IamA Puerto Rican living without power for 54 days AMA!

I live on St Croix... No power since the 6th of Sept.... AMA?

(67 days?)

I too have electricity at work.

Wow! Good to know you're ok! Irma, right?

Lost my power for Irma, but didn't get hit till Maria (on St Croix).

I hope you get power back soon. Did you see the hearing today at the Natural Resources Committee? The Rep. from the Virgin Islands did a great job.

Oh and btw that report that the island will be at 95% by Christmas is totally bullshit.

I hope it isn't.

I'm in Isla Verde on a disaster relief crew, and we've been without power for a whole 2 WEEKS!!!! It's been terrible! Nothing compared to your 2 months, but still shitty!

Isn't that where Jurassic Park is?

Nublar.

How do you feel about EA, in light of their recent shit storm?

Rather not have power than play their games.

Thank you for your post..keep us informed about PR. I am so sorry that it has been 54 days?!? Good God. We are in Florida on the west side. How are you doing otherwise?

Ok. The fact that I still have a job is a blessing. A lot of people lost their jobs and had to close businesses.

Have criminals been taking advantage of the disaster? For example looting?

Is there a curfew?

Home invasions are a large concern right now. Not in my area thankfully, but criminals have been targeting people with generators and stealing them in more remote areas .

Do you at least have rum?

Unlimited.

What has been the most surprising part of this experience for you? And what has been the hardest?

I was surprised how fragile modern society really is. The hardest has been losing hope some days.

What do you think about the theory that mankind is always 9 meals away from anarchy? Meaning if gas ran out suddenly or whatever society would last 9 meals then people would start fighting over food and stuff.

I think that theory is damn accurate. It was scary the first couple of days.

Hope is a lubricant that we give our souls to function properly. Here's hoping you stay properly lubricated.

Mom?

Batteries as well?

(I have some of these at my house, actually, but I doubt you want to drive all the way to Humacao. ...or that you want the ones I wore in Afghanistan, which were gross before Maria started moldering everything.)

I’ll bring new ones if you want to coordinate linkup via PM. In Plaza or wherever’s nearby. I have to fly into SJU, and my wife will probably want to wait to drive down to Humacao until early evening.

Cool. I live 2 blocks away from Plaza. I'll pm you.

I'd to share some experiences I've had cooking food, finding clean water, waiting for hours in line for $10 worth of gas and much more.

1) How has your day to day life changed the most? 2) From your perspective does it seem like things are/will get better anytime soon?

1) Down time is really rough. While I'm at work, things are pretty much "normal" (they have power). But when I get home and remember that the night will be dark (just candles), It get's kind of frustrating. Keeping busy has been really essential to surviving. 2)It does not. Politics are getting in the way of real progress. People with electricity say they have constant power outages so not even they feel they are back to normal.

Do you ever just stay at work to enjoy the electricity?

We can't! They turn the generator off at 5pm sharp. But I charge my phone there during the day.

Do you have/use powerbanks? Would seem like a good way to have extra power.

We were not prepared for this at all. We were pretty much YOLOing it.

As someone who's lived through several hurricanes, I was just thinking that you better at least be charging your damn phone at work. How are you getting laundry done? Old fashioned way?

Bucket. Also, wash boards have become a hot commodity.

are the rich in puerto rico also similarly affected, or do they have better infrastructure, backup generators etc...?

Good question. They don't have better infrastructure but they do have backup generators. Funny thing is, those generators are not made to run for 50 days straight, so they have to either use them at certain times or use them until they stop working and then pay someone to fix them. No one has been able to escape the effects of the storm.

what are the strangest things that still seem normal (e.g. movie theater still running)?

Chinese food. Never stopped serving. Also, I saw Blade Runner 2049 the other day and people were looking around the theater during the desert/junkyard scenes like "that's us right now"

At least you're not radioactive!

Yet.

I guess if you did you could at least claim the hurricane was rad

Totally.

Please forgive my ignorance. Prior to Maria what was the worst power outages you'd experienced? The media here sometimes paints this picture that Puerto Rico's infrastructure was failing prior to the hurricanes, almost implying you are all used to this sort of thing. Can you comment on that perception?

I was a kid during hurricane Georges and I was without power for about 3 weeks. Lately we would lose power for maybe like 1 or 2 hours if it rained a lot (once a month). Never for this long. It is really subhuman living conditions.

What have you been eating lately? It must be hard cooking without power.

This is where I've had to get creative. You know those cans used by catering services that have a blue flame? I'm using those inside a pot to insulate the heat and make it stronger. I put the pan over the pot with the flame inside. Been perfecting my spam sandwich and Tuna melt recipe. Also, peanut butter.

Spam is ALWAYS tasty :)

Yes! Oh, I forgot to mention Chef Boyardee and Vienna Sausages. A running local joke is how kids born in 9 months will all be called "Carmela" (a local sausage brand) and they will all be Chefs (from Chef Boyardee)

Quick question. I am the least picky I know. I love all sorts of foods: spicy, bitter, sour, exotic, oddly colored, you name it. I still crave garlic butter fried meal worms I had at a scouting event as a child.

Vienna sausages make me vomit without fail. I'm convinced they are meat too low grade to be used for pet food. I once fed them to local raccoons and one literally shit itself to death. There was a trail of feces leading from the can to its corpse.

What's your secret to keeping them down? Is there an antidote for what it does to a man's intestines?

Lots of ketchup.

If you could have one physical thing show up at your doorstep, what would it be?

Has this affected how people consider the statehood vote where you are?

A solar energy panel with a generator. And yes, people are disillusioned with the United States.

This Saturday, I’m headed to see my family who rode out the storm near Humacao/Yabucoa. I wasn’t able to get a flight there and back right after the storm, and by the time the airport was opened back up fully, my wife (medical professional in Humacao) thought it would be easier, logistically/cost-wise, to wait for thanksgiving.

Anything specific I can bring you, even if it’s just a small comfort item or two? I usually pack lightly, but Southwest passengers get two checked bags. (Just don’t say paper towels.)

Haha nice one. I had a very cool flashlight you could put on your head but gave it away to some people in the mountains. They are in very low supply here and they needed it more than I did at the moment. If you could find one and bring it I would really appreciate it.

Is there anywhere I can send mail just to you? I have headlights and you can have some other shit too man but I want it to go to use. and someone I know (kinda)

Sure I will Pm you!

Did the power cut made people to interact with each other more now? Like we did in the past

The first weeks we did, but then desperation kind of set in and people realized this was going to last a long time, so they got kind of alienated. It was a strange shift in energy.

Not sure if you're still answering questions. But I read a week ago or so that there have been thousands of deaths in Puerto Rico since the hurricane but they aren't sure how many can be attributed to the aftermath of the hurricane such as drinking contaminated water.

Have you noticed if there are people succumbing to illness more often than regular? Or have the deaths been fairly consistent with old age and death by natural causes?

Great question. Suicide rates have spiked. And yes, people are dying from diseases that we never worried about. You have to be really careful what you put in your mouth.

That's really horrible. Lo siento mi amigo.

Thank you.

I hope all your friends and family are okay.

Thank you. We are. We lost a friend to cancer due to the deterioration of infrastructure. He was a great guy.

Is despacito really the way you do it in Puerto Rico?

Just putting power back.

As a fellow puertorican. Where are you from? Is your area better off than others? Im from Aguadilla over in the west corner of P.R. as far is im aware, we are way better off than the middle of the island.

San Juan, Hato Rey specifically. My street is full of garbage and mountains of debris. Not a pretty sight. And the lack of electricity has everyone on edge in the area.

My street is full of garbage and mountains of debris

have garbage services stopped functioning where you live? has the city or PR said when they are going to schedule a clean up for the mountain debris on your street?

Garbage services are working in certain areas. Debris cleanup is much more limited. There has been a lot of flooding due to debris buildup near sewers.

Would you, and your family like to stay at my house in Washington until things get better? Maybe your boss would let you telecommute?

You are so kind. Thank you for that offer. Since my parents recently got their electricity back we are pretty committed to staying here. But your offer shows such kindness. Thank you!

Can you provide some lessons learned or advice for others in order to prepare for this type of situation? I am looking for lessons learned on how much food, water, fuel, propane, etc. that people should consider having on hand in case of an emergency.

Oh yes! Save water for 2 weeks. People go crazy and lines become endless. Also, get a generator and make it solar. You don't want to wait in line in the sun for 8 or 10 hours just to use your generator. Also, get a gas stove. Hot food became a commodity for about 3 weeks. And most importantly...SAVE! A small savings account can save your life.

Thank you so much! Would you agree with 1 gallon per day for drinking and 4 gallons a day for other uses so around 50-100 gallons stored?

Good estimate.

How has cell coverage been? I attempted to text a friend a few times with no reply, but I wasn't sure if he was able to get my messages at all. :(

Only cell coverage in some parts of San Juan, some parts of Ponce and some parts of Caguas.

When you do realistically think you'll have electricity at your home again? Is your family trying to buy a generator? When do you think the island will return to using an electrical grid and stop needing to rely on generators?

1) Realistically, January. 2) The whole Island, at least year.

Has this whole power outage been helping you with No Nut November?

lol

Which aid group is helping the most?

Red Cross, FEMA and Daddy Yankee (no joke)

This whole issue has made many Americans consider the fact that Puerto Ricans are US citizens who aren't treated like it. Have the views of Puerto Ricans on their relationship with the rest of the nation changed significantly following the government response?

Yes. Some people are very disillusioned with the United States. A lot of the old timers that really believed in the red white and blue feel abandoned.

Would you rate the rest of the USA's aid response as a 10 out of 10, as Donald Trump did? If not, how would you rate it?

What was effective about the aid response, and what was ineffective?

Here's hoping you have better days ahead.

Thanks: I can't rate the US aid, because this is like nothing before. The easy answer would to say there are days where it is at a 10 and days where it is at a 1.

Effective: Cargo ships with literally tons of supplies arriving 2 or 3 days after the storm. Ineffective: Turning on the Power grid, and the President not understanding the seriousness of the issue, plus the politicking with the mayor of San Juan. It has put people against each other here.

Thank you.

This is probably the most realistic answer for this question. Thank you.

You're welcome. Things are complicated, in general.

I also wanted to thank you for being honest about the cargo carriers being there too. I work in international trade and I know for fact that I couldn't ship anything out of Miami for about 3 weeks due to all carriers (ocean and air) being forced by the U.S. government to use their ships/planes for relief efforts. It was sickening to see the media lie about this and it pissed off everyone at the major Latin America export hubs (ATL, MIA, DFW, etc). Everyone was eager to help and the media shit all over the effort, it was disheartening.

So thank you for making it known that we were doing our best.

You can't imagine the excitement I felt when I saw you guys entering our port for the first time since the hurricane. It was the first time we didn't feel cut off from the entire world.

Are you wearing a NASA shirt?

Yes! My favorite shirt.

Have you had issues with price gouging?

I hope things are resolved quickly for you!

This has been the worse. Generators going for $800 before the storm are now at $1500.

Jesus, I'm sorry you are going through this.

Thank you. I hope it ends soon.

So cool you're doing this. I'm likely too late, but:

I spent 6 months working in Puerto Rico this year, mainly in the mountains of Toro Negro, Tres Picochos, Adjuntas/Giullarte, Jayuya, Maricao... How did these places and the people there fair? Even before the hurricane, it seems the roads and the infrastructure there were in pretty poor shape. I've had difficulty finding news about these smaller towns.

So many incredibly kind people there, that I have had no way of getting in touch with.

These places got hit the worse. I had the privilege of going on a grassroots mission there with water and food. They are in real bad shape and cell coverage is non existant. I'm so sorry.

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. So sad to learn how badly these communities were hit. We spent quite a bit of time talking to land owners there, and the biggest problem we had was the people inviting us in for coffee while we were supposed to be working!

The response to this disaster by the US Government has been appalling and embarrassing, and you all deserve so much better.

I'll be making a donation with the link you provided, best wishes to you and your community.

Keep fighting the good fight my friend.

Thank you! They took it down, but you can go here and click the donate button at the bottom. http://www.cristoreina.net/donativos.html

I just want to say watching Norm MacDonald videos on YouTube (when I have had service) and listening to the Childish Gambino album have really helped me get through all of this. For real. If those guys read this, thank you so much.

What does your user name mean?

"no way"

Come on just tell us.

ha!

Is this a business opportunity for portable power generator companies? If you could buy the generator, could you get the diesel fuel?

Yes it is! But please don't hike up prices.

how much does a gallon of diesel cost right now?

Right now about $2, but a month ago it was at $7-9 a gallon. Absurd.

What's the situation with the trucks now? Last I heard they didn't have drivers to deliver supplies.

This has been resolved thankfully. The U.S. military, along with private truck drivers have transported diesel and supplies to most of the island. The first weeks were scary. Empty shelves everywhere. Now supermarkets are more or less back to normal if they have power or generators.

How much debris is left by the road? Crews want to come help but can't afford the 90 day payment terms PR included in the latest RFP for debris removal. (Standard is 30 days, plus no assistance for getting trucks over there.) Hopefully the Army Corp will step up and straighten things out.

Oh man I didn't know this! Will be looking into that 90 day clause.

How's the laboral situation over there? Have some people lost their jobs because there's no power, or is work mostly normal for everyone? Saludos desde Costa Rica. Espero que estés bien.

Gracias! It's really bad. 15,000 people have already filed for unemployment. So many businesses are closing. I'm so lucky to have a job right now.

Do you think humans are too dependent on modern technology? Have you seen any people there such as homeless people or farmers or fisherman that are dealing with lack of electricity better than others simply because they are not dependent on technology?

Yes! Homeless people have adapted brilliantly. And I would say the problem of our dependence on modern technology is that it is outsourced. I'm really considering going off the grid.

The link to the Paypal does not lead to your fundraiser. Would you please re-post?

Can you check again? I changed it.

Also in PR. ALSO on Reddit ON MY CELL PHONE because I need an f’ng break, and my computer doesn’t work either.

What mad skills/new hobbies have you found now that the electricity is gone? How do you fill your time?

Practicing my guitar solos.

What's the situation on welfare of home pets? Is there enough food for them?

I don't know. Honestly, there is very little information about this.

Is it safe to travel the country as an obvious American tourist with money?

Yes, it's safe. Tourists are sort of "off limits" here. Too much risk vs. reward. Also, most tourist areas have electricity already and heightened security. Just in case, let me know your room number and ATM passcode and I'll be glad to help you stay safe hehe.

How'd you get WiFi?

My parents' apartment got power 3 days ago. It is the lap of luxury.

How did you get on reddit?

At work. We have a generator.

What is Caguas liike?

I haven't been there yet. I was in Ponce two weeks ago and they are soing much better than San Juan.

What was an average day like without power? We rely on electricity so much, I can't imagine what I'd be doing without it...

It was a struggle, always thinking "where will I get ice, how can I keep my phone charged, will tonight be hot or cold." Just sheer uncertainty.

Que es la que hay?

Na to bien. Aquí sin luz y tú?

How's El Yunque doing? I was there not long before all the hurricanes. It was beautiful and peaceful. Probably my favorite part of the island. I hope it will recover.

I haven't been since before Irma.

Scientology is bragging in their promotional pieces how they're bringing relief to the island. What level of bullshit is this on?

I have not seen them, but if they are then good for them.

I just donated to your church! I am so sorry that the US administration hasn't been more supportive. Sending you love and prayers from NY. May I ask how you are finding adequate drinking water? I've read the majority has been contaminated.

Thank you! I have to buy it at supermarkets in bottles. It sucks because sometimes they are in low supply. So It's always good to store up

why? and who's fault is it, be honest. thanks!

From what I have seen, trees being allowed to grow near power lines fell because of the winds and took them with them. Tall trees should be prohibited within a certain radius of any power lines.

Do you think America has an obligation to bail you out?

I'm not sure.

How did you post this?

From work. We have a generator and internet. Also, Sprint has decent signal near my house.

What's going on with airports/leaving the island? Have flights gotten more cost prohibitive? Saw the comment about generators-are people generally helping each other out or are there some groups hoping to make a buck off their neighbors misfortune?

Lots of good people, some really bad apples hiking up prices.

What is the political feeling down there? Does everyone hate Trump, or also feel that they are being used as pawns by the Democrats?

Everyone hates Trump, but we also understand that politics are about compromise. We have put some political differences aside. And yes, Democrats have used us as a moral cause, but honestly, most people don't mind as long as it helps us reach some sort of normalcy as soon as possible.

Can you describe your sentiment, or anybody else's sentiment when they heard that Trump didn't know that he was your president?

We had a laugh about it.

Your good spirits are really inspiring. I was pissed.

We're used to this kind of comedy. Things here always have a magic realism element.

HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS WITHOUT POWER?!!

It's called a cellphone, look into it.

How do you have power to do AMA?

Work has a power plant and now I'm on my phone.

Exactly how greasy and sweaty are yours and your families assholes currently?

(Typing this from my air conditioned 4000 sq ft beach condo)

As sweaty as u last night

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Funny thing, the other day I ran out of paper towels and thought "Where's Trump when you need him?"

I wonder if somebody calculated how many bounty sheets would be required to soak up the hurricane. more than ever produced probably.

According to their ads with the blue liquid, just one.

How are you sending this with no power?

I'm at work. We have a generator. Also, I might answer from my phone later. I'm charging it here so it lasts til' tomorrow.

With the facts of global warming meaning this type of destruction is likely to be much more common, why rebuild at all? When God himself gives you a sign that can be seen from space maybe it's time to move?

And what? Prohibit people from living in any disaster prone areas? No one could live anywhere. Everyone has their disasters. It's part of the human experience.

This answer deserves more attention. Thanks for handling with grace. Glad you're percerviering.

Thank you! Faith has been instrumental in keeping it together.

You have every right to live in PR, but not everywhere is disaster prone. I live in an area where I'm too far inland to worry about hurricanes, I'm in a major valley that blocks tornados, Its a humid state so I don't have to worry about forest fires, It's hilly so it's easy to build on high ground and avoid flooding, and so on.

I have no problem with prohibiting people from living in disaster prone areas. But every community has to decide where the dividing line is between uninhabitable land and inhabitable land.

Looking at that from another angle with sufficient technology and building standards you can build most anywhere. So you can just say only X type structures in this space and that would block unsafe housing without saying no one can live there.

You then you get into where to the people go that can't afford to live in the more expensive structures it takes to make living there safe. But money is always part of the struggle of life.

Yeah. Cheap land has its downside. For example, flood prone areas here are usually really cheap.

[deleted]

Work computer. We have a generator.

So you have some power

I said "living" without power not "working" without power. But thank you for your nitpicking.

• Guy claims no power, but is posting on the internet
• Proof is his username scribbled on lined paper
• Includes a link to his Paypal account to "donate"

Seems legit!

I can send more proof if you like. Or remove the link if you think it will take attention away from the situation.