Hot Water and High Voltage

This is the second time that my hot water heater isn't working. The first time, I explained to the electricians that the heating element wasn't working. After two days, they determined I was wrong and that there was a problem with the release valve that allows reserve water to enter the tank from a reservoir on the roof when the tank water is used up. I couldn't explain that that was a stupid idea that had nothing to do with the heat, but I couldn't as I haven't enough Russian nor Tajik to do so. The valve was replaced and I still had no hot water. On the 5th day without water, they decided it was the heating element, so they called in someone who could fix it on the 6th day. On the 7th day, they rested.

They really didn;t fix the problem which is connected to the tank being old, worn-out and the temperature gauge not working. Yet, during the period of hotwaterlessness, I became adept at using an electric water kettle to fulfill all toilet needs. I shaved with one kettle of water, bathed with a second, and washed my hair with a 3rd. By the 6th day, I could do this in about half an hour's time. I owe that rapidity of toilet-making to the 220 volt electrical system they have here. I realize that it is unsafe and will probably kill me with all the makeshift wiring they have in my flat, but a kettle of water takes less than 2 minutes to heat up sufficiently for shaving. It dawned on me that this was exactly why these backwards, frightening, and filthy countries use such voltage. They need hot water quickly because they can't expect their water tanks to heat up. In this case, the egg came precisely because of the chicken.

My water went out again yesterday. I'm hoping to cut my bathing process down to 23 minutes by the time they get it repaired. Stay tuned...