CONNECTED
22 February 2007

When Internet first appeared in the living rooms of the western world around 1996 I was very anti. No way, I said, I will always continue to write my hand-written letters! They have a smell, texture and are well-travelled, the same piece of paper has physically moved from one point to another. Not encrypted into 000011110000111s, as they are in computer language.

But it didn't take long. I soon became a hotmail-girl.

Eight years (or so) later, the wireless internet connection arrived. However, I was anti-wireless. Of course. Last week I got hooked. After a long visit at Media Markt and consultations with three of their rather cute employees, I got my D-Link Air Plus G wireless adaptor.

Then 5 hours later with help of computer-literate friends, I managed to get online. Bless them (and their incredible patience)! And now I have just finished one of my first Skype calls - I have both tried calling another computer, as well as a landline, and well, it works. With some disturbances.

Now I am all connected, and it is definitely much cheaper and more comfortable than making international calls from dodgy phone booths at night! But I have this nagging feeling that the more I get connected with the remote world - friends and family abroad - the less I am connected to the world around me. Is that so - or is it just my initial scepticism that is still present?