The charm of power cuts

At first I was annoyed when ZESCO, the main Zambian electricity company, would cut power every other evening (during prime food time!) for two hours. I was annoyed mainly because I have ignored the wise advice of my friends who suggested that I purchase a flashlight (or a torch as they call it around here) before I head out to Zambia. I decided that I won’t stereotype and won’t expect regular power shedding as I often hear is the case in many African countries. Well, three months in, the cuts are now as haphazard as ever, both in timing and length, and I still haven’t purchased a torch. I guess I “got used” (another Zambian phrase :). And I’ve also discovered positives about evening blackouts.

It’s true that without power at night the TV is off and one can’t even read to pass time. Some would grump and be bored, sitting around or napping in the dark, and initially I was also. But later, I realized that I can get to know my host family better in moments like these. We are ‘forced’ to talk much more when the TV is off (and the candles offer the only light), and the conversations teach me a lot about the family relationships and culture in general (that is, when I understand what’s being talked about in between the Lozi and Tonga phrases). The fact that we’re talking by the candlelight creates a special atmosphere. We also play games (Monopoly is Munty’s favorite- she's quite business-spirited; I prefer Scrabble- I hear that's a typical nerd trait), joke around and just relax. What a bonding.

But yes, we always rejoice when the fuse box clicks back. We can finally finish cooking supper.