Paying Bills in Africa

No one really likes paying bills, but at least in America the process is simple enough.  You can just write a check and send it in the mail or even more conveniently, go on-line and with a few clicks pay electronically.  Neither of those options exist in our part of Africa.  When you get a bill here, you have to pay in person.  Since we don't have water or trash services in our town, our only regular bill is electricity.  Every month the local Mozambique Electricity representative comes by with our bill, usually about 250 MTs (about US$7) for our three light bulbs, our mini-fridge, the electric stove and toaster oven, and occasional uses of Janet's computer.  To pay, we have to actually walk down to the electricity office (crossing the stream on the sketchy tree trunk bridge Janet hates).  Business hours here are more of a concept than a reality, so they're often closed or the agents are down in the city.  The chief collecting agent got in a motorcycle accident and broke his leg, so the office was closed for several weeks then. The payment  system was recently automated, so now there are computer difficulties we have to deal with as well, and ironically payments cannot be made when electricity is out, which is at least twice a week.  The in-person system has its advantages as well: you often bump into friends to chat with while waiting in line, and you can almost always talk your way out of late fees. It usually takes us at least two or three attempts before we can actually successfully make a payment, but they'll let you go about a year without paying your bill before they actually cut power, so it's not that big of a deal. Its just a little frustrating for us since we still have an American mindset about getting things done, but maybe its one of those things we'll miss once we're back in the modern world.