Reliable Electricity Only For The Rich
Reliable Electricity Only For The Rich
To say electricity in Haiti is sporadic is an understatement. No one knows when they will have it and for how long it will be on. People can spend days without electricity. This made our time visiting family a bit difficult, especially when you are used to having electricity 24/7. For instance, I bought a KitchenAid mixer (it was quite an adventure trying to get that packed in our luggage!) as a way to support one of my sisters who is a cook and baker. I thought it would make work a bit easier, but unfortunately in the two and a half weeks that we were there, I did not see her use it once due to lack of electricity. Eventually, she will be able to use it and but it is so unpredictable.
The rich in Haiti have solar panels, generators, and batteries as a way to supply electricity for their houses. Spending 2 weeks with a Canadian and a 9-month-old in the heat was challenging. And, despite growing up Haiti, to be honest, I’m not used to the heat anymore either. No solar panels in the house and no electricity for days made our vacation exhausting. Nights are the worst in Haiti trying to sleep under stifling mosquito nets. I would often wake up in the middle of the night to fan my wife and Evangeline.
As my wife says, the lack of electricity definitely makes you spend more time actually talking to those around you. Since it gets dark around 7:30 or 8:00 in the evening, if you don’t have electricity you spend much of the evening in darkness. It made for some good times of sitting in the courtyard, chatting, and joking with my family.
Bondye beniw (God bless you),
Samuel Bernard
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