Ok, so it's been a while and this is the best I can come up with ….. As mentioned in the last blog we have had a shortage of water … which leads to a shortage of electricity …. (that's a bad thing, unless you are out in service, then it really doesn't affect you… because you don't need electricity to talk or walk) … but recently water seems to have a larger affect on our lives…. living in the States, how often do you think about your water…. oh maybe you think about it, if there is a flood or a really big snow storm …. but normally when you turn on the tap it flows or flush the toilet it goes… (hope that last part didn't get to you, toilet that is)
Anyway for the last few weeks we had a water heater that decided to start leaking it's one of those on demand (no tank) water heaters…. so I get the landlady to come to verify that it's leaking … who then calls "her guy" the "Argentinian" to come and see it …… "yup it's leaking" who then calls his guy and then I have to make arrangements to have him come to fix it…. well, you by now, you should know how this goes in Latin America …. we start by exchanging phone calls, … several! … finally he comes an tells me has to take it with him …. well that's after he tells me he is coming to fix it…. (that left me with the idea that he was going to fix it on the spot ….. NOPE!) and he comes right during the time for family worship on Monday morning …. no shower for the day? I think not! … Soooo he says he can come back after we finish our study to collect the heater ….. 2 hours later he comes again and get it …. Next question … when will it come back? … Well this week ok? How about today! …. "I can probably do that" …. it wasn't like he had a bunch to do , it's just that why do today what you can put off until…. whenever! But I asked him what we were going to do for hot water and showers if he brought it back later in the week? "Oh I didn't think of that" well I'm glad I did and decided to ask. So later in the day he comes back and of course then when it's all hooked up the gas doesn't work (another story) so the heater doesn't work, so we really don't know if it's really fixed or not ….. then we have to go through the paying the guy routine … when I ask how much, he gives me the Gringo price …. $80.00 …. "EIGHTY DOLLARS"? I think that the look on my face said it all because the look on his changed…. $80.00 for a few hours work is like getting 500.00 for a few hours work in the States. (Now you understand?) So I call the landlady and give him the phone …. the expression really changes on his face as he knows he gave me a price that was toooooo high and he has to deal with a fellow Ecuatoriano ….. Bummer! The reality was that she didn't know what the value of what he did was either, but $80.00 sounded high to her too….. so they go back and forth and he asks how much do you want to pay me? About 4-5 times but of course she won't answer because she doesn't want to pay too much…. so finally he just hands me the phone and throws his hands up in the air… I'm sure by this time he is wishing he had given a fair amount for the work …. I talk to the landlady and she tells me to handle it and be done with him….. So I offer him $50.00 for the job and he say "Sure", by now all he wants is to get out of there with some money in his pocket ….. When I speak to a local, (the apartment maintenance and security guy) he confirmed that $50.00 was a fair amount ….. So those of you that are coming down when you are quoted a price offer at least 50% less and then go from there….
More water….. or ….. too much water at once!
We are at the circuit assembly yesterday and it starts to rain like nothing I have ever seen ….. It was so loud that the CO had to stop his talk because we couldn't hear what he was saying ….(we had the same thing happen when we came down here in March, stop the talk that is ..... but the loudness was not to this degree) In fact it was soooooo loud that at times you had to cover your ears. (Metal roof and no insulation) For the full impact of our experience click on the attachment and turn up the volume …. but then be ready to cover your ears like we did ….. note in the short video that some in it are covering their ears….
Additionally, Carol who was working in the bathrooms (of course cleaning) "the easy shift" she is told, (turns out to be the nightmare shift) the rain water is flowing from the down from the top and up from the bottom.... they have drop ceiling and it's pouring through the ceiling onto the floor in sheets.... Carol tells me later, all the sisters figure that the brother is not giving a talk during the rain, so it's a good time to go to the bathroom, when they get there and see the situation they still decided to dodge the water that is pouring through the roof to use the toilets (how crazy is that?) and then walk out semi wet, the CO's wife decided to use it too, during the pause in the action in the main auditorium, with her mouth hanging open .... Carol asks her if this is normal? "Don't think so" she says ..... well we don't know, we just got here. Carol tells her, that the great thing about living in EC, is that everyday you have a great story to tell, and that there is always something to write about, on the Blog (if you have that kind of time) She just starts to laugh! But here it is on the Blog.
Additionally, Carol who was working in the bathrooms (of course cleaning) "the easy shift" she is told, (turns out to be the nightmare shift) the rain water is flowing from the down from the top and up from the bottom.... they have drop ceiling and it's pouring through the ceiling onto the floor in sheets.... Carol tells me later, all the sisters figure that the brother is not giving a talk during the rain, so it's a good time to go to the bathroom, when they get there and see the situation they still decided to dodge the water that is pouring through the roof to use the toilets (how crazy is that?) and then walk out semi wet, the CO's wife decided to use it too, during the pause in the action in the main auditorium, with her mouth hanging open .... Carol asks her if this is normal? "Don't think so" she says ..... well we don't know, we just got here. Carol tells her, that the great thing about living in EC, is that everyday you have a great story to tell, and that there is always something to write about, on the Blog (if you have that kind of time) She just starts to laugh! But here it is on the Blog.
We need water but things down here are not normal…. we told the friends that they can blame us for all the problems …. electricity ….. lack of water …… or whatever else has gone wrong since we have come down ….. they didn't have these problems before we came down….. they just laugh and say Noooooooooo!
Later Satan haters!
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