Technologically Frustrated....I just aint gettin' any

Since arriving in Belize two weeks ago, I’ve listened to DC’s Russ Parr Morning Show online every morning while I get ready for work. I check my email as soon as I wake up on both Gmail and Facebook. I update my status as I’m walking out the door—a quip something to encourage or enlighten my folks back home. When I get home from work, I stream movies and television shows on Hulu www.hulu.com and Netflix www.netflix.com. I downloaded Jill Scott’s new album, The Light of the Sun, from iTunes on Wednesday afternoon. Two nights ago, I had a two-hour video chat on Gmail with my best friend. Last night, I watched a marathon of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction. 

The bootlegged Internet went out three hours ago. *blank stare*

Because we thought Rolson’s had changed their password on us, we decided to embark on a covert operation to re-up. The new houseguest and I went to Rolson’s, disguised as American volunteers and armed with our laptops and $5 for soda pop and coffee and innocently asked if they have Internet access. We were provided the same password as had been given by our homestay and still could not connect. After a few tries, we sought out the manager.  He informed us that the storm knocked out the service and it should be restored no later than tomorrow.

The SMART (Verizon) Flip Phone in question

Because T-Mobile told me it would cost about $3.60 per minute to make and receive calls while in Belize, I shut my service off before I left and this past week I got a cell phone with a Belizean service provider. SMART is the name of the provider.

(This is almost too easy…WAIT FOR IT).

It aint too damn smart…

The same whack ass mini storm that knocked out the internet service at a RESTAURANT slowed down phone service in an entire friggin country.

I have a serious attitude right now. WTF am I supposed to do until tomorrow? I haven’t gotten a text message in about six hours and can’t send. I can’t check Gmail and I am EXPECTING some emails. I also have some people I need to call!  (Who and how many is no business of yours). My plan was to CONTINUE watching my Beyond Belief marathon (marathon because I created the playlist which goes all the way back to 1998) on this Saturday night, update my blog and play on Facebook.

Ummmm….who cares if the internet I’m using isn’t technically mine or that I’m not actually paying to use it.  I’d like to believe I’ve eaten enough $2 tacos (in the 14 days I’ve been here) from Rolson’s to enjoy a few hours of connectivity.

Yes, I know…God forbid I actually enjoy the sounds of San Ignacio—barking dogs, cars backfiring, roosters “cockle-doodle-doing,” geckos squealing, crickets cricketing (or whatever they do) and reggae dancehall music coming from somewhere not close to where I live cuz if so, I’d be there shaking my ass. I can't go anywhere because it's nine o'clock at night and because the internet access is out, I can't go to Bank of America dot com, transfer money and catch a cab somewhere. I am now forced to read a book and listen to the new album I downloaded on iTunes. Oh, and I’m writing this entry in Word to transfer later. LeBoo…