Precious Resources

When you live in a developing country, water and electricity tend to be two things that are in short supply. They also happen to be two things that make life much more tolerable. So, as the heat of the summer months in Hyderabad kicks in and temperatures soar well over the 100s, it becomes a bit more than just annoying when our apartment loses power or we have no running water. It is one of those things that makes you want to tear your hair out, jump in a pool, or grab a ticket for next flight out of this place.

To put this in context, I guess I should explain about where I live. Banjara Hills is considered one of the "nicer" areas of town, which means it's more western, rents are higher, and there's a McDonalds within easy reach. But it is also one of the highest consumption areas so we have been the one apartment in all of IDEX who has been having water problems all year. It is to the point where I am happy if we have running water in our taps for more than two hours at a time. In fact, one memorable night, we were without running water from 4PM to 12AM which meant that cooking, showering, washing dishes, or even brushing our teeth was pretty much out. And on Holi, because it was a holiday and water tankers were not delivering, one of our roommates was unable to shower and forced to spend the night still covered in paint. Hyderabad is in a semi-arid region which means water is a precious commodity that must be doled out accordingly. Well that and the city really has no idea how many wells there actually are so they can't access them. And while we have been much more judicious with our usage, we still are parched for water.

At the same time, as temperatures rise, the demand for electricty increases. This also means that different regions of the city have scheduled power cuts each day. For example, we used to have power cuts from 10-11 and 3-4. These aren't so bad when you can plan for them, like downloading what you need on your computer so you aren't left without internet and anything to do. But of course, it sucks when the fans stop running and the heat starts to seep in and you're in the middle of typing an important email. And if we don't have running water on top of that? Well let's just say there's been a few times when I've stood on my balcony and told India I was not impressed with its timing.

Yet this is a reality in the developing world and one that most people have to deal with. Living in India has made me realize just how heremtically sealed the United States is and how damn lucky and pampered we are. Corny I know, but when we are spending our time back home complaining about gas prices that are much less expensive than what the majority of the world pays, think of not having a necessity like water at your disposal. It sucks. There's really no other way to describe it. And then we end up paying out of pocket every few days when a new water tanker does come to fill the apartment complex's tank. So I probably pay as much for water one a semi-daily basis as you do for a gallon of gas. Which if you put that in real terms, would be a huge chunk of most Indians' incomes and is a not-so-minimal part of mine.

One ex-pat once told me Indian behavioral norms can often be attributed to a shortage of resources. For decades, there have been more people here than there have been basic necessities. Which is why people shove there way on and off buses and trains without waiting for others to exit, or why lines are fairly non-existant. And no wonder. I'm fairly certain we would all behave like that too if we didn't always have enough water or room on public transportation.

So please, next time you start to think that you have it bad or that your life sucks, take a moment and ask yourself if it really does. I am willing to bet that most of what you're upset about the majority of people in this world can only dream of having. Like that car payment or having to get your Iphone fixed. At the very least, can you do me a favor and turn off your taps when you're not using them? I appreciate it.