Electricity Blackout = Work BBQ

Last week on Wednesday we were forewarned at Ajb'atz' Enlace Quiché that there would be no electricity in all of Santa Cruz del Quiché on Thursday from 7am-6pm. This is the 3rd or 4th time this has occurred in the last few months due to the fixing of power lines in our neighborhood. Apparently that isn't possible without cutting off electricity to everybody. And, since Enlace Quiché basically is about computer technology, designing courses, and other public services like internet and copying, we pretty much can't do anything without electricity except teach our English classes. Therefore, the scheduled blackouts pretty much mean a free day from work, so we decided to have a staff bonding BBQ/potluck lunch at the volunteer house.

We all pooled money to buy ingredients at the market and sent a few staff members shopping for everything. Then we planned to prepare salads, grilled items, drinks, etc at the volunteer house. Toby and I were recruited to make our pineapple pico de gallo that we prepared a few months back for our last potluck...guess it was a hit! While all the women were inside chopping and washing veggies for salads, cooking beans on the stove, and making salsas, the men all pretty much hung outside around the BBQ grilling corn on the cob, green onions, and meat...typical. Toby was the only exception, as he was floating all over dabbling in each project. At last the feast was ready and we all chowed down on a very tasty lunch of 3 salads, grilled goods, tortillas, beans, and fresh limeade. Mmmm.

Of course no electricity is irritating since we have electric heated showers and also cannot do many other things. However, we just have to embrace the small annoyances that occur in a developing country and make the best of it....and we did! The lunch and camaraderie with our compañeros was very satisfying and memorable. We can't wait for the next electricity blackout. ;o)