Getting gas and retaining water in Mexico

I've been thinking a lot about the differences between my life in the States and my life here in Mexico. The first month was full of so many transitions, it seemed like EVERYTHING was different and difficult. I'm feeling much more settled now, but every now and then it really hits me how many things I took for granted before...

Basic utilities, for example. For a little bit of background, my kitchen is made up of 2 areas. There's a small room where I have my refrigerator, a wooden counter/cutting-board type thing, and a small 2-burner gas stove (with a mini-oven underneath). Then there's an outdoor extension to the kitchen where I have 2 sinks, a water tank, and it's where I keep my perishable garbage. I've got a 20 kilo gas tank that connects to my water tank and the stove inside via an interesting network of hoses (in the pictures there's an aloe plant in front of it).

It's a pain to get a new gas tank (and relatively expensive), so I follow the gas-minimizing advice I was given by the person I took over the apartment from. Before I take a shower, I light the gas heater under the water tank, and wait about 30 minute (until I hear the tank "pop" off), then I can enjoy a wonderfully hot shower, although the pressure leaves something to be desired. I turn the water heater completely off when I'm done in the shower.

The little stove is also gas-operated (as in I am using a match every time), which isn't a big deal, but just makes things different when you're used to electric appliances. I will confess that I don't plan to use the little oven space, I'm a bit afraid of lighting it. And even though I'm cooking quite a bit more now (and making some nice concoctions!), baking and roasting are just not on my list of things to do.

This weekend I ran out of gas, for the first time. I knew it was going to happen soon, in fact I'd been expecting it for weeks. Sunday I went to light the water tank, following my usual custom and holding up the match while pushing down the button to release gas and get it all started, but no dice. The moment I had been dreading was finally here. There are 2 options here in Miahuatlán for getting a replacement gas tank. Trucks loaded with gas tanks are constantly winding their way along the roads, each company with a distinctive horn or jingle that plays repeatedly as they slowly pass by. Most people listen for the truck, and send someone out to the road to flag down the gas man and get the replacement. This doesn't work well for me, because my apartment is set back from the road (about 50 yards) and I'm on the 3rd floor. So it's not feasible for me to run down when I think I hear the truck approaching, or to hang out on the street waiting.

So I chose option numero deux and I called a specific gas man to let him know I'd like a tank delivered. I had been warned that when you call you can't be sure of when the gas will actually be delivered, and you have to physically be there to let him in so he can unhook the old tank and hook up the new one. I was hoping that because it was Sunday it would work well, as I could wait around in my apartment and I wasn't pressed for time. But I was told that his truck was out of order (which I believe is code for "we don't deliver gas on Sundays") and that they could come on Monday morning. I made sure they knew I had to leave for work by 8am (to make sure it was there by 8.30, my true departure time) and sure enough, at 7.30am I heard a beep outside. I stepped out on my balcony to see if it was for me (there are beeps at all hours of the day, most of which have nothing to do with me!), then went to open the door for the little old man who was effortfully heaving my gas tank (on his back) up the 2 flights of stairs. It was clear that every step was difficult, and he was gasping so much I wondered if he was going to make it... It was a bit of a process for him to unhook the old tank and get the new one up and running, and he waited for me to do a trial run lighting the stove to make sure it was all good. It was, and I paid him the 200 pesos and he went on his way.

It's a great feeling to have a fresh tank of gas, and know that I have at least one good month (possibly 2) without having to deal with getting another tank. It's nice to know I can cook dinner without wondering if the gas will run out in the middle of making rice!

Water is the other issue that I definitely took for granted in every other place I've lived. Of course the whole drinking water issue is a constant difference. Bottled water is clearly a necessity, and about once a week I buy a new 5-gallon bottle of water from the corner store and heft it back to my apartment.

But there are also issues with the regular water supply. I know that all over Oaxaca there is a shortage of water. Most of the buildings have large water tanks on the roof that supply the internal units with water. A few times a day I hear what I'm pretty sure is a master water pump turn on, and it refills the water tanks and toilet bowls in all the apartments. Every now and then there's no water (so I imagine the master water tank is empty), and someone notifies the landlord, who somehow gets the master tank filled again. I've only experienced a total lack of water 2 times, both times when I went to flush the toilet and nothing happened, but it was running again within a few hours.

At this point I feel pretty comfortable navigating the systems here, especially now that I've survived my first gas tank replacement. But buying the gas tank reminded me of so many things that are just plain easier in the States, things that are important but you don't even have to think about them. They're just functioning and there, no effort required. And even as I remember those things and miss how easy it all was, it makes me feel a bit proud to know that I can make things work here. : )