Wired to the 21st Century

Stop for a moment to think about all the technology in your life.

Phones, tv, internet, more phones, ipods, dvd players and so on.

Now, imagine you move to another country and it's all gone. All of those creature comforts gone. Some are doable for long periods of time while others are hard to live without.

I think we've all said at one time or another that living without them is easy and at times even desired. And I'm here to say, yes it is, but at the same time, when you're over 7,000 miles from home, it's those very technological gadgets that you crave. When you come home at night and you see the glow from your neighbors tvs and computers, you want that flickering in the darkness of your own apartment.

Our HR hero, Dival, helped to arrange acquiring all of them for me. My internet and landline took a little bit longer than most other teachers to get. Throughout the whole thing, I'll admit I was a little jealous of my newbie colleagues. While they were connected to families, friends, uncles and their grocery store clerks' daughters, I was well, without that connection. Thanks again to Dival. But once I got it, it's amazing how fast you can get sucked back into the 21st century's technological pull.

And let me tell you about the pull, it's strong. Really strong.

I went over a week without anything except my ipod to 3 weeks later I now have a landline, internet, tv, dvd player and most recently a new cell phone. So, I caved, I've fallen back into the habits of having all of the technology around me but you know what, it's those little things when you're far from home that make life a little easier.

Like turning on the tv this morning and watching BBC World News. And last night, although I forgot my cell phone at home, when I got home I had messages from friends who were trying to find me so I wouldn't stay late at school.

Even though at times we all curse it, especially when it's not working properly, when it is, ahhhh, what joy it brings.