Status: Internet Connection Wildly Unreliable

There has been a serious slow-down in posts this week, mainly due to my internet connection being about as shoddy as it has been my entire time here. I’m not sure what’s happening but the usually reliable AvirTel connection has been going in and out on me, resulting in several disappointingly short Skype chats (sorry Colin, Amy) and a severely limited ability to get blog posts up. If my connection stays up long enough I hope to get today’s Sunday Poem up shortly, in addition to checking on the Packers-Carolina game and attempting some more long-distance calls.

In the meantime, take some time to reflect on the convenience of reliable infrastructure and enjoy this beautiful picture of Lerik, Azerbaijan:

(Photo Courtesy of Crystal Kelley)

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Surprises in Infrastructure

If ever there was a time to be pleasantly surprised by the presence of a functioning septic system, it’s when you’re in regional Azerbaijan.  While in most villages, and even in many city homes, the typical lavatory features a squat toilet descending into a pit underground, it appears that my small apartment building has a working septic tank.

I know that this is not exactly appropriate conversation for polite company, but I was pleasantly surprised by this discovery when a truck came along yesterday to do its duty, emptying the tank.  That means that not only does my apartment building have the functioning septic system, but the city also provides the appropriate services for maintaining the system.  This is a development that was quite unexpected.  I guess I don’t really know what I thought was there before but, while here, my expectations have been lowered significantly.