April 30, 2010

The State of Electricity

One of the things I see on my way to work. These switches are called ‘digenteurs’, taken from the French language. I’ve got them in my house, but also at the bottom of my building, which the janitor flips every time there’s a change between government electricity and building generator. It’s supposed to switch automatically, but often there’s a glitch, and then you have to call the guy (hope he’s home) and ask him to do it manually. Then you hear outside, from several floors, women calling out, “Ibrahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim, Ibrahiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!” (His name is Ibrahim). He must be the most wanted man in my neighborhood.
I wonder what these switches are doing in the middle of the street though.. And what happens when it rains. I feel like flipping hem all sometimes. See what happens.

3 comments:

  1. i was looking forward to ur new post! 4 days r too long to wait! nice blog btw, 3anjad! keep it up! oh nd in french, it's called a disjoncteur ;)

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  2. Sietske - I just came across your blog - and it brings back such good memories of my time in Lebanon just before the war in 1975. Thank you - and for the wonderful photographs.

    This post tells me that nothing too much has changed. Ibrahiiiim was there in my time too.

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