am grateful that we have power! (Even as I write this, my dear friends are hosting their son’s 5th birthday party IN THE DARK!!!). On the “bright side” —sorry, bad pun—we have had candlelight dinners and flashlight game nights that have added a special layer to this adventure and are building lasting memories!
Our kids are getting the wonderful opportunity to be grateful for, and think about, something that I took for granted my whole life. Electricity!!
It’s funny how these “hardships” are the very things that are giving me an opportunity to grow. I am so humbled to have these opportunities. And for now, I have internet and electricity so that I can share it with you! Till next time…
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