My Neighborhood on a Day Without Electricity

By Kamil Kenders

HAVANA TIMES – It’s 10 am and there is a planned power outage. I was about to start writing, but the imminent power cut prevents me. So, I turn to my cell phone’s limited battery because this diary post immediately comes to mind.

And it is, thanks to the blackouts, I discover a bit about my neighbors. Apparently, there should be silence, but the outburst following the power cut verbally reveals people’s discomfort.

You can hear swear words and insults against the government and any dissatisfaction among family members. You simply hear everything. Doors slamming, street vendors, but above all, the youngest in the house who are home on a weekday. I don’t understand why they are not in school…

And, making a parenthesis on this topic, schools no longer have near enough teachers. I don’t know what will happen to education in this country. Primary and secondary school students are not really receiving the education they need. Maybe that’s why many parents don’t even send their children to school. But on the other hand, what will happen to those children? Can their parents guarantee them an adequate education? I don’t think so. The most these parents, who swarm nearby, will do for their children is to teach them to survive in this hostile environment.

I try to concentrate and attempt to only listen to the chirping of sparrows, transmitters of peace amid the turbulent noise caused by the absence of electricity. It rains at times, and this also causes discontent. Those who wanted to take advantage of the day to do laundry when the water comes in, but the blackout thwarted those plans… in short, it seems that everyone, in one way or another, is upset. And how could they not be?

Lying on the floor, I observe the sky, now a bit clearer. It will rain again, at least that’s what the weather forecast says, which may or may not be accurate. The electricity will return at some point, and I will hear the shouts of joy from my neighbors, this time happy, simply because they have power again and can get on with cooking, washing clothes, and parents can sit their children in front of the TV so they can “learn,” surely much better than going to school. And I will be able to turn on my PC and work.

Thus goes another day, with rain and/or blackout, parents or grandparents yelling at the kids, but the neighborhood will remain the same. Thanks to the sparrows for bringing music amidst so much noise pollution.

Read more from the diary of Kamil Kenders here.