At this current moment, my mind takes me back to a TV show that used to play on Nickelodeon once upon a time. I never watched the show nor found it interesting, but its title is rather fitting at this moment: Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Power outages do not often occur in the US. However, in Shayandima, South Africa, they are not only normal but also frequent. Take tonight, for instance. It is about 8PM and the power abruptly cut out thirty minutes ago. My cleaning team and I work on Wednesdays, so we were in the midst of cleaning dishes and storing them away in their proper places when our world went utterly black. Nothing like scrubbing a pan or fumbling for the right drawer while wearing nature’s blindfold. Forced to use phone lights to orient ourselves, we eventually located the candles and holders in a corner cupboard

At times like these, I realize how fortunate I am to live in a place that has electricity. Outside the walls of this base, families live in homes that do not have any form of electricity. While reading or writing (or typing, as the case may be) by candlelight is a tad romantic, I doubt it would seem as such for a person who burns candles every evening and into the night. My lack of appreciation for the seemingly small things in life comes to the forefront during these evenings of complete night.

Guess this will be a short blog. Julie just pounded on my bedroom window, initiating a conversation through the brick wall. I have been invited to the lounge. It would seem the base has instigated an impromptu family gathering. Funny how times like this bring people together. Better run before I’m hailed a hermit.