Earth Hour: Pampas de Hospital, Peru

FOR DAYS they had been talking about Earth Hour.

"Robyn, did you know everyone shuts their electricity off for an hour?" ... "Robyn, do they do this in North America, too?" ... "Robyn, do you have enough candles?" They asked me.

They were going to cut the power off at 8:30 — the whole city, they said. It wasn't even voluntary. The municipality was going to do it. Staff members rushed out of the health post to get home before everything was shrouded in darkness.

I, myself, camped out in my room, candle and matches ready, waiting for the moment where everything would stop — the cumbia, the loud soccer game, the bright lights outside.

8:30 came and ... nothing.

Maybe it's just Peruvian time, I thought. Does that rule apply here?

At 8:45 I finally just turned off all the lights in my house and sat down with my candle and crossword.* Outside everything continued as before, as if all the hype had never happened.

Ahh well, maybe next year.

* Thanks, Silas!!