Frequent Power Outages and Hot Weather Don't Mix

Being reminded from other Peace Corps volunteers, I have realized that I really haven't spoken about the weather in Jamaica. It is hot, but the heat, especially where I live is not accompanied by excessive humidity; which makes it bearable to live. That said, during the summer (now) and for the last three months it has been pretty difficult to do too much activity outside during the day. If I don't get my morning run in by 8:00 am, I won't go. At night the temperature cools off to lower 80's upper 70's, but with significant mosquito activity (and no good screens on the windows) most of the windows stay closed and the house doesn't really cool off. Consequently to get a good nights sleep the fan is on all night blowing directly on us. That is, of course, if the power is working. The island suffers from high cost unreliable electricity. Unreliable is a bit of an understatement - the power frequently goes out, especially during storms and fluctuates often enough that it damages a lot of equipment. Case in point - the other night power went out while sleeping - with a hot house and only a few windows open no real sleeping took place. To bring the point home as to how unreliable electricity (light) is, I know of two cases when the entire island experienced a power outage. Yes, that's right, the entire island. One was the day that we arrived last July 3 and another one this past January during the evening hours. Unfortunately the hot weather will continue for another few months till about October when rainy season will kick in. Last year, it rained every day for 4 weeks straight. That may have been an anomaly, but nonetheless.