I look back to last year during this time and remember how we only had candle lights to pierce the pitch black of the night. It reminds me how we tend to take things for granted and how easy it is for us to get used to the things that technology has to offer. Electricity, television, hot shower, computer, internet, etc., we don't think about these things much when it is readily available to us and get thrown into a frenzy when we have to live without it.
We suddenly found ourselves cut off from the outside world when two bridges and the power lines were destroyed in a sudden cloud burst that happened during the night of 20th June last year. Rumours began to spread regarding when the road and the power would be restored-with people speculating the period from two weeks till a few months. The road was restored after four months and the power after six and yes that was indeed a long long long time.
Simple things like getting your daily sustenance and gas became such a hassle and panic spread with rumours of diminishing stocks in the shops. We woke up with soot filled nostrils and had to do with makeshift stoves made of tins. As simple a thing as taking bath became a nightmare with pressures running high when the fire wouldn't burn. Office was an equal nightmare with us required to correspond and no computers. We had no idea what was going on outside of Gasa with even our mobile phones switched off.
I had to come to Thimphu in between for a training and you might not believe when I say I actually had tears in my eyes when I saw the street lights all lit up and how I wished I could pack some to take back home. Thank god that those times are over but that doesn't mean I have forgotten.
Tshering Peldon
Khamoed GAO
We suddenly found ourselves cut off from the outside world when two bridges and the power lines were destroyed in a sudden cloud burst that happened during the night of 20th June last year. Rumours began to spread regarding when the road and the power would be restored-with people speculating the period from two weeks till a few months. The road was restored after four months and the power after six and yes that was indeed a long long long time.
Simple things like getting your daily sustenance and gas became such a hassle and panic spread with rumours of diminishing stocks in the shops. We woke up with soot filled nostrils and had to do with makeshift stoves made of tins. As simple a thing as taking bath became a nightmare with pressures running high when the fire wouldn't burn. Office was an equal nightmare with us required to correspond and no computers. We had no idea what was going on outside of Gasa with even our mobile phones switched off.
I had to come to Thimphu in between for a training and you might not believe when I say I actually had tears in my eyes when I saw the street lights all lit up and how I wished I could pack some to take back home. Thank god that those times are over but that doesn't mean I have forgotten.
Tshering Peldon
Khamoed GAO
No comments:
Post a Comment